Movie Directors' Top Films

[Tim]

The Return is clearly meant to be Twin Peaks season 3 which makes it reasonable to group with Twin Peaks (1990-91) entry. Fire Walk with Me is more debatable imo, we can list it as a separate entry as a standalone film. Don't think it is particularly similar to the Lord of the Rings trilogy case.

[Dubrow555]

But yet...The Return has its own entry on TSPDT, it's own entry on the 2022 Sight and Sound poll, and was considered both a limited/mini series by both The Golden Globes + The Emmy's.

[ManPerson]

The Twin Peaks thing is a little silly....the original 1990-91 series, Fire Walk with Me, and The Return all have separate IMDB entries

Fire Walk with Me is clearly its own movie that exists in the same franchise/universe as Twin Peaks so I agree with making it separate.
- if we combine them all, then why combine the three LOTR movies into one entry?
Except Twin Peaks: Return is widely considered to be the third season of the show so it would be more like considering seasons 1 and 2 of Twin Peaks to be their own separate shows.
I personally don't think Twin Peaks 1990-91 should technically be eligible because he only directed about 6 episodes
Considering he was the creator, showrunner, and he directed several episodes, I feel that is sufficient for him to be a clear auteur over the show.
...BUT - if you all consider it eligible, might as well make it the #1.
Agreed.
MD + BV didn't quite crack the top 100 all time movie list. I have a feeling Twin Peaks would be somewhere in the top 20-30 entries in the inevitable DDD All time TV shows list.

[Zach]

I object neither to having TP as Lynch's #1, nor to including The Return as part of it. What about Fire Walk with Me then? Should that also just be included under the "Twin Peaks" banner or should that become #10?

I agree with putting Twin Peaks at #1 -- it's undoubtedly the most well-known and celebrated thing he's ever done.

Treating The Return as part of Twin Peaks also emphasizes the cohesive, decades-spanning storytelling arc Lynch crafted, rather than fragmenting it into different ranked entries. Meanwhile, Fire Walk with Me makes more sense as a separate entry -- it's different in tone and stands alone more clearly as a distinct film that reframes the original series rather than simply continuing it.

Did grok write this?

No...


I also thought about the LotR comparison, but yeah, I agree that The Return is largely seen as simply Season Three of Twin Peaks (outside of a few online databases).

[Fido]

Fire Walk with Me can be #10 I guess, though yeah I was thinking about Dune.

[ManPerson]

I'm curious how Heaven Can Wait and The Love Parade break down. It seems like HCW definitively wins acclaim and popularity so do you consider TLP's influence win to be big enough?

[pauldrach]

I object neither to having TP as Lynch's #1, nor to including The Return as part of it. What about Fire Walk with Me then? Should that also just be included under the "Twin Peaks" banner or should that become #10?

I agree with putting Twin Peaks at #1 -- it's undoubtedly the most well-known and celebrated thing he's ever done.

Treating The Return as part of Twin Peaks also emphasizes the cohesive, decades-spanning storytelling arc Lynch crafted, rather than fragmenting it into different ranked entries. Meanwhile, Fire Walk with Me makes more sense as a separate entry -- it's different in tone and stands alone more clearly as a distinct film that reframes the original series rather than simply continuing it.

I disagree with this completely, which is also why I'd rather keep The Return as a separate entry from the original run. IMO The Return is just as different in tone to the original series as FWwM is. If anything, I'd consider The Return and FWwM the two that are most similar in tone as well as the two most obviously Lynchian, whereas the original run included as much Frost as Lynch, which is why its inclusion is debatable at least.

With regards to what M wrote: Was Lynch even the showrunner for the first two seasons? The middle of season 2 doesn't bear Lynch's handwriting at all (beraly even Frost's for that matter).

[pauldrach]

I'm curious how Heaven Can Wait and The Love Parade break down. It seems like HCW definitively wins acclaim and popularity so do you consider TLP's influence win to be big enough?

TLP probably wins initial acclaim and popularity though not quite by as much as HCW wins lasting acclaim and popularity. Combined with its influence win, it might be enough to give the edge to TLP but it's by no means decisive. So, if anyone wants their order changed, I'm ok with swapping.

[pauldrach]

The Twin Peaks thing is a little silly....the original 1990-91 series, Fire Walk with Me, and The Return all have separate IMDB entries - if we combine them all, then why combine the three LOTR movies into one entry? I personally don't think Twin Peaks 1990-91 should technically be eligible because he only directed about 6 episodes...BUT - if you all consider it eligible, might as well make it the #1. MD + BV didn't quite crack the top 100 all time movie list. I have a feeling Twin Peaks would be somewhere in the top 20-30 entries in the inevitable DDD All time TV shows list.

I agree with this completely by the way. And if Jackson had a stronger filmography, I's probably have the two trilogies as one entry each.

[pauldrach]

It's also why I'd rather keep Lynch's list as it is. It feels to me as if nothing really essential is currently missing. But I was never a FWwM guy so maybe I'm alone on this.

[Dubrow555]

Glad you agree, the more I think about it - lumping all three seasons of Twin Peaks really diminishes the achievement of "The Return." Yes, it is technically the "third season" - but it also functions as its' own standalone work from an auteur director that is/should be associated with the 2010's, rather than the with the 1990's original series. So, my vote would be to keep Paulo's original Lynch list ranking, but move Twin Peaks (1990-91) up to the #1 entry.

[ManPerson]

I'm curious how Heaven Can Wait and The Love Parade break down. It seems like HCW definitively wins acclaim and popularity so do you consider TLP's influence win to be big enough?

TLP probably wins initial acclaim and popularity though not quite by as much as HCW wins lasting acclaim and popularity. Combined with its influence win, it might be enough to give the edge to TLP but it's by no means decisive. So, if anyone wants their order changed, I'm ok with swapping.

According to UMR, at least, HCW's adjusted box office was higher than TLP's, which would suggest higher initial popularity, so I'd be inclined to think HCW should win here.

[ManPerson]

Glad you agree, the more I think about it - lumping all three seasons of Twin Peaks really diminishes the achievement of "The Return." Yes, it is technically the "third season" - but it also functions as its' own standalone work from an auteur director that is/should be associated with the 2010's, rather than the with the 1990's original series. So, my vote would be to keep Paulo's original Lynch list ranking, but move Twin Peaks (1990-91) up to the #1 entry.

Fine with me.

[Zach]

I object neither to having TP as Lynch's #1, nor to including The Return as part of it. What about Fire Walk with Me then? Should that also just be included under the "Twin Peaks" banner or should that become #10?

I agree with putting Twin Peaks at #1 -- it's undoubtedly the most well-known and celebrated thing he's ever done.

Treating The Return as part of Twin Peaks also emphasizes the cohesive, decades-spanning storytelling arc Lynch crafted, rather than fragmenting it into different ranked entries. Meanwhile, Fire Walk with Me makes more sense as a separate entry -- it's different in tone and stands alone more clearly as a distinct film that reframes the original series rather than simply continuing it.

I disagree with this completely, which is also why I'd rather keep The Return as a separate entry from the original run. IMO The Return is just as different in tone to the original series as FWwM is. If anything, I'd consider The Return and FWwM the two that are most similar in tone as well as the two most obviously Lynchian, whereas the original run included as much Frost as Lynch, which is why its inclusion is debatable at least.

With regards to what M wrote: Was Lynch even the showrunner for the first two seasons? The middle of season 2 doesn't bear Lynch's handwriting at all (beraly even Frost's for that matter).

COMPLETELY? I see how it is.

[pauldrach]

I'm curious how Heaven Can Wait and The Love Parade break down. It seems like HCW definitively wins acclaim and popularity so do you consider TLP's influence win to be big enough?

TLP probably wins initial acclaim and popularity though not quite by as much as HCW wins lasting acclaim and popularity. Combined with its influence win, it might be enough to give the edge to TLP but it's by no means decisive. So, if anyone wants their order changed, I'm ok with swapping.

According to UMR, at least, HCW's adjusted box office was higher than TLP's, which would suggest higher initial popularity, so I'd be inclined to think HCW should win here.

That's adjusted for inflation, not adjusted for the total number of moviegoers. TLP is significantly higher on its yearly list than HCW so for its year it certainly wins popularity. But, as I said, not decisive. I'll swap since you seem to be adamant about it.