More Missing Pieces – Laura Palmer’s Funeral

While researching the Southern California film location for Laura Palmer’s funeral in episode 1003 of Twin Peaks, I discovered the broadcasted version contained many differences compared to the script. This article joins a running list of stories about more Missing Pieces or deleted scenes from my favorite television show.

WRITING THE SCRIPT

The job of writing the third episode of season one fell to Harley Peyton after attending a screening of the Twin Peaks pilot episode at the Director’s Guild. Peyton recollects getting the job in Ben Durant and Bryon Kozaczka’s excellent book “Twin Peaks Unwrapped“:

“I went up to Mark in the lobby afterwards to congratulate him and said, ‘I’ve never written television before, but if you need anyone to write an episode just call me as I’m ready to go.’ Luckily for me, he then said, ‘Great! Come write the third [episode].'” (page 32)

Peyton submitted the first draft on September 26, 1989. Additional revisions to the script were made a few days later on October 3. Those pages were presented in blue. He explained Mark Frost was particularly happy with his work as not many revisions were made.

“The phone rang. It was like close to midnight. [Mark] had just finishing reading the script and he was thrilled. I came to know later why he was thrilled because when you’re running a television show, just to know you have a writer who can write something that you feel you’re not going to have to rewrite substantially, that you can count on, it’s a rare thing. It’s something that when you read it, you know it. ” (“Twin Peaks Unwrapped,” page 33)

Since Laura Palmer’s funeral was a key moment in this episode, Peyton felt the script would focus on death and how the “various characters are going to respond to [death].” Aside from a brief establishing shot of the cemetery, most of the action for Laura’s funeral takes place in act three.

SHOOTING THE EPISODE

For Zelly and Me director Tina Rathborne, this was her first experience as a television director. She would later return to direct episode 2010, the episode after Leland Palmer’s death. It was David Lynch who offered the job to Tina:

“I always have written and directed my stuff,” recalls Rathborne in “Twin Peaks Unwrapped.” “So this was a totally new experience for me when David said, ‘Well Teen, would you like to do [a Twin Peaks episode]?’ I said, ‘Oh sure, I’ve never done [television]. This could be really fun.’ And it turned out that I actually loved directing material that wasn’t my own.” (page 32).

Based on my research of other scenes shot around this time, this scene was most likely shot during the last week of October 1989.

Originally, they had planned a three day shoot but when budget concerns were expressed, the production schedule was condensed to one day. Tina explains how she saved Greg Fienberg about $200,000 with the adjusted timeline:

“The thing about the funeral scene is Gregg Fienberg, the producer, had said to me some time at the beginning of making the show that he was $200,000 in the hole. Then it came time to do the funeral scene and most of the cast was in it. We had tracks running through the gravestones. The way I had designed it is the characters were walking to the funeral, or many of them through the gravestones. Now being Southern California, it was hard to avoid the palm trees [So long shots were scrapped for just medium and close-up shots[. Greg had given me one day and at the end of the day, he said to me, ‘You just saved me $200,000. That was supposed to be three days, that shoot. You did it in one, and thanks very much.'” (“Twin Peaks Unwrapped,” page 36)

ESTABLISHING SHOT

At the beginning of act three, there is a brief establishing shot of Black Lake Cemetery. The scene would have taken place before Ed and Nadine Hurley’s exchange at the Hurley residence. Unfortunately, I’ve not found footage or image for these scenes.

18. EXT. BLACK LAKE CEMETERY – DAY
OPEN ON a lovely smalltown cemetary, the usual weathered headstones. ANOTHER ANGLE reveals Laura Palmer’s burial site. The freshly dug grave. A hydraulic frame used to lower the casket. And two WORKERS testing the hydraulics, one sitting on the coffin bed, the other raising and lowering it.

CUT TO:
19. EXT. BLACK LAKE CEMETERY – DAY
A gleaming hearse in the cemetary parking lot. A mortician supervises the unloading of Laura’s casket, for transfer to the grave. MUSIC over.

I’m assuming the “music” would have been some variation of “Laura Palmer’s Theme.” There is no parking lot in the Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery – only a looped road that passes through it. The hearse could have been shot along that roadway.

I’m guessing the workers testing the hydraulics were included as foreshadowing of Leland Palmer’s actions later in the episode. When he goes for a ride, one of those uncredited workers might be the one yelling, “The whole thing has gone haywire!”

ARRIVALS

The funeral scene opens with action not seen in the broadcast episode.

25.  EXT. BLACK LAKE CEMETERY – DAY
A flowered trellis stands at the entrance from the parking lot to the burial grounds. The LOG LADY arrives wearing a surprisingly appropriate funeral dress, clutching her log to her breast. She steps among mourners as they emerge from automobiles. Cooper, Sheriff Truman, and Deputies Andy and Hawk get out of the police cruiser, join the throng.

In these behind-the-scenes images taken by Paula K. Shimatsu-u, we see Mädchen Amick and Sherilyn Fenn sitting near a giant archway. As the actual Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery doesn’t have a similar archway, so it could have been constructed for the shoot.

We see The Log Lady’s outfit in a only group shot of residents circling Laura’s casket. When James Hurley approaches the funeral, we can see both Josie Packard’s BMW and the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department’s Ford Bronco.

The broadcasted scene opens with a recycled shot from the pilot epsiode of trees blowing in the wind. This could have been used to reinforce the scene is supposed to take place in upper eastern Washington state, not Southern California.

Tina Rathborne was concerned about the palm trees found at Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery as she explained in “Reflections.”

“I went to the location a couple of times. I saw the palm trees and just thought, ‘Oh, my God! This is Seattle? I’ve got palm trees in the background.” (page 89)

Warren Frost (who played Dr. Hayward) said the crew brought in “a whole bunch of pine trees because the cemetery was full of palm trees.” They were presented in either boxes or big pots according to Frost which he thought was “very inventive.” (“Reflections” page 89)

Look carefully behind the gathering in the only group shot and you’ll see some of those pine trees added for the shoot.

DONNA AND MIKE

Tina mentioned in “Reflections” that she didn’t use any of the long tracking shots of the cast walking to Laura’s casket.

“I did do some long tracking shots of the cast walking towards Laura’s casket. I didn’t use any of them as you can see. If I remember correctly, it was really [editor Toni Morgan]’s idea to do the beginning of the scene with nothing but close-ups. Once I saw that, it made sense to me and I took it.” (page 90)

This meant cutting several scenes with interactions between various cast members. The first was between Mike Nelson and Donna Hayward.

26.  EXT. BLACK LAKE CEMETERY – DAY
Mourners step through the trellis into the cemetary proper. Doc Hayward escorts Donna onto the green grass, she pauses, sees Mike waiting for her nearby. 

MIKE
Hi.

DONNA
(to father)
Just a sec.

Donna steps away from her father, walks to Mike.
She looks at him, says nothing. An awkward beat, then:

MIKE
Hey. I’m sorry about the other night. I didn’t mean anything.
(reaches for her, she pulls away)
Hey, I said I was sorry …

DONNA
I don’t want to see you anymore, Mike. Please don’t bother me again.

Mike watches, shellshocked, as she walks away.

I guess Mike is no longer “the man.” It also explains why we don’t see Donna and Mike interacting again until season two. With Mike out of the way, Donna is free to hang out with James Hurley all the time.

We don’t see Dr. Hayward’s outfit except for the overall group shot and some publicity photos on The Mauve Zone. He is seen comforting Donna who is sporting a giant striped hat. We also don’t see Mike’s outfit. Thanks to a publicity shot in People Magazine, he’s seen wearing jeans with a dress shirt and tie.

ED AND DONNA

The second exchange cut happens between Donna Hayward and Big Ed Hurley.

27.  EXT. BLACK LAKE CEMETERY – DAY
Ed escorts Nadine through the cemetary. He sees Donna returning to her father.

ED
Go on ahead, Nadine. I’ll catch up. 

Nadine seems uneasy, a little lost.

ED (CONTINUED)
I promise. It’ll be fine.

Nadine nods, reassured, moves off. Ed steps toward Donna, intercepts. 

ED
Hello, Donna. 

DONNA
Where’s … ?

ED
He’s not coming. He wouldn’t.

DONNA
Why?

Ed can only shrug. Donna sees her father waiting, there’s no rime to talk. She’s upset, tries to hide it and walks on.

I understand why this scene may have been cut – we already learned James wasn’t going to go to Laura’s funeral in a previous scene at the Hurley residence.

ED AND NORMA

The second part of this exchange takes place between Ed and Norma. They will later stand next to each other around Laura’s casket as seen in this publicity shot. The group shot with everyone is so quick that it’s easy to miss this detail. Talk about an awkward experience.

NORMA’S VOICE
Ed? 

Ed turns, finds Norma standing behind him. She’s troubled.

NORMA
Hi.

ED
(an uneasy glance around)
Not the best place to talk.

NORMA
I know. Hank’s parole hearing is tomorrow. He could be out next week. Maybe sooner.

Ed nods. He doesn’t want to talk about it here. She sees Nadine standing nearby and realizes why.

NORMA
(not catty)
Nadine looks nice. 

ED
Yeah. She’s feeling good today. 

There’s sympathy in his voice, sadness too. Norma understands. Ed manages a smile and moves off.

BEN HORNE AND THE PALMERS

Unlike the previously discussed scenes, there are publicity shots for part of the scene with Ben Horne, the Palmers and Maddy Ferguson.

The script describes the action:

28.  EXT. BLACK LAKE CEMETERY – DAY
Lastly, Ben Horne escorts Leland and SARAH PALMER into the cemetery. Mourners stop and stare. Sarah squints in the sunlight, clutches Leland’s hand. And Madeleine Ferguson walks behind them, wearing dark glasses.

Grace Zabriskie described this scene to Brad Dukes in “Reflections“:

“I remember walking between Leland and Ben Horne, being led to my daughter’s gravesite. A bit wobbly, clearly, from sedation. I got excited by an idea that Sarah should also be trying to smoke, as was her wont, further complicating an already precarious walk, as both my arms were being held onto to keep me from stumbling. I suggested this idea, and was told, ‘Oh, that might be a bit too much.’ (After all these years I still don’t think it would have been too much.)” (Page 90)

I have to agree with her assessment – Sarah should have been smoking. I mean it is a common theme throughout all three seasons and the 1992 motion picture.

See just how much Sarah smokes in this Setting the Stage article.

BEN AND CATHERINE

As part of the scene with the Palmers, Ben Horne has an exchange with Catherine Martell. Since it’s cut, we never get a really good look at her at the funeral. In the the group shot from the broadcasted version, Pete is blocking her. Thanks to a publicity photo from the set, we catch a slightly better look at her outfit, complete with dark glasses.

Ben spots Catherine nearby. He nods to Madeleine, allows her to escort Leland and Sarah ahead. Ben remains, waits for Catherine to join him.

CATHERINE
(as they walk, aside)
Taking care of the Palmers, are we?

BEN
It’s the only decent thing to do.

CATHERINE
Had to shut down the mill again. All that grief. ‘Few more tragedies it’ll roll over and play dead.

BEN
See you at the funeral

Ben and Catherine separate, poker-faced.

CHAIN OF GLANCES

Most of the dialogue for Reverend Clarence Brocklehurst remains the same as scripted. In the script, however, he is named Father Clarence. The biggest difference is the “chain of glances” which includes more characters not seen in the televised version.

29.  EXT. LAURA’S GRAVESITE – DAY
Mourners gather around the grave. Laura’s burnished casket sits on its hydraulic bed, the dark hole beneath it. And FATHER CLARENCE prepares his oration. Father Clarence is an old man, red-faced; he fumbles with a number of prayer books and hymnals. This is no ordinary service for him. He is as deeply saddened as those who wait for him to comfort them.

FATHER CLARENCE
I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

In the distance, a lone figure steps through headstones toward the grave. James Hurley. He walks closer, eyes locked on Laura’s casket. Bobby sees him coming, darkens, scowls. Donna sees James too. She finds Bobby in the throng, notes his fury. And so begins, as Father Clarence continues, a CHAIN OF GLANCES.

CLARENCE’S VOICE
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For if we live, we live unto the Lord; and if we die, we die unto the Lord.

Editor Toni Morgan had never edited anything prior to working on this episode. They used an editing machine that looked “prehistoric” to Tina Rathborne. It was Toni who focused on the “chain of glances” and “expressions of the mourners” versus the extra wide- and medium-angle footage they shot. It wasn’t until after the edit was complete that Toni confessed to Tina that this was her first time editing.

Interestingly, some of the reaction shots mentioned in the script were kept in the televised episode.

Donna looks to Sheriff Truman for help. But Sheriff Truman is looking at Josie. Josie meets his gaze. Then looks away, as if too shy to stare at him here. Josie turns to Pete Martell. Pete nods, ever sociable.

We see the back of Sheriff Harry Truman’s head in the group shot but his reaction shot and exchange with Josie is missing.

Surprisingly, a reaction shot of Pete Martell is kept.

CLARENCE’S VOICE
(continued, over glances)
Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; even so saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors. The Lord be with you…

ALL
And with thy spirit.

CLARENCE’S VOICE
Let us pray. 

Pete turns from Josie, looks to his wife. But Catherine is leering at Ben Horne. Ben returns her gaze, but is jostled by Bobby shoving past him toward the grave.

Bobby doesn’t shove Ben until after he shouts “Amen!” in the broadcast version.

AMEN, AMEN, AMEN!

CLARENCE’S VOICE
0 God, entrust this child Laura to thy never-failing care and love, and bring us all to thy heavenly kingdom; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Father Clarence clears his throat. But before he can continue, Johnny Home brays out a rather ill-timed:

JOHNNY
Amen!

FATHER CLARENCE
Thank you, Johnny.

There is video footage that exists of Johnny yelling “Amen.” Sadly, the video created for this article was blocked by the copyright ID thing on YouTube. Check out the Mauve Zone if you want to see footage.

THE CHAIN OF GLANCES CONTINUES:
Shelly spots Bobby, sees his anger, follows his stare to James. James is looking at Donna, seeking comfort, approval. But Donna, having witnessed Bobby’s fury, now looks to Big Ed for help. 

Most likely this reaction shot from Donna is the one of her looking to Big Ed for help. He would have been standing directly across from her line of sight. We don’t see Shelly’s reactions.

CLARENCE’S VOICE
I baptized Laura Palmer. I instructed her in Sunday school. And like all of you, I came to love her with that special love we reserve for the headstrong and bold. Laura was bright, beautiful, charming. But most of all she was, I think, impatient. Impatient for her life to begin, for the rest of the world to catch up with her many dreams and ambitions.

Big Ed doesn’t notice Donna’s distress. He’s busy trying to get Norma’s attention. Norma doesn’t see him. She’s looking at Nadine. Nadine, oblivious as always, is gazing intently at Leland and Sarah Palmer, Madeleine beside them. Nadine wipes tears from her eye.

The shot of Big Ed looking at Norma remained in the televised episode. From an earlier photo, we know that Norma was standing to his right.

CLARENCE’S VOICE
If we appear to put those dreams to rest today, do not believe it. For those of us who loved her, those dreams will never die. They live on inside each of us.

JOHNNY’S VOICE
(as ill-timed as before)
Amen!

Madeleine looks up, sees Nadine peering at her from across the grave. Madeleine looks away, only to find Audrey staring at her from the other side. Audrey notes the resemblance to Laura, reacts. Audrey looks to find Agent Cooper in the throng, she wants him to see it too.

We get an Audrey Horne shot similar to what is described in the script. The edit, however, makes it appear that Audrey is trying to get Agent Cooper’s attention as she thinks he is “dreamy.” Cooper reacts with a slight smile.

COOPER’S REACTIONS

And as for Cooper, he’s been watching this chain from the start, fascinated by all the connections and clues it offers him. Suddenly Cooper frowns. He sees Bobby Briggs plowing through the crowd, stepping quickly toward Father Clarence, the grave.

CLARENCE’S VOICE
Laura used to tell me that I talked too much. I won’t make that mistake here. It is enough to say that I loved her, and will miss her for the rest of my days.

JOHNNYS VOICE
(getting into his own call and response rhythm)
Amen!!

AAAAAAMMEEENNNNN!

The scene with Bobby’s reaction remains mostly the same, with only minor dialogue variations.

Bobby steps to the front of the gravesite, nearly howls the repetition:

BOBBY
AMEN!!!

Everything stops. Bobby confronts the grave and the gathered mourners with grief and rage.

More than likely they also shot his scene without the close-ups. There are several publicity photos which indicate more of a medium shot.

BOBBY
What are you looking at? What are you waiting for? You make me sick. You damn hypocrites make me sick. Everybody knew she was in trouble. But we didn’t do a thing. Who killed the Prom Queen?! You did. We all did. And pretty words won’t bring her back. Keep your prayers. Laura doesn’t need them. She would’ve laughed at them anyway.

Bobby’s cracking up, tears pool in his eyes. James moves to stop him. Mike hurries forward, ready to fight. Bobby sees James approaching, he leaps in his direction.

But Cooper gets there first, Truman, Andy, and Hawk close behind. They pull the boys apart, stop the fight before it happens.

Tina felt the scene didn’t move her enough while editing with Toni Morgan. So they slowed everything down.

“I remember when we were editing that [the funeral fight], the scene didn’t move me enough. Then I saw the scene in slow-motion and it suddenly came together for me. It ramped the emotion of the media up to a human level in the scene. I was shooting so fast I only had one or two takes of Dana and James [laughs] and I probably used the slow-motion when I realized that those two shots just weren’t going to cut it.” (“Reflections,” page 94)

Amidst the shouting and commotion, Johnny Horne lifts his head toward the sky, lets out an atavistic howl:

JOHNNY
Ahoooooooooooh!!

This was Robert Bauer’s first day on the show (a different actor played Johnny in the pilot episode). He told Twin Peaks Unwrapped that he watched a lot of cartoons to prepare his character. His first edition copy of “Peter Pan” prop is begging to be discussed in a separate article.

Audrey rushes to comfort him. The howl, the brawl, all contribute to a growing sense of chaos, trouble and grief in the air. Major Briggs grabs his son and drags him away from the grave as Bobby screams at James:

BOBBY
I’ll get you! You’re dead! I’ll get you! 

DON’T RUIN THIS TOO!

The final part of the script remains the same. There is mention of a Caretaker (he’s probably the one shouting “The whole thing has gone haywire”). He will appear later in this episode 1003 when Cooper visits the graveyard at night.

And now, unnoticed for the moment, Leland Palmer lets go of his wife’s hand, steps quietly toward the casket. He stares at it for a long beat, the tumult erupting all around him. Then, quite suddenly, without warning …

Leland Palmer leaps onto the casket, shouting and wailing …

LELAND
Laura! Laura!

Gasps of shock. Truman and Cooper step forward immediately, but Leland’s jump has activated the hydraulics, the casket begins to sink from view. A CARETAKER frantically reverses the controls, brings Leland and the casket up again. But just as Truman and Cooper seem about to grab him, the casket begins to descend, remains beyond their grasp.

LELAND (CONTINUED)
Laura! My baby! 

And so it goes, the casket rising and falling, Truman and Cooper now enlisting the deputies to form a human chain, the mourners reacting with shock and dismay.

Missing are the “human chain” of deputies.

And now, at long last, Sarah Palmer takes tentative steps forward, her eyes seem to clear, and she shouts, roars at her husband:

SARAH
DON’T RUIN THIS TOO!!

A sudden silence descends upon the gravesite. Sarah Palmer remains frozen, Madeleine at her side. Mourners glance at each other, begin to disperse. The funeral of Laura Palmer has concluded.

Ray Wise thought Leland jumping on his daughter’s casket was a “marvelous idea” as described in “Reflections”

“I remember as a young child going to several family funerals and funerals of friends of my parents (that sort of thing) and I saw some interesting reactions of family members when they were viewing their deceased loved one in the casket. Sometimes there were some emotional outbursts. I remember a man who was looking at his dead brother and was overcome and overwhelmed with grief and picked his brother up in his arms and just kept hugging him. He picked him up right out of the casket! So Leland throwing himself on the casket seemed perfectly logical to me [laughs] and it didn’t require any selling myself on being able to do that. It came pretty naturally.” (page 94)