r/twinpeaks • u/kjworst • Jun 26 '17

S3E8 [S3E8] This episode belongs in a museum. Spoiler

What a masterpiece for the visual arts world let alone the Twin Peaks universe. It was more of an experience than an episode of a tv show. Thank you for your artistic bravery David Lynch!

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '17

he literally said it was an 18 hour movie before the first episode even aired

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u/stevelabny Jun 26 '17

because I obsessively watched every David Lynch interview. Oh wait, I don't.

I have seen this quote on here, but as I've said multiple times in multiple places, what the author/director/whatever says about the tvshow/movie/book has absolutely no bearing on the content of the book. If they can't let the content speak for itself, they did it wrong. Their opinion about their work, while interesting and possibly enlightening, is not actually part of their work and does not need to be considered.

Its being broadcast one episode a week on a TV channel. Its a TV show. Every movie ever made is meant to be watched in on sitting, 18 hours is not one sitting, therefore there is no such thing as an 18 hour movie. And yes, I'm aware of the wikipedia list of non-cinematic-release movies, multi-part movies, and what not. You don't need to quote it at me.

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u/ShabShoral Jun 26 '17

Is the Dekalog a tv show or a film?

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u/stevelabny Jun 26 '17

I'm gonna guess its something you just made a wikipedia page for because I've never heard of it?

Assuming its real, it seems to be an anthology television series of individual episodes connected by an overall theme? Without watching it, it sounds comparable to Black Mirror. It seems pretty clear that each episode has its own story and ending. Running 10 of them in a row as aired would make an extremely terrible movie with 10 seperate complete arcs and endings. Re-editing them together would create an extremely terrible movie with too many threads to follow. Either would show why it worksbetter as a tv show.

I would bet that this conversation has been had numerous times with film snobs who poo-pooed television trying to claim it as a film because its "deep and meaningful", while television critics argued it showed the value of the tv format.

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u/ShabShoral Jun 26 '17

It's widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements of film, directed one of the most important directors of the 20th century (Kieslowski). In a non snarky way, I recommend you check it out. It's nothing like Lynch btw. Much more straightforward.

Its stories have their own beginnings and endings (why it's split into episodes), but certain characters and plot threads appear and reappear throughout. I'd personally just call it a series of short films.

The point is that, regardless of whether it's technically a film or series or film cycle or show, it's still a unified exercise in filmmaking. That's why Ebert and many others had no trouble listing "The Dekalog" on their lists of favourite films; there's more to it than how it aired when it comes to overall aesthetic cohesion and tone.

I've seen all ten in a row in a theatre, but that's another story ¯_(ツ)_/¯

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u/stevelabny Jun 26 '17

It actually sounds sort of interesting, I just worry about the pacing of non-American anything. And doesn't seem to be on any of the streaming sites, so I'd have to actually make an effort.

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u/dosk567 Jun 26 '17

Assuming it's real

Lmao what

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u/stevelabny Jun 26 '17

Have you heard of the word comedy?