ScarFace32 wrote:Doesn't he do the same thing in the casino
It's not the same. He's not being pulled in a different direction by anything. He's given the idea to play a game. He sees a man demonstrate HOW to do so, but there are rows and rows of machines to choose from. The only distinguishing feature is the little vision, and he follows it to the closest machiens. When offered resistance from the old lady, he moves on.
In this ep, Bushnell has his hand on his arm and is guiding him in one direction, and he pulls free. If you watch, you can see Bushnell try and pull him back. He offers resistence. Dale Cooper's willpower is applied to the situation for the first time. This is his first real decision.
Framed_Angel wrote:Since Janey-E has been like DougieCoop's guide for practical day-to-day like getting to the office, as well as stepping in as his protector to fend off the loan shark's two goons for example -- then, becoming self-actualized as a thing like Following The Cherry Pie does seem significant. I wish we'd seen how that transaction went. The purchase of pie happened offscreen, so all we saw was One-Armed Gerard beckoning. At the time I was clueless what kind of shop it was, no idea a bakery. Until I read comments here I didn't know where the pie came from. Someone else mentioned seeing a Naido lookalike sitting near there too, so I tend to miss fleeting details, but recall impressionable moments.
How many times earlier has Philip Gerard appeared to DougieCoop? I'm only remembering the "Wake Up" scene. Did Dougie repeat it back to him like he does everyone else's, the ends of their sentences, "Wake up"? When was the other time he saw Gerard in a vision-like situation? I'm curious what people think about Dougie rubbing his jaw during the dining scene/Part 11, which reminded me of a moment from waaaay earlier in the season.
This is the third vision. The first was in Ep 4, where Dale watches him. Gerard tells him he was tricked, and now "one of you must die." He doesn't repeat anything Gerard says, but when the vision ends he suddenly becomes aware that he has to go to the bathroom, and reacts to the full bladder.
Second time was the "Wake up. Don't die." scene. Dale just watches, does not repeat anything. But it's strange. Prior to the vision, Janey-E leaves Dale with the instruction to do his work on the case files. It's only AFTER he sees the vision that he opens the first case file and starts working.
I think, because he's spent 25 years in the Black Lodge where everyone speaks backwards, he readily understands what Gerard is saying. I think the communication problems may stem from that, it's been so long since he's heard regular speaking he has to really listen to even slightly understand and repeat back to try and get used to the words. I suspect he's been getting the bulk of his instructions and understanding from people via his natural intuition/empathy and not from readily understanding the conversation.
Framed_Angel wrote:And why did Dougie start crying that random moment while Sonny Jim was waiting out in the car in Part 4 or 5?
I haven't decided on an interpretation of this yet. Empathy? Thinks its all just a lodge vision and is thinking about all he's lost? Has a premonition about what's going to go on with this family? Fully understands what Gerard told him, and realizes the boy's father has been reduced to his core element and will never return? If there's any clarification here, I think it needs to wait until Dale regains his senses and we get an idea of what's going through his head.
Framed_Angel wrote: There's so little time spent with any given character that when we meet someone who gets as much screen time as the Mitchem bros or Candie, often we're ready to assign them special significance -- I'm sticking with my self-actualization theme for now and enjoying as I did while watching Part 10 and rewatching: Candie is her own character and her mystery is her own. A published interview** with Shiels has her telling of an abused past for her character Candie. Mystical affiliations were not part of it, nor did I get any whiff of the mystical for her. SOme people are mysterious in their human nature. I think there's more to learn about her significance to the story overall, although that could be said about many of the characters~
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** I think the interview was at vulture.com
I hard about the interview, haven't read it fully (but someone on a podcast read a part where she watched the show and found out that Belushi had a line that supported her idea! Which is really cool.) But that's nto what I meant.
I don't mean Candie is a lodge spirit, or a doppelganger, or possessed IN-STORY. I'm talking about her narrative function. Directors leave ion characters for a reason. Usually, they'll cut anyone who isn't vital to the plot but Lynch isn't like that. He leaves people in for atmosphere, aesthetic, humor and resonance. I don't think Candie's only function is atmosphere or aesthetic. Certainly, she's strange. Certainly, she's beautiful. She absolutely adds to atmosphere and aesthetic.
And while yes she is very funny I think Candie is there for RESONANCE. When I say she's a mirror, I mean she is a character who reflects Dale's experience so that the audience will get a double-dose of it through two characters and therefore understand the theme better. That's why I think the fly-swatting was really in. Not just as a bit of comedy or even JUST for the cut to heal but so that we can see a little story that reflects Dougie-Dale's interaction with the brothers. That's why she spends that time talking to Tony in the casino while the brothers watch on the monitors complain about how long it takes. That's why I think she's held up by traffic on her way to the party in the last scene, because its a reflection on how Dougie-Dale is currently caught up in all the events and buzz of Las Vegas before he can get on the road and get back to Twin Peaks.
She might have a plot purpose, or more to do, but honestly I think the point of having her there is to underscore what's going on with Dale and possibly preview his next stage of development. Becoming like a normal functioning person... who's been traumatized and seems perpetually distracted by something.
And bringing up that interview makes me think of one other Candie, Mandie and Sandie thing. For some bizarre reason, the brothers only ask Candie questions, and only send Candie to fetch visitors. If all THREE of them suffered from being trafficked and were rescued by the Mitchen Brothers and placed in this sweet gig where they get to stand around decoratively and serve drinks... maybe Candie is actually the most together and communicative of the 3. We haven't seen the other two talk AT ALL. Maybe they're nonverbal.