Twin Peaks - The Definitive Gold Box Edition (1990)

Looks good, plays bad (or doesn't at all)

OK, I'll have to weigh in here on this one. While I was absolutely thrilled with having the entire series in one box set (I was one of the people that bought the amazing Artisan first season in, like, 2001, and waited years and years for...nothing) I am so, so disappointed. I bought this as soon as I knew that it existed, popped it in tonight to watch the pilot for the first time since I found it on VHS at a public library in Pittsburgh ten years ago, and...nothing. Disc 1 doesn't load. Two different DVD players say "no disc". Just that awful spinning and constant attempts at reloading. Ominous first signs, kind of like the show.
Maybe I'll just watch the first couple of Season One episodes. OK, disc 2 doesn't load. Disc 3 loads. Disc 4 loads. Discs 5-9 do not load. I stopped here. Returning the box right now and am hoping that this bug has been fixed. There is no use waiting years and finally being excited only to be let down by a complete lack of quality control standards (I have read others with sound problems, missing episodes, etc.). Shouldn't producing a transfer to DVD be pretty easy now. I mean, I bought a pristine copy of Spies Like Us last week, and if they can make that, and Ishtar, and My So Called Life, then they should be able to get this one right. Right? My wife has the entire Buffy series here, seven seasons, staring me in the face, and I have a broken Twin Peaks box that I promised would be "so amazing".
By the way, if you just want a review of the series then here it is: it is amazing. While tedious it can be very good, brooding, funny, unusual, risky for television (it wouldn't play half a season today), disjointed, and still holds up pretty well. And the ending is still so disturbing and always will be the best wrap up in episodic TV. Lynch had a major network TV show? Hard to believe in our current climate of mediocre television. July 19, 2008

Impressed

The packaging is great, the imagage quality is very good, the sound quality is outstanding. July 18, 2008

Twin Peaks in stunning clarity

Finally, finally, finally - Twin Peaks is available on DVD and not only that, but it has been remastered and it looks amazing. Most of us hardcore fans were used to watching the horrible VHS version with his unprecedented lack of clarity and color balance. This is truly Twin Peaks like you've never seen it before.

In this ten-disc set, you get all the episodes, the pilot, and a nice selection of extras. The pilot is available in both the domestic version, and the extended international version. The Log Lady intros are available, but they don't seem to have been remastered and are somewhat fuzzy.

I've heard a number of complains about the sound, usually regarding the music covering dialogue. Lynch is absolutely meticulous with his sound design, which leads me to believe that the balance is no accident. In Twin Peaks, the music is almost another character itself. While it IS more forward in the mix than what we're used to, Lynch clearly feels that it's important enough to put it in the foreground at times.

The extras are all pretty decent and informative, but I would have liked some episode commentaries and other features that we usually find on TV show DVDs. Lynch is no fan of commentary tracks, but seeing as his involvement with the entirety of Twin Peaks is, at times, periphery, I thought there might have been a chance for some of the other directors involved to step in and tell a few stories.

Overall, it's an essential purchase for all Lynch fans, and probably for anyone who likes weird, but great television. July 6, 2008

Twin Peaks Gold Box Edition

Alright I completely understand your frustation for those who bought seasons 1-2 special edition sets, ( not cheap might I add ) only to find out about this a few months later...it hurts. The real tell should of been what was missing in the first sets, come on no pilot...really. Well this is what should of been there the first time, the motherload. If you liked this series, this is everything you could ever love about it in one beautiful gold box! picture quality...excellent, sound...excellent, extras...hours and hours. This is worth the price and more, so don't be sore, just e-bay those previous editions and run,RUN and buy this or you will forever be sorry you didn't. June 20, 2008

Twin Peaks Complete Series

What a great deal!! Has all the log lady spots before each episode .. And there's an extra DVD with interesting info...
If you love Twin Peaks... this is the one to buy!! June 15, 2008

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