Caffeinated Clint
Madman are dousing shelves in Garmonbozia come Feb 8, with the Blu-ray release of “Twin Peaks : Fire Walk With Me”.
The critically-bitten prequel to the hit ’90s series is a highly anticipated title among Blu-ray enthusiasts and Lynchians. Madman’s Region B (Australia) release marks the first time the title has been available to buy in spiffy 1080p.
But what you guys want to know though is, ‘Are those deleted scenes on the Blu-ray!?” and sadly, the answer is ‘No’.
You’ve got the original 1992 EPK, which includes chats with the actors and some BTS stuff, but those hours of deleted scenes that we’ve been hoping for for years have sadly not made it to the local release. And I’m guessing it’s not so much Madman’s fault/decision as it is Lynch and/or the French outfit that the title would have been licensed from.
Back in July of 2011, “Twin Peaks” co-creator Mark Frost mentioned that the international Blu-ray release of “Fire Walk With Me” may include the deleted bits we fanatics have been aching for since.. well, reading about New Line’s butchering of Lynch’s cut prior to it’s release. But just prior, Bob Engels, the film’s writer, told us he didn’t think the deleted scenes even existed.
Caffeinated Clint : I remember reading that original 200-page script and, if I recall correctly, there was a lot more with Dale Cooper and Sam Stanley in it.
Bob Engels : Yeah, I think so. I don’t remember, but I think so. Like I said, the script was long but… I think we had them on another case, and then that case led to this case.
Caffeinated Clint : So none of that stuff was filmed?
Bob Engels : No, I don’t think any of that was filmed. There was, however, probably another forty-minutes or so of stuff that was actually filmed that didn’t make it into the movie. Everybody in the series we wrote a part for. And then, as I recall, there was more with the David Bowie character. But everyone had their moment – we were very faithful, we brought everyone back. A lot of it was written and a lot of it was shot. When it was clear it was too long, David started to cut it down.
Caffeinated Clint : Do you think we will ever see these legendary deleted scenes?
Bob Engels : I don’t know if those scenes still exist or not. I’m not bullshitting here – I don’t know if they exist or not. I know they shot them, and I saw some of them, but I don’t know if they’re gone or if they’re somewhere or… my guess is that they’re gone or they would’ve turned up on the internet. A film house would’ve come across them by now.
But fast forward to a year or so later… and we’ve a few tweets from “Peaks” co-creator Mark Frost suggesting otherwise :
Lynch decided to make a ”Twin Peaks” movie because, as he said in an interview, “I couldn’t get myself to leave the world of Twin Peaks. I was in love with the character of Laura Palmer and her contradictions: radiant on the surface but dying inside. I wanted to see her live, move and talk.” Tracing the events before the series pilot, “Fire Walk With Me” jets back to the last seven days of Laura Palmer (the brilliant Sheryl Lee), the murdered prom queen of the series. Out of control, hornier than ever and just begging for affliction, Palmer’s got herself mixed up in an interchanging reality where men find her alluring, she finds sex overpowering, and soul-sucking demon fiends possess those close to her, preparing for her looming death. Yep, Laura Palmer’s on a one-way trip to hell. Following the inexplicable disappearance of colleague, Agent Chet Desmond (Chris Isaak), pro snooper Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) is called into action to head up an investigation to pick up where his predecessor left off. Seems a body floating in the water, belonging to a woman named Theresa Banks, leaves a path of clues and insight into revealing the man responsible for such gruesome acts.
Though Lynch was forced to make some drastic cuts to the film pre-release, “Fire Walk With Me” is still an intriguing and visually arresting film experience. Sheryl Lee gives an award-worthy performance as the demonized Laura Palmer, while there’s great (if even too brief) turns from the likes of Kyle MacLachlan (briefly reprising his role as agent Dale Cooper – – who, quite frankly, the film needed more of), Harry Dean Stanton, crooner Chris Isaak, Gary Bullock and a twitchy Kiefer Sutherland. The star of the show might be Ray Wise though, again brilliant as the maniacal Leland Palmer. The cinematography, music and production design is also excellent.
But back to the Blu-ray…. the deleted scenes aren’t on here, but by golly if we’re not all gonna pick up a copy of the Region B release on BD anyway, right!? I’ll take three!
