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“THE EVIL THAT MEN DO:” GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN TWIN PEAKS By MATT STERN A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2019 © 2019 Matt Stern To my wonderful parents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge and thank my thesis committee: Dr. Tace Hedrick, Dr. Maddy Coy, and Dr. Jillian Hernandez. This thesis is possible thanks to their advice, encouragement, and support. I would also like to thank our Center chair, Dr. Bonnie Moradi, and our graduate coordinator, Dr. Kendal Broad, for the work they do that makes our work possible. I am so thankful to have been able to work with such brilliant scholars throughout my master’s education here at the University of Florida. I also thank my brother Mike for introducing me to Twin Peaks several years ago. This thesis would never have happened without his encouragement to come to Florida for school in the first place. I would also like to, again, thank my parents; I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for their support, patience, and wisdom. In addition, I want to thank my best friends from back home in New York and all the new friends I made here in Florida for the support they’ve given me throughout this last year and a half. Lastly, I want to thank my partner Nick for being so helpful and supportive throughout the writing process. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................. 6 ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................... 7 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 8 Why Twin Peaks? ....................................................................................................... 10 The Necessity of Feminist Intervention ...................................................................... 13 Definitions of Violence and Gender-Based Violence ................................................. 18 2 TWIN PEAKS, EVIL GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, AND EMPATHY ..................... 22 Gender-Based Violence as “Evil” ............................................................................... 25 The Function of Violence in Twin Peaks .................................................................... 31 3 ANALYSES: ON-SCREEN VIOLENCE AND HEGEMONIC IDENTITY POLITICS .................................................................................................................... 46 Analysis of On-Screen Gendered Violence ............................................................... 47 Analysis of Twin Peaks’ Racial Politics ...................................................................... 57 4 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................ 67 LIST OF REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 70 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ................................................................................................ 72 5 LIST OF FIGURES Figure page 2-1. Laura Palmer’s corpse, unwrapped. ...................................................................... 44 2-2. Sarah Palmer shouts and cries. ............................................................................. 45 3-1. Laura Palmer gazes into the camera as BOB/Leland murders her. ..................... 66 6 Abstract of Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts “THE EVIL THAT MEN DO:” GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN TWIN PEAKS By Matt Stern May 2019 Chair: Tace Hedrick Major: Women’s Studies This thesis is an exploration of the meanings of gender, violence, and power in David Lynch and Mark Frost’s cult classic television/film series Twin Peaks. Through an alternative reading of the series’ narrative and imagery, an analysis of representations of gender-based violence in key scenes of Twin Peaks, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, and Twin Peaks: The Return is presented. The first body chapter reveals how Lynch and Frost attempt to foster both an empathy and a deep unease in the viewer through scenes that construct gender-based violence as a literal “evil” that is enmeshed in “good” American society and that undergirds fantasies of the American dream. The analysis in the second body chapter illuminates that at times these graphic images of gendered violence contradict and undermine that construction through a seeming incapability on the part of the filmmakers to disinvest from hegemonic notions of masculinity, femininity, and whiteness. Using this analysis, the concluding chapter briefly explores how hegemony privileges the visions of white male filmmakers and suggests that new possibilities for representing both women and gender-based violence could come from a cultural shift that gives access to creating popular media to filmmakers of marginalized identities. 7 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION On April 8, 1990, David Lynch and Mark Frost’s cult-classic television series Twin Peaks premiered on ABC and forever changed the landscape of modern TV. Blending elements of the soap opera, crime drama, and supernatural thriller – all wrapped up in a neo-noir style – Twin Peaks captivated audiences with its central question: “Who killed Laura Palmer?” After solving this question midway through the second season, the show suffered a ratings decline and was cancelled, with the series finale airing on June 10, 1991. Despite its short run, Twin Peaks is remembered for challenging television conventions with its unusual narrative and visuals, strange cast of characters, and – of particular interest to us here – treatment of graphic, sometimes sexualized violence, toward women. A prequel film written by Lynch and collaborator Robert Engels, and directed by Lynch, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, premiered on August 28, 1992 – a little more than one year after the series ended. The film focuses primarily on Laura Palmer’s (Sheryl Lee) last week alive and the tragic circumstances leading to her death. A dark film, Fire Walk with Me mixes horror, psychological thriller, and neo-noir elements to depict Laura’s sexual and psychological abuse by her father, Leland Palmer (Ray Wise), who has been possessed by the otherworldly evil entity named BOB. Critical reception to Fire Walk with Me was mostly negative; audiences were disappointed with the film’s dark tone, obscure themes, and lack of answers to the show’s cliffhanger ending. Over the years, however, the film has garnered more positive reception, especially with the resurgence of Twin Peaks’ popularity (perhaps due to its availability 8 over streaming services such as Netflix) that is evidenced by the plethora of Twin Peaks blogs and discussion boards on Internet platforms such as Tumblr and Reddit. Thanks to its surviving popularity, on October 6, 2014, the cable television network Showtime announced that a third season of Twin Peaks, written by Lynch and Frost and directed by Lynch, was in the works. This third season, Twin Peaks: The Return, premiered on May 21, 2017 and – once again – proved to audiences through its 18-episode run that even 25 years later, Twin Peaks still has the potential to challenge notions of what a television show can look like. Like Fire Walk with Me, the new series employs psychological thriller elements and neo-noir style, but unlike the film it is slow paced and intentionally dream-like. Through scenes of heightened tension, profound surrealism, and new images of graphic gendered violence, Twin Peaks: The Return aims to unsettle audiences and spark productive conversations about the politics of gender, whiteness, masculinity, and violence. This thesis will offer an alternative reading of Twin Peaks, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, and Twin Peaks: The Return based on empathy. My alternative reading is articulated through an analysis of the series’ representations of gender-based violence in key scenes and through scenes in which characters react to situations of gendered violence. In Chapter 2, I will discuss how Lynch and Frost attempt to foster both an empathy and a deep unease in the viewer through scenes that construct gender-based violence as a literal “evil” that is enmeshed in “good” American society and that undergirds fantasies of the American dream. In Chapter 3, however, I will illuminate that at times graphic images of gendered violence contradict and undermine that 9 construction through a seeming incapability on the part of the filmmakers to disinvest from hegemonic notions of masculinity, femininity, and whiteness. Why Twin Peaks? In the early 1990s, Twin Peaks challenged television norms through its unique presentation. For example, the series’ heavy reliance on film conventions such as dramatic sound and long, tense tracking shots was entirely new for television in 1990. By combining genre conventions of soap operas and crime dramas, Twin Peaks achieved a tone that was simultaneously dreamy and neo noir. Twin Peaks: The Return also challenged television norms through its implementation of a non-linear narrative and its use of disturbing imagery. Through implementing intriguing twists