Before I begin this article, I’d like to start by giving a warning: this article will discuss themes such as abuse towards women, substance abuse, parental abuse, assault, and depression. This article will go over the movie Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me and is meant to reflect on Laura Palmer and David Lynch’s take on writing women. If you are sensitive to any of these themes, this article is not for you. This article will also contain spoilers for the Twin Peaks show and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.

The first ever David Lynch film I ever watched was Rabbits, a 2002 horror/mystery film. Since David Lynch’s passing, I’ve been watching the rest of his films. This led me to watching the show Twin Peaks. Released on April 8, 1990, Twin Peaks is a surreal crime drama that involves an FBI agent, Dale Cooper, who travels to the small town of Twin Peaks to solve the murder of a well-known and loved high schooler named Laura Palmer.

Laura Palmer is a seemingly innocent character. Laura was fairly popular, dated the local bad boy Bobby Briggs, and was homecoming queen, but behind this innocent facade, Laura had secrets.

On August 28, 1992, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me was released. Fire Walk with Me is the prequel to Twin Peaks, showcasing the last seven days of Laura Palmer’s life while FBI agents attempt to solve the murder of 17-year-old Teresa Banks a year before Laura’s death.

In the beginning of the film, we are introduced to an FBI agent named Chester Desmond, who is called out to investigate the murder of 17-year-old Teresa Banks. This part of the story is short-lived when Chester goes missing, leading to the appearance of the beloved Agent Dale Cooper from the Twin Peaks show for the rest of the movie. During the second half of the movie, which takes place a year after Teresa’s death, viewers are truly introduced to Laura Palmer.

Throughout the movie, we learn that the seemingly innocent homecoming queen has fallen into a cycle of drugs, teenage prostitution, and abuse, all caused by an interdimensional entity named Bob who feeds on pain and sorrow. Leland, aka Bob, is the character who eventually murders Laura Palmer at the end of the movie.

Laura’s death was inevitable from the beginning; viewers knew what was going to happen to her. There was no dodging it, even when viewers thought there was a glimpse of hope for Laura. Laura, as a character, is self-destructive—she is this way because of the trauma she endured.

David Lynch fell in love with Laura Palmer’s character. A huge question in the show Twin Peaks was who killed Laura Palmer, but no one ever asked who Laura Palmer was. Although Fire Walk with Me didn’t do as well as it should have at first, Fire Walk with Me is important to the series not just for the backstory it gave us but for the justice it gave to Laura Palmer’s character. Laura was no longer a question but a symbol of evil itself—whether it was Bob or the people who ignored her cries for help.

Women as told by David Lynch

Many people have debated whether David Lynch is misogynistic or not. I highly disagree. David Lynch has not only captured the horrific experiences of women but does it with a grace and skill many writers and directors struggle with. David Lynch gets women. In fact, most of his works focus on women—examples being Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and of course Twin Peaks. David Lynch understands and sympathizes with these struggles. He speaks on themes such as violence, abuse, and mental health. Laura’s story is a great example of this.

David Lynch and the real world

David Lynch’s films have themes that apply to today’s world more than ever before. For example, Lynch’s 1986 film Blue Velvet is about a young college student who discovers a severed ear in a field. This leads the student to begin an investigation involving a secretive nightclub singer and extremely psychopathic criminals. Blue Velvet has to be one of the most horrifying films I have ever watched. The art direction and style of the film are beautiful, yes. Would I recommend this film to anyone who’s easily disturbed? No. Blue Velvet explores the true horrors of what lust can turn into. The film examines the duality of the American dream and the loss of innocence. In my eyes, Blue Velvet is an excellent example of how Lynch’s films connect to the real world—it turns a traditionally taboo subject into something viewers want to talk about.

Conclusion

At first glance, David Lynch’s work may seem questionable because of its surreal, avant-garde art style, but as David Lynch said, “If one looks a little closer at this beautiful world, there are always red ants underneath.” David Lynch will always be remembered for the impact he had on cinema, and if you have the time, take a moment to appreciate the wonderful works of David Lynch.

Works Cited:

• Yoor, K. (2025, January 23). I’m a die-hard twin peaks fan, but I think fans have missed the entire point about Laura Palmer’s death. CBR. https://www.cbr.com/twin-peaks-laura-palmer-death-misinterpretation/

• Trussell, J. (2022, June 10). Sheryl Lee always knew Laura Palmer was more than a MacGuffin. Film School Rejects. https://filmschoolrejects.com/sheryl-lee-laura-palmer-twin-peaks/

• Admin, J. (2019, June 24). Blue Velvet: Summary and analysis: Jotted lines. Jotted Lines | A Collection of Essays. https://jottedlines.com/blue-velvet-summary-and-analysis/

• YouTube. (n.d.). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbSIgw0v4wM&list=PLlUTF34Pm8GgwqaIYIvUAabFaYVGI341r&index=8
• YouTube. (n.d.-a). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYpGGFdtULs&list=PLlUTF34Pm8GgwqaIYIvUAabFaYVGI341r&index=4

• YouTube. (n.d.-a). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoBRukamf2s&list=PLlUTF34Pm8GgwqaIYIvUAabFaYVGI341r&index=2
• David Lynch 1992 Twin Peaks Fire Walk with me New Line Cinema

• David Lynch 1986 Blue Velvet studio De Laurentiis Entertainment Group