The beauty of the crisis scenes almost always eclipses the perfection that is the whole of the episode.

Somehow, in the middle of plotlines and mood starting to spin out into a fluff that barely resembles the first season, Lynch intervenes to make a cohesive chunk of drama, air tight as the pilot. (He does something similar with the finale.) The poignantly layered, tragic moods of the Roadhouse, sets the tone for the spare, visceral realism of Maddy’s death.

Without Julee’s interlude, the murder might seem gratuitous. The Roadhouse is smoky and lit in dream colors. We generally agree here that these parallel scenes are the lofty artistic peaks of Twin Peaks.

Even more brilliantly, the Roadhouse scene is echoed in Fire Walk With Me. Jung believed that to dream of a building is to dream of the mind. What you find in its rooms are the contents of the unconscious. When Maddy is killed, the Roadhouse, the girl singer, her audience suspended in time, all seem to remember. It acts as the unconscious of Twin Peaks, and the Giant is able to tap in and give the message to Cooper: “It is happening again.”

But what about the other scenes in 14?

For example, the beats and tension are so much more true and meaningful than in other episodes. The acting is better, the soundtrack more artfully used.

At Leo’s, we see Bobby for the little boy he is, brining Shelley to her boiling point. As with Donna and James in the Roadhouse, we never see these two give such nuanced, synched performances at any other point of their silly coma-Leo subplot, played here completely straight.

At Ben’s office, as the fire crackles over Laura’s Theme, Audrey angrily interrogates her father about Laura and One Eyed Jack’s. Ben’s entire posture reads ‘guilt’ here, and he is completely vulnerable in a way he hasn’t been shown before. Audrey’s last reaction shot here is wonderfully complex; there is fear and disbelief tinged with loss, and longing. This is a turning point for both characters.

The cheerleader Nadine scene, which is paired with Shelley’s moment of genuine emotion, is also uncomfortable and strange in a believable way, as opposed to the screwy high camp of the rest of the subplot. It’s cancer-serious, and freaky with the blood and scary musical cue, as she spins on her barstool, hypnotized by the wound.

Another thing I noticed in the establishing shots, is that it actually looks like the pilot. Everything is rain-wet, from Harold’s to the Roadhouse. Each scene is also lit appropriate to the passing of time on a cloudy day into evening, from dawn outside the Great Northern to late at night outside the Palmer’s. Other directors lost sight of this in the rest of the show. I don’t know why, as this was so essential to the mood of the show. Probably just to match the SoCal locations.

There are also a lot of interesting angles. 1) The bird’s eye view of the people being walked through the lobby, as Ben walks in. 2). Harold’s legs hanging in midair, much like the way Leland hangs in the Red Room. 3) The scene Maddy says she’s going home is played from around and partially obscured by the record player, as it ironically spins What a Wonderful World (and foreshadowing the record player that will be spinning during the murder.) 4) Ben twists in the foreground while being restrained and carried to the door. There is another high shot from the ceiling of Ben being manhandled away. 5) At the station, Ben is being taken to his cell, and just The Log Lady’s log, held in her arms, moves into frame. Cooper and Harry notice slowly, and the following.exchange is as ominous as the shot: “There are owls in the Roadhouse”/”Something is happening, isn’t it, Margaret?”

Other lighting tricks: 1) At Harold’s, the crime scene photographer’s flashbulb goes off several times; once in the camera, again as Hawk picks up Laura’s diary, again as Harry reads the opening page, and again as Cooper reaches for it, coloring everything green/blue. 2) At Ben’s office (night) : he is lit sinisterly from below as he talks to Tojamura.

The Tojamura reveal scene is so effective because of the lighting: Pete makes himself a late night snack in the dark. We know that the Martell’s leave the door unlocked, “A country habit. We’re all so trusting.” This is the most unnerving moment we ever see at the Blue Pine Lodge, even though it’s a happy one. The moon distorts the shadows of the windowpanes through the living room curtains, and comes in through the shutters, casting a chiaroscuro, moonlight slants in all directions over the kitchen. There is a moment of fear when Pete hears something, ignores it. When he collides with the intruder in the shadows of the living room, it taps into a primal fear of having one’s most familiar space invaded.

Whew, that was a lot to write, sorry! Can anyone else give love to ep 14 in general?

Maybe my favourite episode of the series, amazingly made, hypnotic and emotionally devastating, I love it.  And the performances are all excellent, especially from Ray Wise, Richard Beymer and Sherilyn Fenn.  Sad, melancholic and visceral, one of the best episodes of the series...

i also love Bobby's tranced out look in the roadhouse, very emotional.

love the sound design, especially when Cooper and Truman walk into the station, and notice the Log Lady: "Somethin is happening, isn't it Margaret?"

Thank you for the wonderful review,12rainbow!!!

This is my absolute favorite episode,along with the last ep. 

I love the scene in Palmer's house,right before Maddy's murder...that sound of the record player is so creepy,the way the camera is moving towards the armchair,the rug... it's very tense and I always get sweaty palms from watching that,as if I don't know what's gonna happen. It shows one more time what a genius David Lynch is. Hats off to him!

12rainbow, please do this for every episode! Haha You're a great writer.

I hate to sound lazy by saying this, but i pretty much agree with everything you said. I might watch the episode later on so i can put in my two cents on other scenes too. I love the Nadine scene where she cuts her hand, it's creepy and a little disturbing, whilst still being charming and pretty funny.

Although like you said, the music is used to greater effect yet again in this episode, i also think silence is employed just as well. Sometimes scenes earn alot more tension and mystery when you can hear absolutely fuck all, with the exception of natural or spontaneous sounds.

Thanks, guys :D

Did anyone notice the drones as the camera first pans along the carpet at the Palmer house sound like the ones we hear in Mulholland Dr, in Betty's bed, I think?

The pilot, the last episode of season 1 (because of all the cliffhangers), episodes 14/15/16, and the final episode are my favorites of the series, by far. The pilot is my very favorite, and episode 14 comes in at a close second.

One thing that struck me as I was watching TP yesterday is the scene where Cooper is sitting by himself at the Sheriff's Department reading some of the torn pages from Laura's diary that were discovered at Harold Smith's home. The look of thought on his face as he is trying to piece her references to Ben Horne and BOB being a friend of her father together, paired with the increasingly intense background music and thus followed up by Audrey coming in to tell him that her father was sleeping with Laura... that scene was great to me due to the acting and the mood set by the actors and the music. It also makes Ben Horne look really guilty, although he wasn't responsible for Laura's murder.

Ben Horne responding to Audrey asking if he killed Laura by emotionally stating, "I loved her," reveals a side of Ben we don't see very much in the rest of the show. He looked guilty and sad - his loss was clearly reflected as he looked sadly at her photograph that he keeps on his desk. I also agree that Audrey's final facial reaction was PERFECT - Sherilynn Fenn did a wonderful job.

Bobby's emotional state at the Roadhouse also really stands out to me, since this isn't something we see from him very often. It also further clarifies the setting of the Roadhouse as an entity somehow aware of what is happening to Maddy at that very time...

This episode is truly powerful - it deserves to be recognized as one of the best, for sure.

Bobby's emotional state at the Roadhouse also really stands out to me, since this isn't something we see from him very often.

And he wasn't even supposed to be on set that day. He killed it. I think he is remembering Laura and what they had, too, maybe since things aren't working out playing house with Shelley...

And he wasn't even supposed to be on set that day. He killed it. I think he is remembering Laura and what they had, too, maybe since things aren't working out playing house with Shelley... 

Wow, it's a good thing he WAS on set - he really added something major to that episode's emotional tone!

Not to change the subject entirely, but I was never a real big fan of the Bobby/Shelley set-up, especially after Leo was comatose and they were attempting to "play house". It just didn't do it for me. I like the idea of Shelley and Gordon much better, but that is just my opinion. :)

anybody notice that when truman, coop, and the log lady are sitting during 'the world spins', and the spotlight hits coop, presumably because he's the only one who can see the giant, that the log lady moves too, ever so slightly, as if she sees as well. and her eyes and face are focused right where cooper's are. away and up. i think she sees him too.

I try to decide about that every time I watch it, and I've never fully made up my mind.  But this thread is making me watch the episode again tonight...

Do I detect some contempt for Bobby in this thread?

He's one of the best characters, nuff said.

Do I detect some contempt for Bobby in this thread?

He's one of the best characters, nuff said.

 

No way. Bobby is a well-rounded character, flawed and human, like Ben. We love to hate both of them at times, but they come around in the end as pretty much good guys. Who doesn't like watching Ben or Bobby?