My goal with Twin Peaks Blog is to document every little detail possible about David Lynch and Mark Frost’s wonderful and strange world. This time, I’m turning my attention to the soundtrack to Lynch’s 1992 feature film – Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Specifically, I’m examining the cassette tape release of the soundtrack in the United States.
RELEASE DATE FOR TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME SOUNDTRACK – AUGUST 7, 1992
While the feature film debuted in theatres on August 28, 1992, the soundtrack to Lynch’s masterpiece composed by Angelo Badalamenti was released on Friday, August 7, 1992 by Warner Bros. Records. The catalog number is 9 45019-4.
I picked up this copy via an eBay auction. I believe this could have been the original case the cassette was packaged in, yet I’ve seen multiple versions of this release with different labels and cases. Most likely the international releases saw different packaging, which is why I only focused on the U.S. release for this article.
If you were to turn on the radio that week, the number one single in the United States was “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot. Quite the departure from Angelo Badalamenti’s slow jazz-inspired album.
EXAMINING THE LINER COVER
Tom Recchion provided the art direction for this album. He was also responsible for art directing the original television soundtrack album as well as Julee Cruise’s “Floating into the Night” and “The Voice of Love.”
You may recognize some of Recchion’s other works including the covers to Brian Wilson’s “That Lucky Old Sun” (2008), R.E.M.’s “Out of Time” (1991), and Prince’s “Batman” (1989).
The cover of the liner uses similar key assets that are found on both the compact disc, laser disc, VHS, DVD and movie poster.
The shot of Laura sitting on the bed in Room 6 at the Red Diamond City Motel was used as publicity shot for the film.
A similar pose is seen in The Missing Pieces when Teresa Banks enters the room where Ronette and Laura were waiting to “party.”
TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME CASSETTE LINER PHOTOS
The inside liner unfolds to reveal a series of images including the aforementioned shot of Laura.
Taking a closer look at part of the liner, we see a super smashed image of Leland Palmer between an image of the angel and Laura.
The angel is a similar shot from the end of the film where she just begins to fold her hands. With the angle of the shot, my gut says the still photographer Lorey Sebastian took the image during shooting.
Leland’s image appears to be similar to the shot of him outside Mo’s Motor when he’s having flashbacks.
I wrongly indicating that the smashed image of Leland’s face was from Mo’s Motor. Long time fan and fellow Bookhouse Boy Jared Lyon pointed out it’s actually from the previous scene where Leland is yelled at by Philip Gerrard (Mike, the One Armed Man).
Because he’s amazing, Jared even mocked up this comparison image to properly identify the shot. I love this! I’ve always seen this blog as a collaborative project, an effort to document everything together. Thank you, Mr. Lyon!
The other images include the Little Man from Another Place holding up the ring in the Red Room.
I wonder if the shot is actually from this scene where he presents the ring to the camera. I don’t believe the publicity shot used in the liner is seen in the film.
The shot of James Hurley appears from the scene where he pulls up to Laura’s house.
Angry Bobby Briggs is taken from the scene where he confronts Laura Palmer in the school courtyard.
TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME CASSETTE LINER CREDITS
The backside of the liner includes credits for the album that was produced by both Lynch and Badalamenti. It also contains lyrics to “Sycamore Trees,” “A Real Indication” and “Questions in a World of Blue.”
I particularly like the use of the film’s tagline, “In a town like Twin Peaks no one is innocent.
I recreated the image using a very similar font that’s found all throughout Twin Please Blog – ITC Franklin Gothic LT Book CP.
THE CASSETTE
Ah, cassette tapes. Being a child of the late 70s and early 80s, I still have so many that I need to convert to digital files. There was definitely something soothing listening to that tape hiss.
In the past 25 years, I have purchased way more CDs, vinyl and digital downloads compared to cassettes. Still I’m happy to have this one in my collection.
