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Distributed for Intellect Ltd

Fan Phenomena: Twin Peaks

David Lynch and Mark Frost’s television series Twin Peaks debuted in April 1990 and by June of 1991 had been cancelled. Yet the impact of this surreal, unsettling show—ostensibly about the search for homecoming queen Laura Palmer’s killer—is far larger than its short run might indicate. A forerunner of the moody, disjointed, cinematic television shows that are commonplace today, Twin Peaks left a lasting impression, and nowhere is that more clear than in the devotion of its legions of loyal fans.

Fan Phenomena: Twin Peaks is the first book of its kind to revisit Lynch and Frost’s groundbreaking series and explore how the show’s cult status continues to thrive in the digital era. In ten essays, the contributors take a deeper look at Twin Peaks’ rich cast of characters, iconic locations, and its profound impact on television programming, as well as the impact of new media and fan culture on the show’s continued relevance. Written by fans for fans, Fan Phenomena: Twin Peaks is an intelligent yet accessible guide to the various aspects of the show and its subsequent film. Featuring commentary from both first generation and more recent followers, these essays capture the endlessly fascinating universe of Twin Peaks, from Audrey Horne’s keen sense of style to Agent Cooper’s dream psychology.

The first non-academic collection that speaks to the show’s fan base rather than a scholarly audience, this book is more approachable than previous Twin Peaks critical studies volumes and features color images of the series, film, and fan media. It will be welcomed by anyone seduced by the strangeness and camp of Lynch’s seminal series.

See sample pages (PDF format).


164 pages | 50 color plates | 6.69 x 9.61 | © 2013

Fan Phenomena

Culture Studies

Film Studies


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Reviews

"It sure beats a fish in the percolator."

Spectrum Culture

"Takes those who remember Twin Peaks back to the town where everyone had something to hide. . . . The editors have brought together a rich collection of ideas and points of view in an easily accessible volume."

Australasian Journal of Popular Culture

"That the fan-written essays in Fan Phenomena: Twin Peaks are so consistently well written may speak to the intellect of the average “Twin Peaks” fan, or it may just speak to the good job editors Marisa C. Hayes and Franck Boulègue did. Or it may just be that these particular fans tend to be scholars and professional writers. . . . A fun read and very heartening evidence of how the series’ influence continues to resound and its fan base continues to swell."

Psychobabble

Table of Contents

Introduction

Peaks and Pop Culture

Fan Appreciation no. 1: Bryan Hogue: Co-owner ‘Black Lodge Video’

Audrey in Five Outfits

Embodiment of the Mystery: Performance and Video Art Go Twin Peaks

The Owls Are Not What They Seem: Cultural Artifacts of Twin Peaks

Fan Appreciation no. 2: Pieter Dom: founder and webmaster of WelcometoTwinPeaks.com

‘Yeah, But the Monkey Says, Judy’: A Critical Approach to Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

Fan Appreciation no. 3: Low Zu Boon: Film Programmer at the National Museum of Singapore

The Dream Logic of Twin Peaks

 Twin Peaks and the ‘Disney Princess’ Generation

Bond on Bond: Laura Palmer and Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks

Strange Spaces: Cult Topographies in Twin Peaks

Gothic Daemon BOB

Going Further

Image Credits


Editor and Contributor Biographies

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