"She's dead...wrapped in plastic." - Jack Nance as Pete Martell
Twin Peaks: Definitive Gold Box Edition DVD Review
By Jonathan Boudreaux
We've already looked at seasons one and two of Twin Peaks, separate releases of the only two seasons of the cult hit from the minds of David Lynch and Mark Frost. For the first time, both seasons are being brought together in Twin Peaks: Definitive Gold Box Edition. Rather than focusing on the episodes themselves (weird, memorable season one and slightly misfired season two), let's take a look at what makes this set different from the other two already in your collection.
The biggest difference is that, for the first time, the pilot movie has found its way onto an official DVD. Owners of Twin Peaks: Season One Special Edition were stuck reading a synopsis of the pilot film before watching the regular episodes.
The problem is that no synopsis can possibly capture the mood and tone of the actual pilot movie. This is one of the best pilots ever filmed (rivaled only in recent years by the pilot for Lost). It perfectly captures the look, timbre, and overall feel of the series to follow.
Also included are a slew of extras specific to this release. Some complete series sets recycle features from earlier releases. Not this one. Everything is new, from a documentary exploring the creation of the series to a conversation between reclusive director David Lynch and several people involved with the show.
The twenty-nine episodes that comprise Twin Peaks: Definitive Gold Box Edition are divided onto nine discs. A tenth disc contains only supplemental materials. The discs are housed in "book-style" packaging. This "book," in turn, is housed in a cardboard slipcase. The packaging is okay, but the gold tone might be a bit too weird. The book portion also is a bit cheap, looking as if it might fall apart after repeated use.
The DVD menus are simple and evocative. Three releases, three different sets of menus, each of them creative and visually interesting.
Video and Audio
These episodes look great-sharp and nearly flawless.
English, Portuguese, and Spanish audio tracks and subtitles are included.
The episodes are also closed captioned.
Extras
Each box contains a group of twelve "Greetings from Twin Peaks DVD Postcards." These cards, suitable for mailing or collecting, are quite nice, but there are a total of sixty-one postcards in the collection, so good luck getting them all!
When the pilot was produced, an "Alternate Ending" (22:10) was filmed especially for overseas markets. This alternate ending was meant to wrap up the pilot, solving the mystery. This version is included on disc one.
Each episode comes with the option of watching the episode with or without the "Log Lady" introductions produced for the series' cable run. Frankly, these are tiresome, but completists will probably be glad they're here.
Disc nine includes five deleted scenes (5:43). According to a title card, the series dates back to a time when unused material was mostly just tossed into the trash. Someone did, however, dig up these scenes. While they aren't very exciting, it is great to see any extra footage from the series.
Disc nine also contains "Production Documents," a gallery of call sheets and production breakdowns.
The remaining extra features are found on disc ten. Reclusive auteur David Lynch speaks to Madchen Amick, Kyle MacLachlan, and Lynch assistant John Wentworth in "A Slice of Lynch" (29:59), discussing the creation of the show that was originally named Northwest Passage. Lynch rarely gives interviews, so this is a must-see for fans.
"Secrets From Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks" is a documentary divided into four pieces: "Northwest Passage: The Original Pilot" (30:32), "Freshly Squeezed: Making Season One" (30:35), "Where We're From: Creating the Music" (17:44), "Into the Night: Creating Season Two" (30:18). This fascinating documentary freatures interviews with the cast, crew and creative team. Clips include the cast on The Phil Donahue Show and Sesame Street's "Twin Beaks". Do not watch this excellent documentary until you know who killed Laura Palmer.
Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan was the guest host of Saturday Night Live's September 29, 1990 season opener. Presented here is MacLachlan's opening monologue (4:20) and the episode's Twin Peaks sketch (9:07). Both are amusing.
As "Twin Peaks Festival" {19:41) observes, fans have never given up on the series or it shooting locations. The interactive map allows fans to figure out where shooting locations can be found.
"The Black Lodge Archive" contains a handful of Twin Peaks ephemera, including "'Falling' Music Video" (4:21), "Georgia Coffee Commercials" (3:25) is a series of Japanese coffee commercials featuring the Twin Peaks characters, three Image Galleries: "The Richard Beymer Gallery," "Unit Photography," and " Twin Peaks Trading Cards," "On-Air Promos and Spots" (5:51), "1-900 Hotline" (22:56), and "Lucy Bumpers" (:41). Some of these are quite fun.
Summary
Okay, so you've already purchased seasons one and two of Twin Peaks. Should you spend more of your hard-earned cash on yet another Twin Peaks collection? If you're a fan, there is no question-yes. Not only does this mark the first time that the pilot is receiving an official DVD release, but the extras here are substantial and enlightening. Clear some space on your shelf for Twin Peaks: Definitive Gold Box Edition.
11/21/07
