Leading up to the UK release of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me on November 20, 1992, the Daily Mirror Xtra ran a contest for readers to win a trip to the real Twin Peaks of Snoqualmie Valley, Washington. They also were giving away tickets to a special advanced screening of David Lynch’s masterpiece being held on November 17. Here’s a look back at that contest along with details about thousands of free tickets they gave away for the film.
DAILY MIRROR CONTEST FOR TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME
On Tuesday, November 12, the Daily Mirror Xtra announced a contest for readers to win a trip to the real Twin Peaks. The cover included that iconic key art along with a publicity image of Laura Palmer loading Meals on Wheels items into the Double R Diner vehicle.
Here is the Red Diamond City Motel room image of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee).
This is an uncropped image of Laura Palmer loading the Double R Diner vehicle. In this shot, you can see the yellow “Home of TWIN PEAKS PIES” sign on the Mar-T Cafe exterior in North Bend, Washington. The cafe added the sign following the show’s release in 1990. Reports at the time stated they would run out of cherry pie nearly every day.
In the theatrical release, Laura Palmer’s head covers the sign (we only see the “S’ in “Twin Peaks”).
In The Missing Pieces, we get a better show of the Double D Diner exterior and the company vehicle.
The yellow sign was still on the building when I visited in August 1996.
DETAILS OF THE DAILY MIRROR XTRA CONTEST FOR TWIN PEAKS
Guild Films, the company who distributed the Lynch’s film to UK audiences, teamed up with the Mirror Xtra to give away thousands of tickets to an advanced screening of David Lynch’s film on Tuesday, November 17.
They had 125 pairs of tickets for the 7:00 p.m. screenings at three cinemas – Cannon’s Gate Cinema, Cannon Haymarket and Warner Basingstoke.
Located at 87 Notting Hill Gate, London, W11 3JZ, the Gate Cinema building was constructed around 1861 as a dining room. It later served as the Golden Bells Hotel, with the upstairs operating as a brothel. The ground floor room became the Golden Bells Coffee Palace and Restaurant. William Hancock eventually converted the first floor into a cinema, opening in April 1911 as the 450-seat Electric Palace. A string of owners followed in subsequent decades.
By 1934, seating was reduced to 314 when it became the Embassy News and Interest Theatre. Capitol & Provincial News Theatres Ltd. took over in 1944 and re-named the place Embassy Cinema. It was re-named again in 1957 to Classic Cinema, which was a popular revival house. The chain closed in September 1974. It then became the Gate Cinema, operated by an independent operator Cinegate. It was closed in 1985, but re-opened in 1986. The cinema still exists today as an art house cinema.
Cannon’s Haymarket Cinema, located at 63-65 Haymarket, originally opened as The Carlton Theatre on April 27, 1927 with a musical play “Lady Luck” starring Leslie Henson which ran for 324 performances. It was wired for sound in 1929 with the first regular film to be screened was Chester Morris in The Perfect Alibi. Paramount Pictures Inc. took over the Carlton Theatre fully in 1930. By 1954, 20th Century-Fox used the theatre for their CinemaScope productions, opening with the UK premiere of Beneath the 12-Mile Reef starring Gilbert Roland & Robert Wagner.
According to CinemaTreasures.org, countless other premieres took place at this theatre in the years that followed. The Classic Cinema chain once ran the place, splitting screens into smaller venues. On December 6, 1985, Cannon assumed ownership until March 1992 when MGM took over. It’s still a cinema today following some debate about demolishing the building.
Newest of the trio, the Warner Basingstoke Cinema (known today as Odeon Basingstoke), was located at Churchill Way West, Basingstoke, RG22 6PG. The 10-screen multiplex Warner cinema opened on September 21, 1990 in the Basingstoke Leisure Park on Churchill Way West. It was later re-named Vue Cinema. An article in the Slough Observer from September 2022 stated the cinema was sold off.
The article stated the new film would feature “Kyle MacLachlan as Agent Cooper and Sheryl Lee as Laura Palmer with a guest appearance by David Bowie.” This could explain the marketing campaign for the film as the print ads contained images of both Cooper and Laura.
This is different from the print ads for North America which only featured Laura Palmer in half of a heart necklace on fire. Clearly UK audiences identified more with MacLachlan’s character, though I’m sure they were surprised to find he’s hardly in the film. Bowie’s call out makes sense since he was born in Brixton near London.
TRIP TO THE REAL TWIN PEAKS
In addition to the tickets, Mirror Xtra partners with Gateway America for a seven-day “holiday” to Seattle, Washington, home of the “real” Twin Peaks. One contest winner and partner will stay at The Mayflower Hotel.
Built in 1927 by local owners, the Bergonian was one of Seattle’s finest hotels. Today, it’s known as the Mayflower Park Hotel, located at 405 Olive Way in downtown Seattle.
It’s interesting that the winner didn’t stay at The Salish Lodge. No indication as to why they chose the Mayflower, other than Gateway America may have had an established agreement with the hotel.
To enter this contest, folks had to send a postcard with the answer to the following questions: “What character does Kyle MacLachlan play in Twin Peaks?” That’s a tough one.
Sadly I’ve not found any photos from fans who attended any of the screenings. I’m still researching who won the contest and will update if found.
If you were there on November 17, 1992, I’d love to hear your story. Please share in the comments below or send an email to TheTwinPeaksBlog@gmail.com.
