plato's cave forty three (being a film journal) it is happening again

Mark Frost and David Lynch - Twin Peaks: The Return - 2017

Film and television references in Part One

Continuing The Art of Memory's survey of Twin Peaks: The Return, this entry is on possible film/television references in the series. The point of these posts in general has been to look at the show specifically with structural elements (sound design, cinematography, editing) in mind, and less on plot analysis which is covered by many websites and forums. Certain intentions by the makers dealing with the history of cinema and televions are relevant to this site and will be covered to a degree. These intentions may not exist for Lynch/Frost but they can for the spectator.

There appears to be an abundance of references to specific films or television shows, or genres of film/television in Twin Peaks: The Return. An immediate example that could describe this well is the character of Billy, found behind bars in the Twin Peaks sheriff's department in the later parts of the series. His seemingly unnecessary presence (in addition to being quite comical) is more like some nonsensical reference to the zombie genre, like a character from The Walking Dead walked on set by accident and was used because it worked well. It is quite interesting I think imagining Lynch and Frost saying "let's add in a zombie". Maybe (most likely) it did not happen this way......  It brings to mind the original 2 Twin Peaks seasons which had heavy references to the Soap Opera genre. This reference is now thankfully eschewed for more interesting business.

Oh, yes, hello? Yeah, you don't know me.
This is this is Marjorie Green.
But my neighbor, there's something wrong.
Yeah, um, I haven't seen her in three days.
Oh, and then there's that terrible smell.
And Armstrong smelled it in the Then I smelled it No.
No, Armstrong's my dog.
No Oh, my address? Oh, I-I-I don't know.
Um, oh, my goodness.
Um, yes, oh, I know this.
You know, I know this.
(atmospheric drone)

Intentional or unintentional tip of the hat to the Coen Brothers film Fargo (meets The Shining)? Marjorie Green with her Buckhorn South Dakota accent can't remember her address. Also the later Barney & Ruth Davenport talk between Marjorie Green and the two police is beyond comedy and comprehension.

"Where's the smell coming from, Mrs. Green?"

Endless references to the cop genre from Dragnet to Southland. This is present in many of Lynch's other films; Mulholland Dr., Lost Highway, and Blue Velvet. Comical beat policing and procedural work by detectives. This is later in the series at an extreme with the Detectives Fusco and the Las Vegas FBI.

More of these references will be added as I go through the series, being my third viewing. My knowledge of tv is somewhat limited, so I will probably miss some.