Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me - Teresa Banks and the Last Seven Days of Laura Palmer

Let me start off by saying that I'm not sure if the quiet dialogue in some scenes may be because of my setup or if it was the source. No one else has mentioned it, so it must be something on my end. Aside from that.....

This was a GREAT edit! Some of the additions really let this film breathe and you could get more into the oncoming terror that was inevitable as you watch poor Laura in her last days. As an extended edition, this was super well done and achieved it's goals. Is this the go to from now on? I wouldn't say so. The check-ins with the other residents from Twin Peaks isn't necessary to the main plot. This is more of a companion piece to view after watching the original run of the series and it is a must. If you just want to watch the essential last days of Laura, you may want to stick with the original film, though that could use its own tweaking for sure given how much better Laura's last days are told in this extended edition. Awesome job Q2!!!!!

Technically this is superb. All the extra scenes are added seamlessly and really do make it a better movie. Why is my enjoyment score only a 6? Well, I watched this a few days after I saw the original movie, which I enjoyed, but this time I didn't enjoy it nearly as much, despite it being better with the added material. The movie is just so overwhelmingly bleak and nasty, and the happyish ending does not help that much. But kudos on the excellent edit.

Loved it. A great way to cap off a month of watching through the two television seasons.

I agree with other reviewers that the extra scenes can make the narrative less tight but I wouldn't have it any other way. The more Twin Peaks, the better - and the scenes all fit in place chronologically. Transitions never took me out of the experience.

If you are a fan of Twin Peaks you will definitely be a fan of this fanedit. Thank you Q2!

Edit: This is based off of V2.1

Overview - I am absolutely NOT the Lynch guy. Watched S01 when it initially aired 20+ years ago, and was infuriated with Lynch because he did not (or could not) live up to the promised resolution by seasons end. S02 was longer, and even more of a mess, which led all but the hard core to believe his concept was rudderless. Ratings dipped, show was canceled, and Fire Walk With Me was judged incomprehensible.
With Internet forums and opinionated explanations for everything, Twin Peaks reputation not only survives, but stubbornly ascend. For early victims / cynics, go figure.

Q2 has refashioned FWWM with deleted scenes, outtakes, to better follow Lynch’s vision. Maybe. With Lynch, one never knows.

Video - Editing really good here. Jump cuts and fades. Some of the material was never remastered, so one cannot judge against that.

Audio - Anything by Lynch is worth “listening” to. No exception here. Sound design in FWWM is dazzling. From tiny sounds to noise to the hypnotic roadhouse band. Also solid editing. No quick fade-outs or mid drops. Masterful use of layering music to link new material. I listened on headphones, I cranked the main speakers. Both ways - great.

Narrative - What in the hell ...
I am convinced there is a tight story in here, but an extended version just pumps more fog into the confusion. FBI subplots seem meaningless to the plot. Just Lynch ridiculing them. I would have dropped references to all agents. Blasphemy, yes, but keep the focus on Laura. Weave the Lodge, especially BOB.

The extended narrative wanders aimlessly for over an hour, then it locks in and grows inspired. The sound mix, the brooding tone, the fatalistic dread. A one-way Noir ticket to Hell.

End of the film, there was more here I liked than disliked. I will also be the first to admit hard core Twin Peaks fans will revel in this extended edition.

Enjoyment - Did I like like this? No. Did I watch it repeatedly? Yes, twice already, and I will rewatch again.
Do I like Lynch’s work in general? No. Aside from Mulholland Drive, not at all. His whole ouvre is baffling, incomprehensible, self-indulgent, and seems lost in a thicket of brilliant ideas with no one capable of reining them into cohesion. Of course this also helps to explain its enduring popularity.
On the other hand, I watch, and rewatch his movies. There is clearly craft and the utmost intelligence in them. Lynch does not concoct mindless action fare for teens, or romantic twaddle for selfie texters.

Should you watch Q2's edit? Absolutely! This is a must!
Yet it you have never watched any season of Twin Peaks, do yourself a favor and watch those first.
Rest assured, if you get confused there are piles of websites and boards to offer answers or suggestions to any questions or puzzles. Maybe. With Twin Peaks, nothing is certain, nothing is as it appears.
One way or another, we are still adrift.

(Note. This review has been revised for version 2.1)

A/V Quality – 10/10. Very nice!

Editing – 9/10.
Version 1 was a little bumpy and felt rushed. Q2 has gone back and fixed the issues and the result is a smoother experience, allowing one to get fully immersed in the world of Twin Peaks. There were still a couple small things that I think could have been done better, but I'm in the minority and to most they'd be tiny nitpicks.

Narrative/Improvement – 9/10.
In terms of the-(almost-)longest-version-you-could-watch, this was excellent. The pacing was great and the editor chose well for what goes where.

Enjoyment – 10/10
Hells to the yes this extended version was awesome!