Steven Spielberg? I've heard about you.
It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Twin Peaks, the classic ABC series created and executive produced by David Lynch and Mark Frost. Hell, this blog is named after one of my favorite lines from the series, so imagine my surprise when I read that legendary film director Steven Spielberg almost directed an episode.
In an interview with Brad D Studios, Twin Peaks producer and writer Harley Peyton reveals that Spielberg almost directed the second season premiere (Episode 8, also known as "May the Giant Be with You"). Here's what Peyton said during the interview:
"After the first season a lot of crazy things happened, like me and Mark [Frost] sitting at Steven Spielberg’s house convincing him to do the opener for the second season. That was all ready to go.
"This is a long story, but my first wife is and was Kate Capshaw’s best friend so I knew Steven pretty well and he was a huge fan of the show – watched it every week, I mean a huge fan. Because we were friendly we talked about it a lot and he said to me in passing how fun it would be to direct an episode so I went to Mark over the summer and said, 'This probably is not a bad way to kick off the second season, right?' So we sat down with him and had this very long meeting about the second season and Steven just said “I want it to be as weird as possible, it’ll be so much fun” so whether or not he would have even done it – we’ll never really know, but when Mark told David he didn’t even hesitate saying, “No, no, I think I’ll direct the first one. Maybe he can direct later in the season” – which he obviously didn’t."
Personally, I'm glad that Lynch directed the episode instead of Spielberg. I know the Old Waiter delivering milk to FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, who is lying on the floor of Room 315 at The Great Northern with a gunshot wound, is annoying and frustrating as hell, but there are other moments in the episode that only Lynch could deliver so well. The Giant's first appearance, Ed's revelation of Nadine's eye patch, Leland with white hair, Andy's being whacked by a plank, and of course, Ronette Pulaski waking up from her coma with glimpses of the night that Laura Palmer died.
Now Episode 17, "Dispute Between Brothers," that's the episode that definitely could've used Spielberg instead...