Upon learning of David Lynch's death, I reflect upon my own immersion into his world of Twin Peaks, Where the Truth is 'In Here,' Rather Than 'Out There.'
I'm a film buff and Lynch is one of my favourite directors... I discovered him through the University of Manchester Film Society, which I was on the committee for. (Were you a member? You were there the same years I was, during which we won Best Film Society, the first student film society ever to do so).
After watching Eraserhead, I swore I'd never watch it again. I've now seen it three times. It's the perfect nightmare. Yet as with all directors that I love, I have no desire to run out of their films, and so I watch them slowly. Last year was Mulholland Drive. The year before, Blue Velvet. I have many left, thankfully. The man may be gone, but his work will go on.
I especially enjoy his reworking of Hitchcock (the best thing about Blue Velvet for me was seeing it as the anti-Rear Window), and I wonder whether 1943's Shadow of a Doubt influenced Lynch directly. It feels very much a prototype to Lychian themes.
How interesting! I was one of the first to do Media/Film at UoM but I studied part time evenings at Warrington. I think they were trialling the course before letting it loose at Oxford Road. So I wasn't part of the FS. I was taught by the late great John Mundy - an expert in musicals as it happens. I got to think about how sound and movement work as a result of his tuition. I think I drove them a bit mad with my enthusiasm! I was interested in everything though and Hitchcock was one of my favourites as well. I like your remark about 'anti Rear Window,' that's interesting. I recall seeing Mullholland Drive at the cinema on a college trip to London and clinging on to a colleague's arm at the point when the camera slowly pans to find the dead body in the bedroom. Truly frightening.
What a pleasant surprise it was to find your paean to David Lynch, featuring such a great analysis of Twin Peaks! Not only was I a Twin Peaks fan, I lived on the Olympic Peninsula west of Seattle and experienced much of it first-hand: Lunch at the Salish Lodge (Great Northern) and Mount Si (from the opening credits).
Most memorable of all, however: Tweed's Cafe (The Double R Diner). I sat in the same booth that Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) did and enjoyed a thick slice of "Twin Peaks cherry pie." (Yes, it's every bit as good as Agent Cooper raved about. The coffee was only okay, though.)
Thanks for a nostalgic "trip" to a place I haven't thought about in years! :-)
If I can find the Word files, I may post (in serial form) my original dissertation. It will have been written in a very old format, but I'm sure I have it somewhere (I have my bound copy which I dug out last night). Twin Peaks was the water in which I swam for a long time. I re-watched the orginal series and Fire Walk With Me (all in the correct order, one must not watch the prequel before Agent Cooper arrives at TP!) and it seemed even more meaningful than ever. I loved the characters, and felt that it was such a clever take on the act of watching television itself. The soap (invitation to Love) within an incongruous soap detective hybrid. I once had a film studies tutor who was besotted with Lynch and we spent many a happy hour analysing the generic forms and references. It didn't really matter if you didn't get all the references but it was so much fun when you did. These were the last days of people talking about 'last night's TV' and I was teaching at an art school when it was first broadcast here in Britain. I remember we used to talk excitedly about what we thought about the latest episode, students and tutors alike. Such fun.
At that time, I was teaching graduate courses in systems management in the Seattle area. A couple of times, I watched them filming from a distance (sets were cordoned off) but couldn't see muh from a distance.
I'd love the opportunity to read your dissertation...😉😊
Lovely overview of his oeuvre. Thank you.
I love Lynch's films but have never watched Twin Peaks apart from a couple of episodes. Now on my watch list.
Thank you for your kind remarks! I hope you get to enjoy Twin Peaks - especially the episodes where Lynch himself appears as Gordon Cole!
Wonderful piece, Caroline!
I'm a film buff and Lynch is one of my favourite directors... I discovered him through the University of Manchester Film Society, which I was on the committee for. (Were you a member? You were there the same years I was, during which we won Best Film Society, the first student film society ever to do so).
After watching Eraserhead, I swore I'd never watch it again. I've now seen it three times. It's the perfect nightmare. Yet as with all directors that I love, I have no desire to run out of their films, and so I watch them slowly. Last year was Mulholland Drive. The year before, Blue Velvet. I have many left, thankfully. The man may be gone, but his work will go on.
I especially enjoy his reworking of Hitchcock (the best thing about Blue Velvet for me was seeing it as the anti-Rear Window), and I wonder whether 1943's Shadow of a Doubt influenced Lynch directly. It feels very much a prototype to Lychian themes.
With unlimited love,
Chris.
How interesting! I was one of the first to do Media/Film at UoM but I studied part time evenings at Warrington. I think they were trialling the course before letting it loose at Oxford Road. So I wasn't part of the FS. I was taught by the late great John Mundy - an expert in musicals as it happens. I got to think about how sound and movement work as a result of his tuition. I think I drove them a bit mad with my enthusiasm! I was interested in everything though and Hitchcock was one of my favourites as well. I like your remark about 'anti Rear Window,' that's interesting. I recall seeing Mullholland Drive at the cinema on a college trip to London and clinging on to a colleague's arm at the point when the camera slowly pans to find the dead body in the bedroom. Truly frightening.
What a pleasant surprise it was to find your paean to David Lynch, featuring such a great analysis of Twin Peaks! Not only was I a Twin Peaks fan, I lived on the Olympic Peninsula west of Seattle and experienced much of it first-hand: Lunch at the Salish Lodge (Great Northern) and Mount Si (from the opening credits).
Most memorable of all, however: Tweed's Cafe (The Double R Diner). I sat in the same booth that Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) did and enjoyed a thick slice of "Twin Peaks cherry pie." (Yes, it's every bit as good as Agent Cooper raved about. The coffee was only okay, though.)
Thanks for a nostalgic "trip" to a place I haven't thought about in years! :-)
If I can find the Word files, I may post (in serial form) my original dissertation. It will have been written in a very old format, but I'm sure I have it somewhere (I have my bound copy which I dug out last night). Twin Peaks was the water in which I swam for a long time. I re-watched the orginal series and Fire Walk With Me (all in the correct order, one must not watch the prequel before Agent Cooper arrives at TP!) and it seemed even more meaningful than ever. I loved the characters, and felt that it was such a clever take on the act of watching television itself. The soap (invitation to Love) within an incongruous soap detective hybrid. I once had a film studies tutor who was besotted with Lynch and we spent many a happy hour analysing the generic forms and references. It didn't really matter if you didn't get all the references but it was so much fun when you did. These were the last days of people talking about 'last night's TV' and I was teaching at an art school when it was first broadcast here in Britain. I remember we used to talk excitedly about what we thought about the latest episode, students and tutors alike. Such fun.
At that time, I was teaching graduate courses in systems management in the Seattle area. A couple of times, I watched them filming from a distance (sets were cordoned off) but couldn't see muh from a distance.
I'd love the opportunity to read your dissertation...😉😊