Product Details

• Actors: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook, Richard Beymer
• Writers: David Lynch, Mark Frost
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: August 12, 1997
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0790731800
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,383 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

For a couple of hours in 1990, David Lynch took over the network airwaves and subtly, subversively transformed American television forever. Amazingly, the TV series that followed this rich and strange feature-length pilot became an international phenomenon as people all over the world became obsessed by one question: Who killed Laura Palmer? Twin Peaks is the apotheosis of all things Lynch, and arguably his single greatest achievement. Set in the dark, damp, woodsy atmosphere of a small mountain town in the Pacific Northwest, Twin Peaks is a murder mystery, detective saga, soap opera, sitcom--the essence of television distilled into one mind-blowing serial. Lynch subverts TV conventions right and left, not the least by concentrating on the grief of Laura's friends and family, and orchestrating their tears into a symphony of mourning. Twin Peaks is about the endlessly seductive idea of "mystery," of the ways human beings find to deal with the unknown. It was never about solutions; after all, answers (which are invariably anticlimactic) only kill the Mystery! So, although it took another year or so before Lynch and his partner Mark Frost were eventually forced (by the network and public opinion) to reveal the identity of Laura Palmer's murderer, the tantalizing clues are the real heart of the enterprise, and they're all right here in the debut. And so are some excerpts from Agent Cooper's surrealistic dream sequence (which appeared in the third episode of the series), featuring the dancing, backward-talking little "Man from Another Place," as part of a special European-release finale (you wouldn't want to use the word "conclusion") for this video version. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of TV's best pilots!, April 10, 2000

By 

Professor Wilbur Hamilton "The Wilbur" (Hamilton, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Twin Peaks - Premiere Episode [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If only it were on DVD! This tape contains the classic 2 hour pilot for David Lynch's extraordinary and quirky TV cult favorite, "Twin Peaks". This 2 hour intro is NOT part of the six tape "complete" series collection that has the actual 29 episodes. There is a neat, confusing, untelevised 15 minute ending that was used to "wrap up" the whole murder when this same tape was released in Europe as a made-for-TV movie. Still, it is simply Twin Peaks at its best.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic pilot., November 20, 1999

By 

Dickie Greenleaf (São Paulo, Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Twin Peaks - Premiere Episode [VHS] (VHS Tape)

In this VHS, just the pilot episode is avaible, but, just the pilot is enought to you see what the series is about. And, of course, the first scenes, of Laura Palmer's body in the beach, are classic scenes. If you never watch the series, don't try to understand the ending scene. Buy the entire series on VHS and watch everything, you're gonna understand fast !

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SENSATIONAL--MINUS 20, December 17, 2002

By 

ROCKY! "mb91182" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Twin Peaks - Premiere Episode [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I've been hearing for years about "Twin Peaks", whether by word of mouth or on the internet. It's popular to mention the numerous pop-culture moments this show created and the fact that so many shows try to imitate, and fail, this landmark show. So after reading recaps of the pilot and first couple episodes, I decided to buy the whole thing.

I took a risk and I'd do it again because this show is one of the greatest achievements of all TV time. The pilot is a perfect intro to the show, establishing the characters and plots, the main one and various subplots, that it's addictive. WHO KILLED LAURA PALMER!? The mix of light and dark, quirky humor, heavy drama, fantastic production values, and so much more! If you haven't seen any of the show, stay clear of the last 15-20 minutes. I heard about the special ending and found out that the original pilot ends at Sarah Palmer's scream after her dream. End it there, watch the rest of the series, then go back and watch the ending.

Other than that, sit back, relax, and ENJOY! And believe me, YOU WILL!