Alternatively referred to as Twin Peaks: The Return when
it broadcast on Showtime in the U.S., Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series
on Blu-ray Disc is the culmination of over four years of development between
series creators David Lynch and Mark Frost to reassemble the cast, some of whom
passed away during and after the production, and continue the story in show
time 25 years later and layer within it more esoteric symbolism and multiple
meanings that could be discussed for years to come. Without revealing any
spoilers, the series ending, which has certain hints of what is to come that
are easier to spot upon multiple viewings, is probably one of the most divisive
conclusions to broadcast and stream on a premium pay cable network since David
Chase’s finale to The Sopranos. While David Lynch proves himself to be
an American Master Filmmaker of the highest order in what is essentially an
18-hour feature film spread across the summer of 2017, Lynch and Frost greatly
expand the Twin Peaks Universe to include locations set in New York, the
Midwest, Las Vegas and even other dimensions of existence where the
supernatural influences the seemingly unrelated synchronistic events that
culminate in an explosive confrontation between malevolent forces and
benevolent forces moving characters into place almost like a cryptic chess game. Star Kyle MacLachlan
carries a huge weight with an all star ensemble cast as he portrays no less
than three distinct characters that has earned him a well deserved Best Actor
Golden Globe nomination and I hope everyone involved with the making of this
series will get accolades of some sort of recognition that will boost their
respective careers regardless of who they are and what they did. Even as a kind
of publicity spokesperson for the show while David Lynch was abroad during the
series first premiere airing on Showtime, Mr. MacLachlan represented Twin
Peaks in a first rate way, whether it was appearing on television talk
shows on both sides of the Atlantic, interacting with fans on Facebook, and
attending SDCC 2017, I don’t think anyone outside of Lynch himself could pull
off the publicity in such a genuine matter.
For twenty five years, the good FBI Special Agent Dale
Cooper (MacLachlan) has been trapped within the Black Lodge while his doppelganger
infused with the demonic spirit known as Bob, has concocted a plan to stay in
our reality as he searches for the coordinates to what perhaps could be
described as the mother of all evil with the aid of shadowy entities that
appear as Dark Woodsmen who serve their master on Earth and beyond. The Black
Lodge is a sort of combination of purgatory or the underworld and perhaps even
Hell itself. Beyond the veil of time as we understand it, Cooper’s chance at
restoring balance and returning to our world are put at risk during an attempt
to sabotage his return that results in him coming back in the guise of
Insurance Claims Inspector Douggie (MacLachlan), a kind of savant like presence
whose actions bring together various old and new characters as well as many
Actors that have worked with Lynch before in strange and at times wonderful
rendezvous.
The Blu-ray Disc Box Set contains eight discs within a
cardboard gatefold with the red curtains and strange floor pattern of the Black
Lodge on it as well as disc content details printed upon it too. The outer case
is a tableau of the three characters MacLachlan inhabits within the series. All
of the episodes as well as extra value content are presented in 16 by 9 1080p
full HD resolution while all of the episodes include English Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Surround Sound that captures Lynch’s signature sound design to great
atmospheric effect. English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired are
also encoded onto all eight discs. Extra value features include on disc one all
of the Showtime promo spots (5:44) as well as the Showtime promotional
featurette, Phenomenon (14:26) and the episodes on discs one and two can
either be viewed in their episodic form or in the broadcast feature length
presentations of episodes one and two (1:51:37) and three and four. Disc two
also features the Twin Peaks SDCC Panel (1:01:33) complete with David
Lynch’s video introduction presented to attendees and later released on
YouTube. Disc seven contains a complete crew list for everyone involved in the
making of this series (4:02) as well as a behind the scenes documentary by Charles de
Lauzirika (27:10) and two behind-the-scenes films by series Actor Richard
Beymer (29:23 collectively). All of the Rancho Rosa Logos (2:22) and a photo
gallery wrap up the features on the seventh disc.
Finally disc eight contains the multipart feature length
behind-the-scenes documentary Impressions: A Journey Behind The Scenes Of
Twin Peaks (4:51:07), which sounds as though it was narrated by Werner
Herzog even though it is not to my knowledge after checking IMDB while
reviewing the extra value materials in this Blu-ray set. Each disc’s
interactive menus features various locals from the series in the background at
times with jarring sound waves that include the swishing red curtains of the
Black Lodge, the floor pattern of the Black Lodge, the waterfalls, the forest,
the moon, another forest backdrop and the R&R Café.
This is truly one of the most comprehensive TV sets I have
ever reviewed for a television series on Blu-ray Disc and a must have companion
to the 2014 Blu-ray Disc set, Twin Peaks: The Complete Mystery. Twin
Peaks: A Limited Event Series is available now on Blu-ray Disc at retailers
on and offline courtesy of CBS Blu-ray Disc and Paramount Home Entertainment.
© Copyright 2017 By Mark A. Rivera
All
Rights Reserved.
