Recommendations for Watching While Waiting for Season 3

[Panapaok]

Yeah, Fargo is excellent.

[baxter]

Cool- didn't realise there was a Fargo Season 3 coming. I loved the first one, but didn't like the second one as much. I think the period setting put me off- I just found it less interesting and a bit more strained.

[Fashion Suicide]

As some have mentioned already, RIGET is great. Being danish and aware of Lars Von Trier from an early age, i watched it with my father and brother for the first time when i was quite small and it scared the shit out of me. Still does. I won't spoil anything, but the dialogues between the two dish-washers with down-syndrome is so, so terrifying, yet funny, if you can understand the danish language. Probably also if you can't, i'd hope. It's the show that has come closest, IMO, to resembling that special feel of funny and scary that Twin Peaks mixes so well, and yet RIGET has a voice completely of it's own. I strongly recommend it. It can be seen on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpiIKUT7QxY though it's not the best quality.

The Last Wave, an eerie mystery-film about, well, watch for yourselves (from the director of Picnic at Hanging Rock which i saw was mentioned earlier on). Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKvuUDBHipE
Full film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfJ1c-6FFX4 ... I think that Twin Peaks fans would REALLY dig this one.

I fell over the Mulholland Drive pilot the other day, have anyone here watched it? It's quite interesting, with a couple of deleted scenes, bad quality though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcXt3ufaLgc&t=18s

What else... Don't Look Now by Nicholas Roeg, not to forget the masterpiece WALKABOUT, also by Nicholas Roeg. But a lot of you've probably already seen those.

[Agent Earle]

As some have mentioned already, RIGET is great. Being danish and aware of Lars Von Trier from an early age, i watched it with my father and brother for the first time when i was quite small and it scared the shit out of me. Still does. I won't spoil anything, but the dialogues between the two dish-washers with down-syndrome is so, so terrifying, yet funny, if you can understand the danish language. Probably also if you can't, i'd hope. It's the show that has come closest, IMO, to resembling that special feel of funny and scary that Twin Peaks mixes so well, and yet RIGET has a voice completely of it's own. I strongly recommend it. It can be seen on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpiIKUT7QxY though it's not the best quality.

Not to mention Udo Kier as a giant baby with an adult's (Udo's) head - there's the one for the ages! Even though I only ever saw Riget once, about 15 years ago when I was in college, it stayed with me ever since; that it hasn't gotten a third season is one of the great injustices of the TV show world (I heard the main reason for that was the death of two actors who played major characters; anyone here knows of another reason?). So, for those of you going in for the first time, you should know that the series ends on a number of cliffhangers that will very likely never be resolved. Then again, you're TP fans so you're used to that kind of aggravation, right?

By the way, did any of you see Stephen King-scripted American remake of the series from 2004 and if so, would you recommend it?

[Fashion Suicide]

Not to mention Udo Kier as a giant baby with an adult's (Udo's) head - there's the one for the ages! Even though I only ever saw Riget once, about 15 years ago when I was in college, it stayed with me ever since; that it hasn't gotten a third season is one of the great injustices of the TV show world (I heard the main reason for that was the death of two actors who played major characters; anyone here knows of another reason?). So, for those of you going in for the first time, you should know that the series ends on a number of cliffhangers that will very likely never be resolved. Then again, you're TP fans so you're used to that kind of aggravation, right?

By the way, did any of you see Stephen King-scripted American remake of the series from 2004 and if so, would you recommend it?

... Udo Kier popping out of that bloody vagina is one of the most memorable things i've ever witnessed on TV. The absence of a third scene is simply a crime against humanity! They had written the script and had it all planned out. But yeah, if remember correctly both Mrs. Drusse and Doctor Helmer, two major characters, died shortly after the filming of season 2. The male dish-washer also died. And so did Riget. Fun fact: because of Von Triers phobia for actors and hospital-hallways, he would direct the whole show from a camper placed on the parking-lot outside of the hospital, haha. Crazy bastard.

I've never seen the King remake except from bits and pieces. It looks terrible i think. But i should watch it before i judge.

[Fashion Suicide]

I'm curious if anybody here ever saw the documentary David Wants to Fly? ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC-s5aE13sk )

As a massive David Lynch fan, and as a meditator, i found it very interesting. I luckily never paid to learn meditation, a friend simply taught me. And as this documentary IMHO proves, the whole Maharishi TM-movement that has gotten Lynch under it's spell is basically a scam and holds a lot of the dynamics of a cult. I truly believe that Lynch has nothing but the best of intentions, but as they say: the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Jesus, look at those brainwashed westerners covered in gold.. Who wants to end up like that? Lynch is pretty much the only person there with integrity it seems. I sure don't hope the new Twin Peaks will be too much of an advertisement for the money machine that sadly is TM. Don't get me wrong, i love meditating and if it wasn't for Lynch i never would have started. And i love Lynch and his films, that's exactly why i wouldn't wan't the all the dialogue in the new Peaks to be "diiive within", "unbounded bliss", "true happiness lies within". It probably won't, but the documentary made me a bit paranoid

Anyway, we're here to recommend, not to discuss meditation-cults. But i would definitely recommend this documentary, it's an interesting watch for Lynch fans.

[Snailhead]

I'm not worried about TM being in Twin Peaks. It hasn't been in any of his movies, and from what I recall he's been meditating since he started making features. I don't see why that would change now.

[Fashion Suicide]

I'm not worried about TM being in Twin Peaks. It hasn't been in any of his movies, and from what I recall he's been meditating since he started making features. I don't see why that would change now.

That's true. I was caught up in momentary paranoia, it was a scary documentary.
But he didn't start promoting it and build foundations around it until recently as far as i know, so maybe that's what crossed my mind, triggering the paranoia.

[AXX°N N.]

That's true. I was caught up in momentary paranoia, it was a scary documentary.
But he didn't start promoting it and build foundations around it until recently as far as i know, so maybe that's what crossed my mind, triggering the paranoia.

I've shared that paranoia. But realize that Inland Empire was made when he was doing foundation stuff, and that it has no direct reference to TM, despite being obviously influenced by it -- during a Q&A regarding TM, as seen in Meditation, Creativity, Peace, Lynch was asked a question about how to understand Inland Empire, and Lynch described the process pretty much as being unconscious and intimately related to, if not meditation, the mind-frame it allows.

I doubt highly that Lynch is interested in planting TM directly into his work; I just don't think it gels with his methods, or his interests in terms of creating art.

As for David Wants to Fly, the documentary in my opinion was incredibly alarmist, and a lot of footage re-contextualized in sometimes deceitful ways. I saw a lot of people, in response to a part where some German speaker said something about Hitler not fulfilling the promises of Germany and how that was unfortunate, believe this man to be a sympathizer to nazism, and Lynch as well by association -- which is exactly how the clip as presented comes across. But it was clear to me, after stepping back, that what was actuality meant was merely to pinpoint that what the nazis did was not real fulfillment, and that widespread TM would bring the prosperity, physically and mentally, that the nazis, in murder and havoc, thought was the end result of their atrocities. But this kind of sentiment was distorted completely using the editing & sound tricks of agenda documentary-making.

[Snailhead]

Yeah, I have no interest in seeing that documentary. I'm sure that it has a few valid points but from the trailer and what I've read, it seems like the guy who made it resented the fact that trying out meditation didn't transform him into a brilliant filmmaker. Almost like he was blaming Lynch for his own shortcomings.

[jordanlake]

Yeah, I have no interest in seeing that documentary. I'm sure that it has a few valid points but from the trailer and what I've read, it seems like the guy who made it resented the fact that trying out meditation didn't transform him into a brilliant filmmaker. Almost like he was blaming Lynch for his own shortcomings.

With respect I think that's a little unfair...I was glad to see an exposé on TM, as I too forked out a lot of money on it about 4 years ago, and from the very beginning I had suspicions when I think about it, because the teacher put a lot of pressure on us from the start to part with our money, even during a free 'taster' session.

I still get letters from them now in fact asking me to partake in more courses to take me to the 'next level', all for a tidy fee of course.
I don't think it's reached scientology levels of corruption yet, but I was glad to see opposing views reflected on screen for a change.

I like to think that Lynch has good intentions, and that he wants to spread the peace it brings him. However, as a man of integrity I'm sure he must question the extortionate fee it comes with.

I had been mediating a few years prior to learning TM and I can honestly say that, for me, TM brings no more awareness or peace than more 'traditional' forms of meditation, i.e mindfulness meditation etc. The difference being that most mindfulness meditation courses are either free or at a fraction of the cost of TM (in the U.K. anyway). And the teaching methods are not that different in my experience.

[AXX°N N.]

Well, the whole point of the Lynch foundation is making the practice free to teach in schools, VAs, and trauma centers, and I've seen him indicate he wish it were free for everyone. It's sort of a roundabout way to make it free though, having to launch a charity to gather money to pay the exorbitant fees to then circle around and make it free for school kids. For TM itself, they're pretty upfront about the money and business aspect. Bob Roth has explained numerous times the reason it costs money, a line I often see repeated by defenders of the org being 'you pay for movies, but you think inner peace should be free?' and that they need to fund teachers and buildings. Which makes sense, but I find it unfortunate it seems like the high price tag is set to maximize profits off new-age, privileged LA types, who inverse to everyone else will flock toward high-end trend items -- which Lynch has expressed a displeasure about. To paint a picture, when Lynch learned it way back in the 70s, it was 80 bucks.

[jordanlake]

Well, the whole point of the Lynch foundation is making the practice free to teach in schools, VAs, and trauma centers, and I've seen him indicate he wish it were free for everyone. It's sort of a roundabout way to make it free though, having to launch a charity to gather money to pay the exorbitant fees to then circle around and make it free for school kids. For TM itself, they're pretty upfront about the money and business aspect. Bob Roth has explained numerous times the reason it costs money, a line I often see repeated by defenders of the org being 'you pay for movies, but you think inner peace should be free?' and that they need to fund teachers and buildings. Which makes sense, but I find it unfortunate it seems like the high price tag is set to maximize profits off new-age, privileged LA types, who inverse to everyone else will flock toward high-end trend items -- which Lynch has expressed a displeasure about. To paint a picture, when Lynch learned it way back in the 70s, it was 80 bucks.

You make a lot of good points. Peace of mind should be a basic right; I don't get their argument, I mean yes everyone has to make a living but they're basically charging in essence hundreds of dollars for one mantra, and quite honestly repeating a non-loaded nonsense word would have the same effect, so long as you're focusing on that only. But they imply that the mantra is a lot more esoteric than it is, which gives the impression that the price tag is justified. Surely TM should be made a lot more accessible, i.e. charge a fraction of what they prescribe, and then there wouldn't be a need for charity foundations.

[AXX°N N.]

You make a lot of good points. Peace of mind should be a basic right; I don't get their argument, I mean yes everyone has to make a living but they're basically charging in essence hundreds of dollars for one mantra, and quite honestly repeating a non-loaded nonsense word would have the same effect, so long as you're focusing on that only. But they imply that the mantra is a lot more esoteric than it is, which gives the impression that the price tag is justified. Surely TM should be made a lot more accessible, i.e. charge a fraction of what they prescribe, and then there wouldn't be a need for charity foundations.

This whole topic is something I struggle with -- I meditate without having to have been taught, I do it freestyle, and I think everyone should do it. But I think TM as an organization is more concerned with institutionalizing it, and there are certain arguments for that being a good thing. For one, I started meditating only because I found out about it because of Lynch. So right there, part of his aspiration of spreading the message worked. And I found out via money -- I bought Catching the Big Fish. Again, another argument I see is 'why should peace of mind be free if food isn't? They're both essential nourishment.' Woefully capitalistic, but there you are.

There's a difference between saying everyone should meditate, that it should be free, and leaving it at that, at the risk of most people just not in fact learning about it and doing it for themselves without help, compared to actually helping people to begin meditating. And while one could take time out of the day to spread the message, at a certain point it would only really be affecting close friends or acquaintances -- the number of people meditating would slowly tick upward. But TM and other organizations, I think their goal is to spread meditation on a larger scale, and while you could go about that using volunteers, at a certain point becoming for-profit and charity-driven is just how they've factored themselves into a business model. Which is not to say some of their tactic should be barred from scrutiny. For instance, and this may be speculation, but apparently the price is so high because Maharishi figured that if elites were drawn to it, it would have a sort of hierarchical trickle-down effect; as long as a certain demographic were learning about it, information would spread. In my opinion, I'm not sure that's sound, but it seems like a trade-off decision where they thought it could prove the best choice.

As for the effectiveness of TM, time will tell -- the org is constantly trying to fund research, but most of it is biased on the basis of being exactly that -- funded by the org. So far it shows no evidence of being better than any other meditation practice.

I hope I'm not getting too off-topic, but it's something I've given lots of thought to on both sides. Mostly trying to figure out Lynch's deal with the thing.

[jordanlake]

I hope I'm not getting too off-topic, but it's something I've given lots of thought to on both sides. Mostly trying to figure out Lynch's deal with the thing.

I agree with pretty much all you've said; you've just put it far more eloquently than I ever could!
Nothing is black and white, and like you I've given the whole TM 'movement' a lot of thought, and of Lynch's participation with it.