Our journey to the film location for Glastonbury Grove continues with a brief look at its appearance in my favorite David Lynch film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. This scene toward the end of movie was also shot at the same southern California spot in Franklin Canyon Park as seen in Season 2.
WHERE IS GLASTONBURY GROVE IN TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME?
The film spot for Glastonbury Grove is located at down a small hill nearFranklin Canyon Drive. You can find it at these coordinates: 34.12181, -118.40985.
While much of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was shot in Washington state, this scene is one of a handful that were filmed in California. Additional scenes shot in California include Laura Palmer meeting the trucker from The Missing Pieces (which was also shot in Franklin Canyon Park), and other scenes captured on the soundstage in Van Nuys.
GLASTONBURY GROVE IN TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME
This short scene begins with a wide shot of Glastonbury Grove. The August 8, 1991 script describes the action:
EXT. GLASTONBURY GROVE – NIGHT
Leland stumbles to the centre of Glastonbury Grove and stops. Frightening wind carries haunting music. He digs into his pockets for the pages torn from Laura’s secret diary. he tosses them and the bloody towel to the wind.
He goes to the centre of the circle of the twelve sycamore trees. The red curtains appear and he passes between them entering the Red Room.
The camera moves in toward the opening to the other world.
I took a similar shot during a visit to Franklin Canyon Park on May 26, 2019. I wish I would have had these reference shots that day. I would have taken better screen comparison images. Just means I need to go back!
Cut to a close up of the portal entrance at Glastonbury Grove.
It’s pretty close to the original created for Episode 2022.
I tried making one using water in July 2010. Not quite the same.
Like the script describes, Leland is then seen walking briskly toward the ring of 12 Sycamore trees.
A similar look from a visit on April 21, 2012.
The wind blows as we see a close up of the Sycamore trees.
Leland Palmer’s face, painted white, fades in. He’s screaming. No mention of the torn diary pages or a bloody towel.
Like father, like daughter.
Leland’s face matches Laura’s face from her earlier encounter at Harold Smith’s house. The script doesn’t describe Leland’s face but I assume that he allows the feeling of Bob to take over. This is how Laura’s scene is described in the August 8, 1991 script:
She allows the feeling of Bob to come over her and she begins to scream. Harold steps back, but Laura grabs him. To his face with a horrifying expression on hers.
Leland’s screaming face fades to the gateway to another world. We see red drapes appear.
My low-key attempt to recreate the portal in Franklin Canyon Park on July 13, 2010.
Leland crosses to the other side. Red drapes appear and he enters the Black Lodge.
Similar location shot from July 13, 2010.
The use of the spotlight is similar to how it’s used in Episodes 2.022 and 2.020.
GLASTONBURY GROVE IN THE MISSING PIECES
Thanks to The Missing Pieces released in 2014 we get an additional look at Glastonbury Grove “some months later” after the events of Fire Walk With Me. This would be after Annie Blackburn and Dale Cooper exit the Lodge in Episode 2022.
The “Some Months Later” shot is just the reverse of the opening shot from Fire Walk With Me. The color timing is slightly different than the film (more blue versus warm).
The August 8, 1991 script states that this scene took place two months after the end of Fire Walk With Me.
EXT. GLASTONBURY GROVE
On screen it reads:
“TWO MONTHS LATER”
The scene cuts to a catatonic Annie being wheeled on a gurney through a hospital.
Glastonbury Grove is mentioned by name in this scene.
INT. HOSPITAL EMERGENCY WARD AT “ NIGHT
Annie is being brought in on a stretcher. A NURSE talks to PARAMEDIC as they rush her towards the emergency room.
NURSE
What happened?
MEDIC
I don’t know. Sheriff Truman just brought her in from Glastonbury Grove.
Read more about this scene with the Medic and the Crime Van Drive from Deer Meadow in this article.
