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Twin Peaks Rewatch 6: Cooper's Dreams

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Twin Peaks Rewatch 6:

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Cooper's Dreams

It is time for a few small-but-potent character scenes, a lot of questions answered with even more questions, and a surprising number of meticulously blocked hero shots of the Sheriff's department, in week six of our re-examination of Twin Peaks. Join us (and the many helpful readers who shared their thoughts) in our discussion of episode 6: Cooper's Dreams.

Catching up? Listen to the Rewatch archive.

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"I'm Audrey Horne and I get what I want." Is classic. It actually angers me because when watching S1 I thought Audrey was the coolest, and then

just ruins her and takes the spotlight away from her, basically the best side character

.

Also, a sublot in this show is the much-deserved continual curbstomps done on Leo Johnson. It sheds lots of light on the situation when you see how his sphere of influemce seemingly goes about as far as high school kids and his wife. He's a shitbag and always deserves it, but there's a very small amount of tragedy to this continuous fuckup of a man.

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Man, Ray Wise does a disturbingly incredible job at being weird and disheveled and then having a nervous breakdown. I know it's not the first time, but it's always heartbreaking.

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I wonder if there was a play on words in the original German title? I hope so.

 

Unfortunately there's not a lot of ambiguity in the German title — "Cooper's Traeume".

 

I wasn't able to identify any other plays on words in the German titles (I sent in the email to the last podcast about it) however while trawling some fan sites and forums I did come across more than one argument that episode 16/17 is one. It's titled "Arbitrary Law" in US releases but the literal translation of its German title, "Selbstjustiz", is vigilantism. I'm not personally convinced that the relation is intentional but Lynchjustiz, lynching, is a form of selbstjustiz.

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Some loose notes. 

 

I wouldn't say I went in cold watching this episode, but "The One-Armed Man" always puts a damper on things. 

 

But man this episode is great. I especially appreciate the many, and pretty inventive  shoots this episode uses. It's not as bad as the awkward tilted Noir angels from the end of the last episode, instead it's just really playful. 

 

The TWO separate  Rushmore like silhouette shoots of first: Cooper, Truman, and Hawk at Jacques place. And then the one before the cabin with: Cooper, Truman, Hawk and Hayward. 

 

I also loved the slow panning shoot in the diner that goes from Donna, James and Madeline, to the carry coke, then goes a booth back, and spins CCW 90 degree, and ends with Hank and his dumb domino on the right side, and the three teenagers on the left side, leaving the RR diner. 

 

Finally the fast cut, semi montage, of Cooper, Truman, and Hawk connecting the dots and unveiling evidence upon evidence in the cabin. This show is so great at building up moments, that explode in sudden realizations, yet still leaves you puzzled and intrigued. 

 

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Not a lot of Major Briggs in this episode, but I really  love his few seconds at dr. Jacoby office. At first glance, he's sauce a classic conservative military man. Someone that dose not appreciate "shrinks". At the same time he seems kind of annoyed at the prospect of leaving the office. He doesn't seem forced into the situation, rather it seems that he might have been the one that suggest the family went to counsel. 

 

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Something that always really bugs me watching this episode. Is the giant glass of carry coke Maddy orders. And then NEVER EVEN LOOKS AT. I'm not even really sure what that meeting is suppose to suggest, beyond the obvious, that the three of them are now a team. Why is James sent away to get the glass, it's not like Donna is telling Maddy anything James can't know about. Why do they both trust Maddy at first glance. I'm not suggesting she isn't to be trusted. Be Donna has barley meat Maddy at this point, before telling her all kind of stuff. And lastly, why are they in such a hurry. They haven't been sitting for a full minute, before storming out of the door again.   

 

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I feel like I get the Norwegian X Swede joke. Scandinavian countries are in American eyes socialist states, yet they are all monarchies. , Two things that usually doesn't go well hand in hand. That I get, but I don't see how it's funny in the least. Slightly ironic maybe, but hardly joke materiel. Is it meant as a dumb joke, or am I misunderstanding something? 

 

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I'm not sure if this was brought up last time as well. But Lynch is not just a fan of coffee, he has his own coffee label. Though it was worth mentioning.  

 

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That got kind of long, and I probarly spelled it all wrong, I apologies. 

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Bookhouse Boys, come out and plaaaaaaay.

He didn't die. He's a musician.

Also, Jacoby has Laura nailed. Darkness and corruption.

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So we find out that Shelley dropped out of the 11th grade. Does that mean Leo was trawling for high school girls? As if we didn't have enough reasons to think he's the biggest piece of shit.

 

Also, the TPPD apparently sent Andy to pick up Leo? I don't see how that would have worked at all if Leo had been home.

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The TWO separate  Rushmore like silhouette shoots of first: Cooper, Truman, and Hawk at Jacques place. And then the one before the cabin with: Cooper, Truman, Hawk and Hayward. 

 

Yes, these are both so fantastic. Especially the last one, because "Into the Night" can be heard in the background. This whole scene where they discover Jacques' cabin is one of my favorites from the show because it has that song in it.

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The best shot in this episode is Andy eating Cooper's donut.

 

Are Pete and Catherine supposed to be married? If so, I completely missed that earlier.

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Double post because I just listened to the cast and I had some things to add.

 

The stuff with Jacoby and Bobby is interesting in light of Audrey's scene in the department store earlier. Jacoby seems to be saying that Laura exploited people's weaknesses in order to manipulate them and that's exactly what Audrey does to the store manager. That parallel is also interesting given the implied relationship between Audrey and Laura that you guys discussed last episode.

 

Continuing on Audrey for a bit, for some reason I assumed that she was the one who turned on the music at the end. The combination of her seeing her father and Catherine in the previous scene, her screwing up the Norwegian deal earlier in the season and her crying at the end made it seem like she turned the music on specifically to ruin her dad's deal.

 

Finally, did anybody else notice that, in the scene with Maddie finding Laura's secret shoebox, Sarah is calling for Leland? I thought that was super creepy.

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Finally, did anybody else notice that, in the scene with Maddie finding Laura's secret shoebox, Sarah is calling for Leland? I thought that was super creepy.

 

I always assumed it was just because she heard someone moving about in the house, but an interesting thought just occurred to me. Maybe it's her psychic abilities since at that moment he's basically having a breakdown at the Great Northern?

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Are Pete and Catherine supposed to be married? If so, I completely missed that earlier.

 

Yes, and funny tidbit: the way Pete says "Caaatherine..." is kind of an inside joke. The actor who plays Pete, Jack Nance, was once married to the actress who plays the Log Lady, Catherine Coulson, and used to say her name the same way! They both worked on Lynch's debut film Eraserhead (where Nance plays the main character).

 

He aged quite a bit in 15 or so years:

 

eraserhead1.jpgPete_Martell_561.jpg

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The Sheriff's Department was out in the woods looking for Jacques' cabin, the one with the red drapes, after Cooper sees the log cabin photo and puts it together that Laura was photographed there. About 19 minutes into the episode:

 

Cooper: Red drapes, Harry, from my dream... Now why would an apartment dweller like Jacques buy fifty gallons of heating oil?

Truman: To heat a log cabin.

Cooper: Harry, you're alright.

Hawk: Jacques' brother said something about a place up near the state line.

Cooper: Fellas let's pack a lunch. We're taking a walk in the woods.

 

It's funny Jake felt like not much happened in this episode. To me it felt jam-packed with information and character moments. The amount of information we learn about Laura blew my mind.

 

By the way, I don't get why Leo's truck is in the Flesh World magazine? Is he advertising there for some reason? Why would he send a picture of his truck? Also, if you pause and read the text, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the nearby pictures. Seems they took random saucy ads and threw in some unrelated pictures. So alas, Leo's truck is unexplained.

 

As a side note, dear god I never want to see anything else from Eraserhead.

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Eraserhead is one of the most upsetting films I have ever seen. That snake-baby is forever seared into my mind's eye, and the continuous ambient drone is there in my mind's ear too. But Holy Christmas does Jack Nance look different. It took me a while to recognise him.

 

About the Log Lady scene: there's a line by Truman where he says her husband died the day after the wedding. It's nearly a throwaway line where no else picks it up again, but I found it to be absolutely heartbreaking.

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As a side note, dear god I never want to see anything else from Eraserhead.

 

LOL - I felt similarly after seeing the whole movie (and believe me, this scene is mild in comparison). I was like, wow, that was incredibly well-done, hypnotic, but I don't think I'll ever watch THAT again!

 

I have, of course, seen it several times since, incorporated its grisliest scene into a video essay, and plan on buying the new blu-ray soon. ;)

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Re: Leo's truck: I was for some reason under the impression that he was trying to sell his truck (presumably to buy a better one). I could be making that up though.

 

Audrey's secret spying spot has been mentioned a couple of times. One thing I'd note is that I don't think the crawl-space / storage closet between rooms is all that contrived. I believe it's indicated that it's basically the back-side of a storage closet (probably for linens, cleaning supplies etc used by the hotel). I've seen back-of-the-house spaces like that crammed into all sorts of places in hotels and restaurants: why let a hollow wall go to waste when you could jam stuff in there out of sight to the guests? The unfinished interior is just part of that.

 

That being said, we do see learn that there's an actual honest-to-god secret passage in the back of Ben Horne's office, so there's that.

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I really liked the scene where Shelly shoots Leo because it's so atypical of that sort of scene. Shelly doesn't give up and let Leo regain the upper hand, but it's also not the dramatic killing retort that is sometimes used. Shelly doesn't know how to use a gun, and it frightens her. Leo isn't instantly dead from some preternaturally skilled or lucky shot. He cries out in pain, and the scene ends without letting you know exactly what happened.

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LOL - I felt similarly after seeing the whole movie (and believe me, this scene is mild in comparison). I was like, wow, that was incredibly well-done, hypnotic, but I don't think I'll ever watch THAT again!

 

I have, of course, seen it several times since, incorporated its grisliest scene into a video essay, and plan on buying the new blu-ray soon. ;)

 

My wife and I just watched Eraserhead the other day, because of these forums mostly. I felt that I didn't have a firm enough handle on David Lynch to describe what was and was not Lynchian about Twin Peaks.

 

I had heard lots of things about it over the years, but it just wasn't readily available till recently(ish). So, this was my first time watching it. My wife was actually a little afraid to watch it, cause she was certain it would give her weird dreams.

 

I think it suffices to say, it will take a long time to digest.

 

One of the brilliant things I wish I had was a viewing of it before and after becoming a husband and father. I think Lynch started making Eraserhead after marriage and fatherhood. I think it colors things...differently. I liked the idea of how the "baby" was an imposition on the insular nature of his life before fatherhood. That's not to say that I regret getting married or having a child. What I mean to say is that the way he moves around his house and daydreams and has "hobbies" is interesting. That's mostly what I remarked on. The film as a whole will need to be digested from several more viewings...probably months apart.

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My wife and I just watched Eraserhead the other day, because of these forums mostly. I felt that I didn't have a firm enough handle on David Lynch to describe what was and was not Lynchian about Twin Peaks.

 

I had heard lots of things about it over the years, but it just wasn't readily available till recently(ish). So, this was my first time watching it. My wife was actually a little afraid to watch it, cause she was certain it would give her weird dreams.

 

I think it suffices to say, it will take a long time to digest.

 

One of the brilliant things I wish I had was a viewing of it before and after becoming a husband and father. I think Lynch started making Eraserhead after marriage and fatherhood. I think it colors things...differently. I liked the idea of how the "baby" was an imposition on the insular nature of his life before fatherhood. That's not to say that I regret getting married or having a child. What I mean to say is that the way he moves around his house and daydreams and has "hobbies" is interesting. That's mostly what I remarked on. The film as a whole will need to be digested from several more viewings...probably months apart.

 

One of the things that fascinates me about Eraserhead, but which I haven't heard a lot of people address, is how the baby is both a spiritual symbol (of Henry's repression and anxiety, among other harder-to-pin-down qualities), which needs to be overcome, and an entity that seems to have a life and consciousness of its own - to suffer and experience pain though it's unable to communicate this. It's a disturbing and compelling ambiguity - the kind of complexity Lynch earns precisely because he doesn't allow himself to be completely cornered on what something "means."

 

Spoiler for Twin Peaks:

 

This makes the ending of Eraserhead a kind of complete reversal of FWWM. In both cases, a father kills his child but in the first, its presented from the father's point of view, in the second the child's. In fact, I juxtaposed the two a few months ago in a video essay about Lynch's treatment of abuse, violence, and repression in the first part of his career:

 

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