Why Tarantino Will Never Watch David Lynch Films Again: "I Used to Love Him"

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Tarantino often speaks out about cinema. In the '90s, he went after the cult director who created "Twin Peaks." Why? Here's the story...

In an interview with LA Weekly (first published in 1992), Quentin confessed he didn't want to watch David Lynch films anymore. Ever. Even though he once loved him deeply.

I don't pick on other people. But after I saw Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me at Cannes, David Lynch has disappeared so far up his own ass that I have no desire to see another David Lynch movie until I hear something different. And you know, I loved him. I loved him, Tarantino said.
Director Quentin Tarantino in a black jacket and director David Lynch in a brown jacket
Quentin Tarantino and David Lynch
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But what was it about this film that even couldn't stomach?

What the film's about

This movie isn't a sequel to the series — it's a prequel. The story follows the final days of Laura Palmer's life, the very schoolgirl whose murder kicks off the entire Twin Peaks saga.

Lynch shows how her world slowly crumbles: family, friends, inner peace. Laura, played by Sheryl Lee, is no longer the bright angel but a fragile, broken, and lost girl.
Actress Sheryl Lee smiles in blue light next to a street with a wooden sign reading Twin Peaks
Scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
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It all starts with investigating another murder — Teresa Banks, led by FBI agents played by Chris Isaak and Kiefer Sutherland. Then one of them disappears, and we dive headfirst into Twin Peaks.

The film, as Tarantino mentioned, screened at Cannes. That was in '92. According to Wikipedia, audiences had mixed reactions to the picture.

Lynch himself said that Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me was booed after its screening, while American press criticized it for its explicit and vivid portrayal of parental violence, absence of beloved characters, and surrealistic style.

What Critics Say

Opinions are split. Big time. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film scores 65% from critics and 78% from audiences, while on IMDb it gets 7.3 out of 10.

Critics fall into two camps. Some are convinced it's Lynch's masterpiece. Others think the film died before the first line was even delivered.

"The film seems endless, even though we know the ending in advance," — Chicago Tribune for RT.

"A prequel to David Lynch's cult TV series, in which the famous director appears in an uncharacteristically depressed state," — TV Guide for RT.

"For those willing to go the full distance with Lynch, the trip to Twin Peaks is worth it," — Orlando Sentinel for RT.

What Do Audiences Think?

Here's where it gets even more interesting. There are those who couldn't finish it — too heavy, too dark, too strange. And there are those who consider the film a cult classic.
Two male police officers in black and beige coats holding police badges in their hands
Still from the film "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me"
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One viewer on Rotten Tomatoes confessed to watching it 20 times, another said "Fire Walk with Me" became his guiding star in film school. Sheryl Lee, according to many, delivered one of the strongest performances of her career.

Many acknowledge: this is a film of pain. It's cinema that doesn't explain — it only makes things worse. But if you recognize something of yourself in this hell, it stays with you forever.

Why did Tarantino turn away from Lynch? Maybe because he expected something different. Answers, logic, a coherent plot. But let me remind everyone: Lynch isn't about clarity. It's about intuition, fear, and mysteries that are better left as mysteries.

And if you're ready for a film that disturbs, torments, and doesn't explain — give it a try. Just don't forget to turn off the lights. And make sure you really want to know what was happening to Laura Palmer before that fateful day. Earlier on zoomboola.com, we wrote about the film that Quentin Tarantino called his worst. But I love it.