One of the more iconic locations within Twin Peaks is The Roadhouse. Playing host to musical performances, courtrooms and pageants, this spot is where the townspeople gather to unwind. This Setting the Stage article explores the The Roadhouse exterior from all three seasons and Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me.
LOCATION OF THE ROADHOUSE
According to the Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town, The Roadhouse is located along Main Street in downtown Twin Peaks.
In reality, The Roadhouse Restaurant & Inn is located at 4200 Preston Fall City Road SE in Fall City, Washington. All of the exteriors (excluding one small part in Episode 1003) were shot at this location. The interiors were shot in a couple of different spots in Washington state and southern California.
IS IT CALLED THE BANG BANG BAR?
For years, folks have debated if this location is called “The Roadhouse” or “The Bang Bang Bar,” the latter featured on a gun-themed, neon sign found on the building’s exterior. Sheriff Truman offers an answer to this burning question in a deleted scene from the Pilot Episode. He explains that Jake Morrissey owns the Bookhouse and the Roadhouse. He calls attention to The Bang Bang Bar but explains that everyone calls it “the Roadhouse.”
A real world examples of this sort of thing would be Sears Tower in Chicago. Today, the building is known as Willis Tower, but many folks still refer to it as Sears Tower (despite Sears’ naming rights ending in 2003). Perhaps “The Bang Bang Bar” name was added later but townspeople still prefer to call the location “The Roadhouse.”
Interestingly, Jake Morrissey is also mentioned as the owner in The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer. By Season 3, Jean-Michel Renault (played by Walter Olkewicz who also played Jacques Renault) explains that The Roadhouse had been in the Renault family for four generations. Go figure.
PILOT EPISODE
The first mention of The Roadhouse is seen in a note that James Hurley passes to Donna Hayward via his uncle Big Ed. Can you imagine if it said, “Meet Me at The Bang Bang Bar After 9:30”? Nope, neither can I.
The Roadhouse’s first appears was seen during Truman and Cooper’s stakeout in the parking lot. The watch Mike Nelson and Bobby Briggs pull into the parking lot having just come from The Hayward House.
Remember this image above as it will be seen again. Notice the awning for the the entrance just to the right of The Bang Bang Bar sign. That entrance is no longer used at the real Roadhouse Restaurant.
Cooper and Truman are parked in the far back corner of the lot.
Donna Hayward arrives on Harriet’s bicycle and parks it just outside three covered windows. We won’t see this kind of detail again until Fire Walk With Me.
In a far shot, we see that Donna has parked the bike under the center window.
Joey Paulsen and Donna Hayward run toward his motorcycle parked at The Bookhouse. You can see the back of the Roadhouse in this shot.
Joey and Donna leave the parking lot on their way to meet James Hurley in the woods.
We see a rare view of the parking lot and Roadhouse as the police backup vehicles arrive.
Police cars spin around in the lot upon arrival.
The cars appear similar to the white vehicle seen earlier at The Packard Sawmill when an officer picks up Janek Pulaski.
EPISODE 1003
In Episode 1003, we see Jacques Renault walking to work at The Roadhouse. The location of this scene is somewhere in southern California as there is no such road outside the location in Fall City, Washington.
Jacques spots a red flashing light on top of the Roadhouse. It’s what he calls the “bust light,” meaning there is trouble with the police.
The “bust light” appears to be added in post-production. I place a shot of the Roadhouse from the Pilot Episode over the scene from Episode 1003. It looks like it’s from a slightly different angle but it’s hardly noticeable.
After spotting the “bust light” from afar, we see a close up of the red flashing light. This also was from some place in southern California. No such light exists on top of the real Roadhouse today (but if I owned the Roadhouse, I would totally add one). This was also the final time in Season 1 that we’ll see the building exterior.
EPISODE 2005
The next time we see the exterior is a panning shot of the Bang Bang Bar sign followed by Judge Sternwood pounding a gavel. I combined the shots above to create the image above.
EPISODE 2009
The Roadhouse and Bookhouse are shown in Episode 2009. I love this shot which is impossible to get today since there is a fence in this area now.
Then, a freak lightning storm appears to strike the Roadhouse. While the crew did have some interesting weather while shooting the Pilot Episode (and scenes like this one), I’m guessing the lightning was added in post.
EPISODE 2020
The final appearance of the Roadhouse in Season 2 is found at the tail end of Episode 2020. It’s part of a montage of scenes from the town. If you look carefully, you’ll see Mike and Bobby’s car still parked behind the Roadhouse from the Pilot Episode.
FIRE WALK WITH ME
The Roadhouse and Bang Bang Bar sign make a brief return in Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me.
Laura Palmer parks her car and walks toward the awning-covered entrance. The frosted windows are red, not white as seen in Seasons 1 and 2. The awning is also slightly longer than the one from the series.
We see the same three windows where Donna parked her borrowed bike in the Pilot Episode.
Before entering, Laura is greeted by The Log Lady whose passionate warning strikes a nerve.
She is visibly moved by The Log Lady’s words before turning toward the main entrance.
Seeing her reflection, Laura pauses before going inside. Most likely, the crew added black paper to create this kind of top-lit reflection. The whole scene is one of the more moving scenes in Lynch’s classic film.
The next time we see the Roadhouse is in Season 3. I’ve only focused on scenes that were included in the broadcasted version. The Twin Peaks – From Z to A Collection has some additional footage from The Roadhouse performances sans ends credits. I may add those at a later date (once I capture screen images).
PART 2
Part 2 is the first time we see the updated Roadhouse exterior. The building is no longer white as seen 25 years earlier. We see a woman getting out of a parked vehicle.
She closes the car door and walks toward The Roadhouse as a motorcycle passes. Keep watching that cycle as it will appear a few more times.
The scene cuts to a slight zoom in on the new sign for The Bang Bang Bar.
I say “new” as it appears the sign was remade for Season 3. Notice how the word “The” is closer in the new sign versus the sign from the series.
PART 3
I love the reflection of The Bang Bang Bar sign seen in a puddle outside the Roadhouse in Part 3. When it rains (as it does often in Washington state), these types of puddles form in the parking lot.
PART 4
The same neon sign from Part 2 returns for a moment in Part 4. Did you notice that one of the spotlights is burned out? I didn’t until writing this article.
PART 5
In Part 5, the Bang Bang Bar puddle returns but this time, someone is seen stepping in it.
The scene cuts to the same establishing shot first seen in Part 2. It looks like it takes place after the one from Part 2 though. Notice how the motorcycle has now parked.
PART 6
A semi-new shot of the Roadhouse appears in Part 6. This time a truck pulls into the parking lot.
PART 7
This may be my favorite shot from Season 3 – The Roadhouse in Part 7. This is the only time we see this particular shot. I love it as there are no cars present. Also notice how the spotlight below “Bar” is illuminated. I’m guessing this shot was captured first before any of the shots with people parking and walking. I’m also dying to know why that light is out!
PART 9
Puddle time again in Part 9. It looks to be an alternate shot to the previous puddle shot in Part 5.
PART 10
Do you remember how I said to pay attention to the motorcycle guy? He’s back parking his bike again in Part 10, which appears to be a recycled shot from earlier in Season 3
PART 12
Speaking of recycled shots, The Bang Bang Bar sign returns in Part 12. Same one as seen in Parts 2 and 4.
PART 13
Seriously, just park it already! He (or she) is still parking the motorcycle in Part 13.
PART 14
The final appearance of The Bang Bang Bar sign happens in Part 14. Same shot from pervious episodes.
PART 15
For Part 15, we return to shots first used in Part 2. Yes, the motorcycle driver has not parked the bike yet.
PART 16
The final appearance of The Roadhouse exterior is found in Part 16. It’s a shot sans the motorcycle driver trying to park. Instead we see two folks walking toward the entrance.
With that said, I’m going to finish my beer at Volition Brewery Co. in North Bend, Washington. This was surreal to write an article about The Roadhouse while visiting the real “Twin Peaks.”
