Twin Peaks Publicity – Milford Wedding Reception by Paula K. Shimatsu-u

In episode 2.011 of Twin Peaks, Lana Budding and Dougie Milford tie the knot during a small ceremony held at The Great Northern Hotel. The newlyweds then held a reception complete with dancing and cake. When filming took place in late October 1990, Unit Publicist Paula K. Shimatsu-u was on hand to capture some shots of Catherine Coulson, Jack Nance and John Boylan.

MILFORD WEDDING RECEPTION IN “TWIN PEAKS” EPISODE 2.011

Barry Gifford wrote episode 2.011 of Twin Peaks. The first draft of the script was distributed to department heads on October 11, 1990. The rest of the cast and crew received the script on blue pages on October 18, 1990. Additional revisions were printed on pink pages on October 23, 1990.

The wedding reception scene is a rather interesting one to watch since the Log Lady is not mentioned in the script. Additionally, editor Jonathan P. Shaw assembled the scene so that the Log Lady magically appears in the background of scenes before she is shown arriving to a particular scene. This could mean either extra footage was captured or Shaw realized he needed additional shots to fill out the scene.

After Special Agent Dale Cooper arrives in the bar to meet Agent Denise Bryson, there is a short scene with the Log Lady sitting down at a table with Pete Martell and Mayor Dewayne Milford. The script says the following:

22. PETE MARTELL AND DWAYNE MILFORD
Seated a small table along the way, Pete and Dwayne sit over a couple drinks, watching
Dougie cuddle with his bride over the cutting of the wedding cake.

As the Log Lady sits down, she said, “I just love Milford weddings.”

The three of them are seen in this behind-the-scenes shot between takes. It’s like a mini-reunion for Eraserhead.

The scene then cuts to Lana and Dougie enjoying their wedding cake. Somehow, the Log Lady is seen standing nearby.

There is another behind the scenes image of the Log Lady and the Log with Reverend Clarence Brocklehurst in the background. She is standing next to Deputy Hawk.

You can see Hawk and the Reverend standing near each other in this shot of Lana and Dougie dancing with other couples at the reception.

The scene cuts back to Pete and Mayor Milford at the table. There is an unidentified extra wearing a blue dress who has joined the table. Notice how she is missing when the Log Lady sat down earlier in the scene.

Most likely, the lady in the blue dress is the same one who sat next to Mayor Milford during the wedding ceremony earlier in the episode.

There is extra dialogue in this scene not seen during the broadcast.

DWAYNE
She started by taking one of Dougie’s college classes. Ethics in Modern Journalism.
Two things I guarantee you that little bird knows nothing about.
Three weeks later she’s landed a job writing for the Gazette.

[Ed. note – On screen dialogue starts here]

Dougie’s always been a sucker. A woman walks by with play in her eyes
and jello in her walk, and he’s a trout on a hook.

The scene cuts to a close up of Pete Martell reacting to Mayor Milford’s story. Somehow, the Log Lady is seen seated behind Pete enjoying a slice of wedding cake.

But then the Log Lady is seen standing next to Lana and Dougie as they share a kiss.

After a brief exchange between Dale Cooper, Sheriff Truman and Denise Bryson, the action cuts back to the Mayor and Pete. More missing dialog is found in the script. Revisions were made to these pages on October 23, so it could have been very last minute changes to the scene before filming.

PETE
We all kinda’ live in that glass house, don’t you think, Dwayne?

[Ed. note – On-screen dialog starts here]

DWAYNE
I was married to the same woman for half a century, god rest her soul. That’s because I think with my brain, not my garden hose –

Suddenly, the Log Lady appears holding a plate with a slice of wedding cake and proclaims, “This cake is delicious!”

The Log Lady takes a seat behind Pete and continues eating the cake. Clearly Jonathan Shaw the editor needed a reaction shot from Pete for this particular moment. It’s taken me more than three decades to notice this continuity error, which is why I love this show so much. The mysteries are neverending!

Pete continues with dialogue as the shot cuts back to the table, now with the Log Lady seen in the distance.

PETE
(trying to be positive)
Music turned out pretty good.

DWAYNE
Oughta’ be a death march.

There is one more image Paula captured of the Log Lady looking through her decorative handbag while the Log rests on a counter. I’m guessing there was some additional action or maybe dialogue possibly filmed that is now lost to time.

WHO IS PAULA K. SHIMATSU-U?

According to her defunct website, Paula is a a third generation native of Los Angeles, California who worked from an early age in film, television and on the stage with Cary Grant, Anne Bancroft, Ricardo Montalbán, Florence Henderson, Elvis Presley and many other legendary Hollywood stars.

She was informed about an assistant role to Mark Frost by a friend from UC Berkeley, Tony Krantz. He introduced Mark to David Lynch while working at Creative Artists Agency. After they decided to collaborate on a script for a television pilot with the working title, “Northwest Passage” Paula assisted Mark and David with research for the pilot script and the formation of Lynch-Frost Productions. During the first season, she was credited as “Assistant to Mark Frost.”

By the second season, she was credited as “Unit Publicist.” Her duties included building creative assets used to promote Twin Peaks including photography and other press materials. She told Wired’s Brendan Seibel on August 6, 2010 that she got the gig despite a lack of photographic experience.

“I still don’t know what an f-stop is. I relied on my automatic camera, and for shooting in low light levels with no flash allowed, I think I got some pretty superb images.”

Thank you Paula for capturing these behind-the-scenes moments from episode 2.011.