Ummm... because it and the Cooper tapes are really good? Some of us were discussing this last weekend. If you don't even like the books, you're not worthy of calling yourself anything more than a casual admirer of Twin Peaks.

Surveillance is one of my new favorite movies, by the way. I don't say something like that lightly.

I'm curious to hear what folks present at last weekend's screening of Surveillance thought of it? I myself really enjoyed it a lot and I think anyone expecting it to be another Boxing Helena will be pleasantly surprised. That being said, I can also see people hating it simply because they will place far too high an expectation on it being "Lynchian" and will therefore be disappointed. I had to remind a few people last week that she's not David Lynch and therefore we can't sit around comparing his films to hers as though she has something to live up to.

The fact that it's now one of Angel's top fave films speaks volumes. :)

P.S. The secret diary is the only souvenir that I will accept from someone trying to discuss the Peaks universe because it was the closest of all the souvenirs to the real thing. I ignore the Starpics cards, the access guide, Coop's diary, etc. If I'm feeling generous, I WILL accept arguments based on the Coop audio tapes...but that's about it. The rest was created as fluffy fan crap that is fun to read but has no real bearing on the series or film.

~ Amanda

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..."

i completely agree on both points, amanda. i may have initially like boxing helena just because i had a huge crush on fenn in my formative years, but its hardly the bad film it is made out to be. certain things were mentioned, like the score, editing, which i too believe steered the movie into zalman king territory for the first section. also i think having fenn held captive by amputation really bothered people. but because they werent being bothered by the lynch they want to be bothered by, everybody just wrote it off and didnt really give it a chance. i always thought BH was j.lynch was sort of exercising her demons from the car accident that completely changed her life. which works for me.
and yes, i too consider the diary and (most of the)tapes as canon. seriously, the diary came out between seasons for a reason! and it is extremely well written, no matter the age of the author. but its a diary for goodness sake, you cant compare it to ulysses. give the woman some credit!

i thought surveillance was ok. some of the acting i couldnt get into(tho it was great to see micheal ironside), but from a technical point of view, i thought it was very well made. i wont spoil it, but ill just say from the moment pullman and ormond entered the film, i called the ending. but it didnt ruin it in anyway, as thats more of the macguffin of the film. the rashomon-ish middle is the meat of the pie id say.
worth seeing if you enjoy thrillers, dumb and smart ones alike.

I am really looking forward to seeing this film. I became interested in Jen's work because she is David's daughter. I do like Boxing Helena and have it on dvd. I used to think she was trying to emulate her father's style by going for the darker side of subject matter. But then how can one not be influenced especially when your dad is David f'n Lynch! I used to own the "diary" but over the years i have moved alot and, well, things get lost. I thought the "diary" was fine.

 She usually tells interviewers that DL of course influenced her but she has many other influences, too., Growing up with parents who encourage creative freedom without limits lays the groundwork for great art.

Bill Pullman also says wonderful things about how Jen departs from David in a unique way.  (He was supposed to be the star of Boxing Helena, too.)

Surveillance is totally unlike BH, except that both are pretty original stories. About very specific types of extreme sexual deviance (so is Nagin, so is the Diary.)  Especially voyeurism, which is also a familiar theme in DL movies.  Jen really explores this from a female pov, and with no guilt or shame.