Video

Watch Angelo Badalamenti explain how he wrote Laura Palmer’s Theme

Words by Jack Godwin

Circular black and white eye icon with radiating lines.
Circular black and white eye icon with radiating lines.
The composer reveals the inspiration behind his iconic Twin Peaks score.

Angelo Badalamenti has been writing scores for film and television for over 40 years, initially composing under the pseudonym Andy Badale before earning his first major credit on David Lynch’s Blue Velvet in 1986.

Today he is best known for his long-term collaboration with Lynch, having worked on all but one of the director’s post-Blue Velvet features. Yet Twin Peaks is by far Badalamenti’s most celebrated and iconic score, a masterful arrangement that became a central element of the show’s distinctive atmosphere and surreal melodrama.

This clip, from the 2007 Twin Peaks documentary Secrets From Another Place, sees the legendary composer demonstrating how he and Lynch conceived ‘Laura Palmer’s Theme’, the most instantly recognisable and frequently recurring motif from the soundtrack. The video essentially breaks down the tone and meaning communicated by the song, reminding us why it’s so heartbreaking in the first place.

After being absent on Lynch’s previous film, Inland Empire, Badalamenti has returned to the world of Twin Peaks for the show’s eagerly anticipated third season, which premieres on 21 May.

Two illustrated book covers depicting a smiling Black man wearing a hat and tie, with a city skyline in the background

You might like

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.