David Lynch is, bar none, the filmmaker whose work I most willingly lose myself in. I’ve watched everything he’s made and loved almost all of it.
But my love for Lynch wasn’t what excited me most about returning to Twin Peaks. What really thrilled me was that we might, finally, find out if Cooper is ok.
Of all of Lynch’s stories, images, sounds, shocks, and characters, no one creation has resonated with me as much as Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Dale Cooper.
Perhaps it was my youth when I first saw him on TV – a paradigm of moral fibre – that drew me to him. He was as virtuous as so many of Lynch’s villains were depraved.
But it would soon be revealed that he too, like all of Twin Peaks’ residents, had a secret. And because Lynch loves his film noir archetypes, Cooper would pay.
That transgression, of course, and the moment Cooper became doomed to lose 25 years or more of his life, was falling in love with Caroline. It fated him to be a party to her death, the decay of Windom Earle’s mind, which in turn led to a number of deaths in Twin Peaks, and of course, his pursuit of Annie into the Black Lodge.
In the Black Lodge, when presented with the chance to trade his soul for Annie’s, he agrees, without hesitation. Bob soon takes his body and will turn him into a foul vessel of death, crime and evil – that which Cooper has dedicated his life to preventing.
For me, the real wonder of picking up 25 years later was to see if the good Dale will be ok.
Seeing him now, having escaped the Black Lodge, but without his wits, is so upsetting. The price he’s being made to pay for his transgression – of falling in love so many years earlier – is still ongoing.
At first the scenes of his reintroduction to the world were played for comedy, but they don’t feel funny to me anymore. As poor Cooper regards his fake son and sheds a tear; I, and perhaps he, consider the lost chance to have a family of his own.
At the end, as he looks at the statue resembling a lawman, a symbol of his former life, and the haunting track Windswept plays, I realised I had the answer to whether Cooper is ok.
He’s not.
Agent Cooper was on my mind for years after the end of the second season. I agree, it was funny to start with me but now I am really feeling for him. All these little clues, I just keep wanting to tell him about his previous life and also give him a big hug.
I'm right there with you. I have so much love to give him. But he's not getting any...
I feel you. Cooper really had something special - I know the original series by heart and, still, I marvel at his ability to keep a moral compass, and an undying optimism, in spite of all the darkness and tragedy he had to face.
Watching this new episodes, I've thought several times about "Mulholland Drive", and the horrible pain inflicted on poor Naomi Watts' character - Lynch is truly a master at concocting the bleakest, most sadistic, forms of pain while forcing his audience to confront both the comedic and terrifying aspects of it all.
I read somewhere, I think in the comments section of the guardian episode review, that what's happening to Coop is Lynch showing the horror of Alzhiemers in the same way FWWM showed the horror of incest. Just someone's perception but interesting none the less.
I read somewhere, I think in the comments section of the guardian episode review, that what's happening to Coop is Lynch showing the horror of Alzhiemers in the same way FWWM showed the horror of incest. Just someone's perception but interesting none the less.
Sorry but I feel it's neccessary to point out that what FWWM shows us the horror of is childhood sexual abuse, not incest.
And sure the story so far explores memory loss as a theme, but there is no reason to make the leap to Alzhiemers or to assume that Coop's memory loss is permanent. Clearly his memory is stirring, he just needs a serious coffee fix.
Wow, beautifully written. Created a new perspective for me. I was lost in the anticipation of his recovery. Now I am just sad for his current circumstances.
Thank you.
And sure the story so far explores memory loss as a theme, but there is no reason to make the leap to Alzhiemers or to assume that Coop's memory loss is permanent. Clearly his memory is stirring, he just needs a serious coffee fix.
Sorry, but I feel it's necessary to point out that a) most of this stuff is interpretational, so there isn't, necessarly, only one answer; b) you are quibbling over terminology, considering who the abuser was.
Also, the user who reported the Alzheimer interpretation, stressed that it is "just someone's perception".
And I'm even more sorry that I had to do this on such a beautiful topic.
And sure the story so far explores memory loss as a theme, but there is no reason to make the leap to Alzhiemers or to assume that Coop's memory loss is permanent. Clearly his memory is stirring, he just needs a serious coffee fix.
Sorry, but I feel it's necessary to point out that a) most of this stuff is interpretational, so there isn't, necessarly, only one answer; b) you are quibbling over terminology, considering who the abuser was.
Also, the user who reported the Alzheimer interpretation, stressed that it is "just someone's perception".
And I'm even more sorry that I had to do this on such a beautiful topic.
I am not quibbling, you are.
They did stress that, indeed. I made a comment.
You did not have to, you chose to.
And yes the first post I agree is beautiful.
I feel you. Cooper really had something special - I know the original series by heart and, still, I marvel at his ability to keep a moral compass, and an undying optimism, in spite of all the darkness and tragedy he had to face.
Watching this new episodes, I've thought several times about "Mulholland Drive", and the horrible pain inflicted on poor Naomi Watts' character - Lynch is truly a master at concocting the bleakest, most sadistic, forms of pain while forcing his audience to confront both the comedic and terrifying aspects of it all.
You're so right. I hope that Coop doesn't suffer the same fate as poor Betty/Diane. I'm hoping Lynch loves him as much as he loved Sailor and Lula. The Good Witch showed up just in time to save them and the ending is so satisfying.
I want that for Cooper.
SO MUCH.
Windom's dark leanings began before he knew of Cooper's romance with his wife.
Bob did not take over his body, Mr. C. is a doppelganger. Windom made the soul offer to Coop, Bob said he can't do that, and took Windom's. And Windom did not come to TP seeking revenge on Cooper, he came seeking the dark power in the Black Lodge.
Cooper's mind at some point will be back to normal, but when it is, he will not be exactly the same Cooper of the 90's, as Kyle M. said, "I'm not the same as I was 25 years ago. Cooper won't exactly be the same either." Just as the other old characters in TP have not remained exactly the same. It's the nature of being human.
Windom's dark leanings began before he knew of Cooper's romance with his wife.
Bob did not take over his body, Mr. C. is a doppelganger. Windom made the soul offer to Coop, Bob said he can't do that, and took Windom's. And Windom did not come to TP seeking revenge on Cooper, he came seeking the dark power in the Black Lodge.
Cooper's mind at some point will be back to normal, but when it is, he will not be exactly the same Cooper of the 90's, as Kyle M. said, "I'm not the same as I was 25 years ago. Cooper won't exactly be the same either." Just as the other old characters in TP have not remained exactly the same. It's the nature of being human.
Does that mean Windom is dead? I kinda hope he won't be back/very relevant again. He was a shitty villian.
Sorry but I feel it's neccessary to point out that what FWWM shows us the horror of is childhood sexual abuse, not incest.
And sure the story so far explores memory loss as a theme, but there is no reason to make the leap to Alzhiemers or to assume that Coop's memory loss is permanent. Clearly his memory is stirring, he just needs a serious coffee fix.
It would be the horror of sexual abuse AND incest.
Fire walk with