My journey of exploring the film location for Black Lake Cemetery continues with a nighttime scene between Special Agent Dale Cooper and Dr. Lawrence Jacoby in episode 1003. For the longest time, this scene has confused me. Why would Cooper be hanging out in a cemetery waiting for Dr. Jacoby to show up? As it turns out, the answer to this mystery lies in the Harley Peyton’s original script.
THE LOCATION
The Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery served as the film location for episode 1003. This historic burial ground is located at 535 E Sierra Madre Boulevard in Sierra Madre, California. The approximate coordinates are 34°09’43.9″N 118°02’29.3″W.
Read all about the history of this historic cemetery in this Twin Peaks Blog article. The cemetery was established in 1884 by Nathaniel Carter. I also explore some Missing Pieces from Laura Palmer’s funeral scene in this article.
DREAM SOULS
The televised scene begins with Agent Cooper standing in front of a cross at the cemetery. His tie is undone which always seemed a little uncharacteristic for him. According to the script, this nighttime scene was originally supposed to take place at the end of the episode.
It was switched for Deputy Hawk and Cooper discussing dream souls at The Great Northern Hotel and helping a broken and terribly sad Leland Palmer home. Hawk explains a Blackfoot legend about souls: “Waking souls that give life to the mind and body. A dream soul that wanders.”
With his necktie loosened after enjoying a beer, Cooper listens intently to Hawk. He wonders where these dream souls wander and Hawk responds they go to “faraway places … The Land of the Dead.”
Now this makes more sense. Enraptured by Hawk’s words, Cooper would naturally return to the graveyard to see if this legend is true.
THE MISSING PIECES
Harley Peyton’s script gives a nod to Hawk’s explanation when establishing this original final scene at Black Lake Cemetery. The set up mentions “The Land of the Dead.” There is also an exchange between an uncredited Caretaker and Cooper. The Caretaker character would have appeared earlier during Laura Palmer’s funeral when we hear off-camera, “The whole thing has gone haywire!”
47. EXT. BLACK LAKE CEMETERY – NIGHT
Cooper stands watch at the cemetery, a night wind howling about him. He peers into the dark, Laura’s grave in the distance. The Land of the Dead. A beat, then:
CARETAKER’S VOICE
Can you hear ’em?
Cooper turns to find an old CARETAKER at his side, gazing out into the night.
CARETAKER
It’s the metal and the wood, I guess. Some caskets, you stick ’em in the ground, and the wood starts to expand, starts to rub against that metal. And if it rubs just so, you get a strange sort of sound. If the night’s just right, and the wood — teak and brass are the best — well, it’s like music. You can almost hear the caskets singin’.
Needless to say, it’s a notion Cooper finds fascinating.
I’m guessing footage of this scene was captured. If only I knew who played the Caretaker (I’m assuming it’s not one of the gents below).
THE CROSS
The cross behind Agent Cooper is from a grave marker created by the Twin Peaks crew. You can see the top of it in this publicity photo from The Mauve Zone.
Most likely the crew repositioned the grave marker in about the center of this shot. It seems like the giant tree next to the cross grave marker at the cemetery is in the background of the scene.
Before we get to the shot with the cross, there was supposed to be a scene with Cooper listening to the ground.
48. EXT. BLACK LAKE CEMETERY – NIGHT
Minutes later. CAMERA STARTS AT GROUND LEVEL, green grass, dark graves. Suddenly Cooper LOWERS INTO FRAME, presses his ear to the ground. As if to listen for the casket’s singing. That’s when he hears another sound. Footsteps, someone walking toward Laura Palmer’s grave.
Cooper slips into the shadows. He watches a lone figure step to Laura’s grave. But he can’t make out the face. At least until the mystery man lights a cigarette.
ENTER DR. JACOBY
In the televised version, Dr. Jacoby enters the scene from behind the same tree were James Hurley first stood during Laura Palmer’s funeral.
The “Y” tree has a pretty distinctive shape so it’s easy to match.
It’s still at the graveyard today along with the oversized headstone immediately behind it.
The script describes the action from Cooper’s point-of-view. The only thing missing is Jacoby smoking a cigarette.
49. COOPER’S POV
It is Dr. Lawrence Jacoby. He inhales deeply, stares down at Laura’s grave. He holds a bouquet of flowers in his free hand.
The grave marker in the wide-angle shot of Jacoby is the same one that Cooper was just standing in front of in the previous shot. A publicity shot from The Mauve Zone offers a better look at the name – Dorothy (1910-1956) or Robert (1907-1959) Finlason. No one with those names are buried at Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery.
Jacoby opens his overcoat to reveal a bouquet of flowers.
There is a distinctive headstone just to the left of the Finlason one – Sarah Frances Lampson who died on January 4, 1894. You can sort of make out the word “Frances” in the shot.
The headstone in the foreground is most likely something created by the prop department.
You can see the same one in this shot from Laura’s funeral.
Here is a look at the location from my visit in October 2020. I probably needed to be positioned back a little further. I don’t recall seeing the tree in the foreground of the scene, so most likely it’s no longer in the cemetery.
In the broadcast version, they cut back to Cooper standing in front of the same headstone with cross as before. Magic!
I DIDN’T SEE YOU
The camera cuts to a medium shot of Jacoby holding flowers.
A similar look from my visit in fall 2020.
The script continues:
50. EXT. BLACK LAKE CEMETERY – NIGHT
Jacoby sets the flowers by the headstone. Cooper steps into view, speaks gently.
COOPER
Dr. Jacoby?
(silence)
I didn’t see you at the funeral.
I think I need to identify that musical note / piano key-themed scarf one day.
I’M A TERRIBLE PERSON
These are the trees behind Agent Cooper as he listens to Jacoby.
A long beat. Jacoby finally turns to Cooper, seems to notice him for the first time. Then, eyes bright with tears, he whispers:
JACOBY
I’m a terrible person, Agent Cooper. I pretend that I’m not. But I am.
Cooper says nothing. He’ll let the man talk.
The rest of the scripted dialog has some minor changes compared to how it appears on screen. There is one small tidbit that’s a nod to the pilot and I think was edited out based on Cooper’s reaction shot
JACOBY
I listen to their problems all day. I give them advice, solutions that are supposed to “improve” their lives. These people think of me as a friend.
(beat)
But the truth is, I … I don’t really care. When I’m not working I wear ear plugs so I don’t have to hear them talk. Nothing … ever … touches me.
I literally never got the ear plug joke from the pilot episode until writing this article. Bravo!
(beat)
Except for Laura.
(beat)
I couldn’t come today. I just couldn’t.
(a whisper)
I hope she’ll understand …
HOLD ON them for a beat. Jacoby’s sad tears in the dark.
Perhaps they chose not to show Jacoby crying since that was something we had already seen in episode 1001.
