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The "Fireman"

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(@naogilles)
Posts: 158
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BTW, the episode confirms that the 'White Lodge' (if it is that) *is* devoid of color (or at least doesn't reflect light in the same way etc.), because the 'film' that Andy watches is in color, albeit in very muted, pastel-like colors. So it's not a stylistic effect, à la "is it future or is it past?". I think.

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 11:20 am
(@roberto_bella)
Posts: 269
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A Fireman has a task, to put out a fire. Especially when Woodsmen set wood ablaze.

But that's different than being the Being who creates the forest...

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 11:25 am
(@joni_kelly)
Posts: 31
Eminent Member
 

In Hinduism the god of fire is seen as being the messenger between gods and men. This would seem fitting of the giant/firemans role so far....I would think there are positives to fire not just the destruction but also the spark of fire of life or creation. 

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 11:40 am
Paudris Log, Pieter Dom, Roberto Bella and 1 people reacted
(@devaneyfan)
Posts: 356
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Posted by: SamXTherapy

Don't know what anyone else thinks about it but his name was discovered around the time of Episode 8.

I can think of two possible interpretations:

Fireman can mean someone who puts out fires, thereby saving lives and/or property.

Fireman can also mean someone who piles coal into a furnace, in order to make a steam engine go.

Either of them could be valid.  He could be in the business of saving lives, or he could be keeping the wheels turning properly.  Either way, I think he's a good guy.

I agree that both descriptions fit.  Hawk said that the fire on the map was like modern day electricity - and that intent determined whether a particular fire is good or bad.  I think The Fireman stokes the good fires (electricity) and tries to put out the bad fires (electricity). 

I'm not sure that he is "good" - perhaps more focused on restoring/maintaining balance than on goodness. 

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 11:51 am
(@mad-sweeney)
Posts: 351
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Firemen also light and control fires. Not only in the old days of coal burning steam engines but today in the forest. Firemen in the forest service often do "controlled burns" to remove undergrowth and prevent out of control wildfires. 

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 11:54 am
(@cyndeewillow)
Posts: 478
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The Fireman seems like a descendent of the humanoid that operates the levers in Eraserhead, albeit much more healthy and wholesome. Or maybe the Lever Man is the progenitor of the entire Lodge crew, good and evil. You can clearly see that Lynch's themes were in place from the very start of his career, including the fascination with archaic technologies and pestilence of flesh. (Do he and Cronenberg influence each others' work a lot?)

https://vimeo.com/20261661

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 12:02 pm
(@seattle-swede)
Posts: 223
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Posted by: James M Sweeney

Firemen also light and control fires. Not only in the old days of coal burning steam engines but today in the forest. Firemen in the forest service often do "controlled burns" to remove undergrowth and prevent out of control wildfires. 

This is ominous.  Controlled burns are like a war strategy here.  Bear with me a minute.

Just north of where Twin Peaks is in Lynch's world, BC is at this moment (in the real world) experiencing over 1100 real forest fires, the most since 1951.  It's a massive natural catastrophe in our part of the world, though in fact, summer fire season is expected here, and global warming (yes, Donald, sit back down) is not making things better.

The last two weeks we have had summer heat in the 90s, and smoke has filled the Northwest skies.  At the moment, Pacific winds have turned around and the smoke has moved back to the north, but it's expected to resume again at any time.   The air is eerie, smoky, and hot.  People who normally suffer respiratory problems are really suffering.

I live in Twin Peaks too much already in my head.  This Fireman comes at an odd time.

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 12:06 pm
(@roberto_bella)
Posts: 269
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That is very unfortunate. Best wishes in BC.

Lynch's work can definitely hit sensitive areas sometimes since it runs deep. Episode 8 hit me very much at the wrong time! haha. Was not prepared for that much darkness that day. I have to regulate my Lynch dosage.

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 12:11 pm
(@seattle-swede)
Posts: 223
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Posted by: Roberto Bella

That is very unfortunate. Best wishes in BC.

Lynch's work can definitely hit sensitive areas sometimes since it runs deep. Episode 8 hit me very much at the wrong time! haha. Was not prepared for that much darkness that day. I have to regulate my Lynch dosage.

I just call that the cosmos watching all of us.  

Lynch certainly couldn't predict anything happening, having filmed 2 years ago.  I solidly feel in my heart that Lynch's role in the cosmos is for good.  Nothing bad can come from whatever he touches, and what he makes for us.  Like Harriet always said, "now that some time has passed..."

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 12:21 pm
(@mj_gilbert)
Posts: 829
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Posted by: cyndeewillow

The Fireman seems like a descendent of the humanoid that operates the levers in Eraserhead, albeit much more healthy and wholesome. Or maybe the Lever Man is the progenitor of the entire Lodge crew, good and evil. You can clearly see that Lynch's themes were in place from the very start of his career, including the fascination with archaic technologies and pestilence of flesh. (Do he and Cronenberg influence each others' work a lot?)

https://vimeo.com/20261661

Thanks for posting the clip- it has been a while for me!

Half- expect Jack Nance's disembodied space-head to say "blue rose.

Half-expect frog-bug to crawl out when he opens his mouth.

Lever-man seems an agent of BIRTH (eraserhead being, as I understand it, a mediation on DL's fear or fatherhood)- birth, and the birth, in particular, of Horror, seems at the heart of the matter, certainly Part 8, though the Dougie story can be seen, from his emergence through the plug, to be a birth story as well...

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 12:21 pm
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(@roberto_bella)
Posts: 269
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Posted by: Subalpine Fir

Lynch certainly couldn't predict anything happening, having filmed 2 years ago.  I solidly feel in my heart that Lynch's role in the cosmos is for good.  Nothing bad can come from whatever he touches, and what he makes for us.

To be very honest, I'm less sure of this. Not that I believe that Lynch sets out to make work which celebrates darkness, but I've long felt that he has probably been getting many of his cosmic ideas through meditation. He may have an 'amoral' attitude towards his creations.

Meditation can be fantastic. I feel the creative state and meditation are very close to other altered states of consciousness, as experienced by mediums and psychics. I have a LOT of experience in that realm. You're entitled to not believe me, but white and black magic are real things.

IMO anyone dabbling in the mystical should exercise caution in which doors are opened. I include myself as a creative person.

If you're familiar with "Jodorowsky's Dune," Jodorowsky said he told HR Giger (creator of the aliens in "Alien") that his work was a 'dark art,' but that it had truth in it.

Lynch's work mixes darkness and light, going in deep on the great mysteries.

When the artist comes up for air it's a good idea to focus on the light, as our thoughts tend to attract what we most ponder.

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 12:38 pm
(@cyndeewillow)
Posts: 478
Reputable Member
 

Good things to ponder. It's pretty clear that Lynch/Frost celebrate the good and the light, but are also absolutely fascinated by the darkness. Like most great artists, I should add.

Birth itself even at the human level is a rather grotesque business that usually ends up in great wonder and beauty--but clearly Lynch is tuned into the happenchance nature of birth and how it can go badly and monstrous. That's all kinds of birth, physical spiritual etc. 

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 12:52 pm
Pantstrovich reacted
(@tropical-e)
Posts: 30
Eminent Member
 

He's the only who posses matches and lighters in the Lodge realm, hence Woodsmen are asking if anyone's got a light because they are walking without fire, obviously.

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 1:25 pm
(@seattle-swede)
Posts: 223
Estimable Member
 
Posted by: Roberto Bella
Posted by: Subalpine Fir

Lynch certainly couldn't predict anything happening, having filmed 2 years ago.  I solidly feel in my heart that Lynch's role in the cosmos is for good.  Nothing bad can come from whatever he touches, and what he makes for us.

To be very honest, I'm less sure of this. Not that I believe that Lynch sets out to make work which celebrates darkness, but I've long felt that he has probably been getting many of his cosmic ideas through meditation. He may have an 'amoral' attitude towards his creations.

Meditation can be fantastic. I feel the creative state and meditation are very close to other altered states of consciousness, as experienced by mediums and psychics. I have a LOT of experience in that realm. You're entitled to not believe me, but white and black magic are real things.

IMO anyone dabbling in the mystical should exercise caution in which doors are opened. I include myself as a creative person.

If you're familiar with "Jodorowsky's Dune," Jodorowsky said he told HR Giger (creator of the aliens in "Alien") that his work was a 'dark art,' but that it had truth in it.

Lynch's work mixes darkness and light, going in deep on the great mysteries.

When the artist comes up for air it's a good idea to focus on the light, as our thoughts tend to attract what we most ponder.

You've left a lot on the table for me to think about.  And I do believe you. 

OK.  As creative people I sense a common wavelength, though you've put a lot more analysis into what's going on beneath the surface, and I've tended to ride my endeavors until the outcome assuming I had the controls anyway, so why worry (hence, a lot for me to think about given your post above). 

I feel or intuit that Lynch may be more aware of the mechanics that you're talking about (than I am), and as such is willing his intent--which, again, I feel is an intent to opt for good. I'm not the Lynch scholar that some folks are, but I've heard him speak enough to recognize parallel values across the 3 or so decades that I've attended some of his talks.  A warmth is always there.  

He's an amiable fella.

 

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 11:09 pm
(@karen_paynter)
Posts: 853
Prominent Member
 
Posted by: SamXTherapy

Don't know what anyone else thinks about it but his name was discovered around the time of Episode 8.

I can think of two possible interpretations:

Fireman can mean someone who puts out fires, thereby saving lives and/or property.

Fireman can also mean someone who piles coal into a furnace, in order to make a steam engine go.

Either of them could be valid.  He could be in the business of saving lives, or he could be keeping the wheels turning properly.  Either way, I think he's a good guy.

I think the former, like Mike was a kind of fireman while in our world, his goal was to stop Bob's fire.

 
Posted : 15/08/2017 11:17 pm
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