Subject: Re: TWIN PEAKS
From: tim@hoptoad.uucp (Tim Maroney)
Date: 1990-04-17, 23:39
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks
Reply-to: tim@hoptoad.UUCP (Tim Maroney)

> >    This is Yogesh Kavita.  I am using my friend, Randy's account to use the
> >news board.
> >    Regarding Twin-Peaks,  I agree that the second episode was not as good as
> >the first, and the commercials sure did take some interest out of me.  But it
> >still is a good show.  I was very impressed with the first episode, and now I
> >am hooked.  I just hope it doesn't become too confusing.  

I'm surprised no one has pointed out yet that Lynch didn't direct the
second episode.  He directed the pilot (which, by the way, I don't
think was a pilot -- from the structuring of the commercial breaks,
which the network ignored, it seems to have been intended as the first
few episodes.)  The Lynch visual touches and his light touch with music
were clearly missing; no strange shots of traffic lights or ceiling
fans to contribute in an indefinable but powerful way to the ambience.

I think I also noticed some serious differences in the way he directed
the people.  Look, for instance, at the Norwegians reacting to the girl
with the melons (Audrey Horne, right?) in the first episode, their
strangely synchronized behavior indicating her deliberate control of
their actions.  There's nothing like that in the second episode.  In
addition, the trademark Lynch "making 'em dangle" tricks which
completely filled "Eraserhead" are gone.  We are never left with an
awkward pause or waiting painfully for the blow to fall.  The humor is
played straight ahead and the penetrating quality of the emotions
doesn't come through.  If I'd only seen the second episode, I probably
wouldn't bother with the series.  It was good, but not great.  Kyle
McLaughlin doesn't need Lynch, of course, but I think Lynch helps.
-- Tim Maroney, Mac Software Consultant, sun!hoptoad!tim, tim@toad.com "Every institution I've ever been associated with has tried to screw me." -- Stephen Wolfram