Kyle MacLachlan picks Dale Cooper’s favourite movies
David Lynch’s Twin Peaks is one of the most unique television shows ever made, known for its blend of murder mystery, bizarre cast of ensemble characters and offbeat humour.
Set in the town of Twin Peaks, which looks quaint at first glance, the show sees FBI Agent Dale Cooper arrive to investigate the murder of the homecoming queen, Laura Palmer.
As the series progresses, viewers are sucked into a surreal world of crime as chilling secrets surrounding Laura’s death start to reveal themselves. In typical Lynchian fashion, the series fully gives itself over to uncanniness, with extra-dimensional places, such as the Red Room, containing characters who speak backwards.
Kyle MacLachlan’s portrayal of Cooper is one of the best things about the series. The investigator is an odd yet loveable figure obsessed with finding a “damn fine cup of coffee.” He involves himself in all sorts of happenings, eventually getting trapped in the Black Lodge and replaced by an evil doppelganger.
Despite the fact that MacLachlan hasn’t portrayed Cooper since 2017, he is still keeping his legacy alive – after all, he is perhaps the most iconic character he’s ever played. Taking to Letterboxd, the actor recently made a list of movies he believes would be Cooper’s favourites.
While it’s hard to imagine Cooper finding much time to watch movies during his stay in Twin Peaks, and it’s doubtful there was much chance for him to do so in the Black Lodge, either – MacLachlan’s list offers a further glimpse into Cooper’s mind.
Starting with two meta picks, MacLachlan selected Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and another Lynch film, Blue Velvet, in which he also featured. Another nod to Twin Peaks comes in the form of Laura by Otto Preminger, which was a source of inspiration for the series. In the film, a police detective falls in love with the murdered woman he is investigating, called Laura.
In keeping with the murder mystery theme, MacLachlan chose Anatomy of a Murder, also by Preminger, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Another classic, Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity, makes it onto the list, too, which falls into the crime genre.
Dario Argento’s arthouse horror, Suspiria, would also be one of Cooper’s favourites, according to the actor, alongside Ingmar Bergman’s groundbreaking drama, Persona.
The list also features two comedies, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz’s Waitress! and Hal Ashby’s Being There – fitting, since Cooper is known for his humorous quips.
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