Subject: David Lynch's ``Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me'' divides audiences
From: bskendig@shade.Princeton.EDU (Brian Kendig)
Date: 1992-05-18, 22:28
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks

(This article was originally posted on clari.news.interest.people.
 There are NO SPOILERS in here.)


CANNES, France (UPI) -- One of the most eagerly-awaited films at this
year's Cannes Film Festival, David Lynch's ``Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With
Me,'' was screened Saturday and, in keeping with the director's
tradition, it left audiences widely divided but hardly indifferent.
Lynch is no stranger to controversy. Just two years ago his film 
``Wild at Heart'' took the Festival's top Palme d'Or prize to general
surprise.
Set in the same small American town and involving many of the same
characters as Lynch's popular television series ``Twin Peaks,'' the film
takes audiences back in time, telling the story of Laura Palmer, played
by Sheryl Lee, in the days leading up to her brutal murder. The
discovery of her body was the event that opened the television drama.
Although many of Lynch's fans have applauded his extraordinary
filmmaking style, which jumps between reality, dream sequences and
visions of appalling violence, others have felt that the movie does
little but present sickening and misanthropic images.
``I love the place and I love the characters'' Lynch said of ``Twin
Peaks,'' but when aked why, if he loves them, they have such miserable
lives, he replied: ``You'd have to sit down with me and a psychiatrist
for a long while to find out, but I really do like them.''
The director, known for his ability to shock and disturb in films
such as ``Eraserhead,'' ``Blue Velvet'' and, most recently, ``Wild at
Heart,'' refused to apologize for the violence. ``I believe in very
strong content,'' he said.
Besides Lee as Laura Palmer, Ray Wise plays her father Leland, Moira
Kelly is her best friend Donna, and Kyle MacLachlan plays Special Agent
Dale Cooper. Rock star David Bowie has a cameo role, as does Harry Dean
Stanton. As in the television series, Lynch himself portrays an FBI
agent with a hearing problem.
Alongside frequent scenes of violence, ``Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With
Me'' shows incestuous rape, women being tied up and assaulted and
schoolgirls with cocaine habits. Lynch declined to categorize the film
as anti-drug but said, ``You can look at it that way if you want to.''
Lynch's attitude to his films is that each viewer must make up his or
her mind about significances and symbols, so he avoided saying anything
which gave away his own interpretation.
His reticence frustrated many of those present at the news conference
but maintained Lynch's reputation as an enigmatic filmmaker whose work
never fails to arouse fierce debate.
Chilean director Raul Ruiz, whose film ``Dark at Noon'' also screened
in competition Saturday, has been compared to Lynch. Ruiz uses similar
techniques to achieve a surrealistic effect.
``Dark at Noon'' follows a doctor's quest to find his family fortune,
mysteriously invested in a Portuguese factory. French actor Didier
Bourdon stars as the doctor, British actor John Hurt plays his father's
friend Anthony, and American Lorraine Evanoff makes her movie debut as a
painter.
This international cast was assembled by the producer Leonardo de la
Fuente, who pursued Hurt for several months in different countries
before he agreed to take the part. 
``I didn't have a single minute during the shooting when I wasn't
interested. The film breaks the rules of reality and what is allowed,''
Hurt said.
Although Cannes itself remained fairly quiet Saturday, the Hotel du
Cap was under siege after the arrival of actors Tom Cruise, who stars in
the Festival's closing film ``Far and Away,'' and Mel Gibson who came to
promote his latest film ``Lethal Weapon III.''


-- | Brian S. Kendig --/\-- Tri bskendig@phoenix.Princeton.EDU, @PUCC | Computer Science BSE |/ \| Quad You gave your life to become the person | Princeton University /____\ clubs you are right now. Was it worth it?