Twin Peaks returns sometime in 2017, but David Lynch’s beloved drama is celebrating in more ways than one this year. It also marks the 25th birthday of the director’s follow-up prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. The film was famously met with boos at its Cannes premiere in 1992 and a flop at the box office not long after, yet has gained a cult following in the decades since. Enough people now like it that Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a series of screenings at locations all across the country to celebrate the landmark birthday.
As the theater accurately states of the film’s recent status as a masterpiece to rival Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, “That’s not to say it isn’t a coked up fever dream; it’s just a really, really good one that gets to the heart of the Twin Peaks story and vibe, complementing the show (which had actually long since fizzled out by the film’s release) and stands up on its own even if you have no interest in watching the full series (but why would you be lame like that?).”
The film’s newfound popularity is probably thanks in part to its casting. While Lara Flynn Boyle and Sherilynn Fenn opted out, David Bowie makes a memorable cameo as the FBI agent Phillip Jeffries — a role he was planning on reprising for the new series before he sadly passed away early last year. “I love that all us weirdos who love Bowie came here within the first hour of the announcement of his passing,” one commented on a particularly bizarre YouTube clip from Fire Walk With Me, in testament to Bowie’s unforgettable character. Kyle MacLachlan also returns as Special Agent Dale Cooper, albeit for a more limited role.
The theatrical run of Fire Walk With Me will coincide with the re-release of the film’s equally iconic soundtrack by Angelo Badalamenti. The remastered 2xLP is pressed on “Cherry Pie” vinyl and features Lynch-approved artwork by Sam Smith. Lynch also sanctioned some liner notes by leading film critic Mark Kermode. Check out the Alamo showtimes (and salivate over the dark Lynchian vinyl) here.
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Text Hannah Ongley