Episode 105: Fire Walk with Tamler Sommers

The Twin Peaks mythos has been with Weird Studies from the very beginning, and it is only fitting that it should have a return. In this episode, Phil and JF are joined by Tamler Sommers, co-host of the podcast Very Bad Wizards to discuss Fire Walk with Me, the prequel film to the original Twin Peaks series. Paradoxically, David Lynch’s work both necessitates and resists interpretation, and the pull of detailed interpretation is unusually strong in this episode. The three discuss how Fire Walk with Me, and the series as a whole, depicts two separate worlds that sometimes begin to intermingle, disrupting the perceived stability of time and space. Often this happens in moments of extreme fear or love. Through their love for Laura Palmer and for the film under consideration, JF, Phil, and Tamler enact their own interpretation, entering a rift where the world of Twin Peaks and the “real” world seem to merge, demonstrating how Twin Peaks just won’t leave this world alone, and can become a way for disenchanted moderns once again to live inside of myth. Support us on Patreon: Find us on Discord Get your Weird Studies merchandise (t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc.) Visit the Weird Studies Bookshop Buy the Weird Studies soundtrack References David Lynch, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness, Netflix documentary David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature Antonin Artaud, The Theater and Its Double Mark Frost, The Secret History of Twin Peaks Mark Frost, Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier Jason Louv, occultist Duncan Barford, Occult Experiments in the Home podcast Weird Studies, Episode 67 on “Hellier” Weird Studies, Episode 78 on “The Mothman Prophesies” Sound mass, musical technique Michael Hanake (dir.), Caché Courtenay Stallings, Laura’s Ghost Special Guest: Tamler Sommers.