Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Widescreen) [Import]

The cult show "Twin Peaks" was reknowned for being weird and oddballish, but until fans have seen "Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me," they ain't seen weird yet. Without the restraints of weekly TV, David Lynch allows his unnerving imagination to run wild as it explores what happened before Laura died.

It begins with another FBI investigation -- waitress Teresa Banks has been murdered, but not much of the investigation is going forward. Then the investigation is dropped, and the movie skips ahead a year, showing us the last week of Laura Palmer's (Sheryll Lee) life.

In the course of those days, Laura is slowly slipping over to the Dark Side -- drugs, prostitutional sex, and nightmarish visions that are increasingly consuming her life. But as the drugs and sex take over Laura's life, she doesn't realize that a worse fate awaits her -- death, "wrapped in plastic."

David Lynch is known for making movies that are absolutely addling. They can make your brain hurt, and sometimes you never understand them at all. "Fire Walk With Me" goes under this heading. At the same time, it makes you think. And think. Like an Expressionist painting, it captivates as it bends your mind.

Lynch doesn't follow a real plot; instead, he lets the storyline slowly sink into Laura's downfall. Lynch paints the whole experience with nightmarish, surreal images and visions, and allows it to drip into your subconscious. And along the way, he fills it with slightly offbeat direction, heavy atmosphere, and the ability to make anything -- ANYTHING -- look menacing.

It's not exactly friendly to Lynch virgins -- if you don't know what to expect, this will simply tie your head in knots. And though this is a prequel, watch the TV show before venturing in here -- otherwise the appearances by Twin Peaks residents will simply go over your head. (Although it's fun to play "Spot David Bowie").

Lee does an excellent job as Laura, careening through the movie with a sense of doom. Laura's not likable here, but Lee keeps her from being a two-dimensional "fallen woman." And Moira Kelly is amazing as her good-girl pal Donna, while Kiefer Sutherland and Harry Dean Stanton have brief but solid roles as the FBI agents.

Though reviled when it was released, "Fire Walk With Me" This prequel was the last hurrah of the "Twin Peaks" series, but at least it was a worthwhile one.

I have a lot of friends who despise this movie. To them, it is not true to the spirit of the TV show. While I see where they're coming from, I disagree. While the TV show keeps the darkness under the surface, Fire Walk With Me is Lynch's view into the darkest aspects of human misery and evil. I see nothing wrong with a look at what's under the surface of the quirky Twin Peaks, unhampered by the restrictions of writing for network TV.

The scenes in the black lodge are unforgettably dark and disturbing. Sheryl Lee's acting is unbelievable. The symbolism is stark and memorable. As with most Lynch films, there is so much subtext that repeated viewings are just as revealing. Highly recommended for Lynch fans and anyone looking for a deeper understanding of evil.

The cult show "Twin Peaks" was reknowned for being weird and oddballish, but until fans have seen "Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me," they ain't seen weird yet. Without the restraints of weekly TV, David Lynch allows his unnerving imagination to run wild as it explores what happened before Laura died.

It begins with another FBI investigation -- waitress Teresa Banks has been murdered, but not much of the investigation is going forward. Then the investigation is dropped, and the movie skips ahead a year, showing us the last week of Laura Palmer's (Sheryll Lee) life.

In the course of those days, Laura is slowly slipping over to the Dark Side -- drugs, prostitutional sex, and nightmarish visions that are increasingly consuming her life. But as the drugs and sex take over Laura's life, she doesn't realize that a worse fate awaits her -- death, "wrapped in plastic."

David Lynch is known for making movies that are absolutely addling. They can make your brain hurt, and sometimes you never understand them at all. "Fire Walk With Me" goes under this heading. At the same time, it makes you think. And think. Like an Expressionist painting, it captivates as it bends your mind.

Lynch doesn't follow a real plot; instead, he lets the storyline slowly sink into Laura's downfall. Lynch paints the whole experience with nightmarish, surreal images and visions, and allows it to drip into your subconscious. And along the way, he fills it with slightly offbeat direction, heavy atmosphere, and the ability to make anything -- ANYTHING -- look menacing.

It's not exactly friendly to Lynch virgins -- if you don't know what to expect, this will simply tie your head in knots. And though this is a prequel, watch the TV show before venturing in here -- otherwise the appearances by Twin Peaks residents will simply go over your head. (Although it's fun to play "Spot David Bowie").

Lee does an excellent job as Laura, careening through the movie with a sense of doom. Laura's not likable here, but Lee keeps her from being a two-dimensional "fallen woman." And Moira Kelly is amazing as her good-girl pal Donna, while Kiefer Sutherland and Harry Dean Stanton have brief but solid roles as the FBI agents.

Though reviled when it was released, "Fire Walk With Me" This prequel was the last hurrah of the "Twin Peaks" series, but at least it was a worthwhile one.