In 1993 weirdness was the order of the day; David Lynch had scored a phenomenal blockbuster in the shape of Twin Peaks. Now another highly acclaimed Director wanted a piece of the action. Wild Palms is the creation of Oliver Stone who bought us Platoon, JFK, and Wall Street. Wild Palms is set in the near future and like Twin Peaks it has a star studded cast.

This Region 1 DVD features all five episodes of this classic series.

1- Everything Must Go

Harry Wyckoff is a struggling patent attorney trying to make an acceptable living for his family in Los Angeles in 2007. When an old flame from his past turns up in the form of Paige Katz, a new world opens to him. Paige tells Harry that years ago her son was kidnapped by an underground group known as "The Friends". She asks Harry to help her to find her son, reluctantly Harry begins his search. At home the news is not good; Harry's wife Grace has always felt she had been competing with Paige and now she is back on the scene, Grace begins to start drinking.

Harry's son Coty receives news that he has been given an acting lead in a new religious based soap opera called Church Windows, through connections of Grace's mother. Church Windows is due to have a revolutionary format like none ever seen across the world, but this format remains a mystery. When Harry sees Josie (Grace's mother) in a red sports car with Paige he pursues them, only to find himself in a seminar to celebrate a new piece of technology created by media giants Channel 3. To Harry the secret of Church Windows is revealed, with the aid of a new set top box people will not only have actors performing for them in their living rooms, but they can interact with them too. Paige rather surprised to see Harry introduces him to Senator Tony Kreutzer, the owner of Channel 3. He in turn gives Harry a job to promote and secure technology deals with his new hologram technology.

Although the whole change is an idyllic dream for most; things begin to go strangely wrong Harry has dreams of a Rhino in his empty swimming pool, Grace tries to kill herself and his mute daughter Deirdre suddenly says "Everything Must Go!!!" A trip to the beach with Paige leads Harry to a showdown with the man who kidnapped Paige's son, but he is horrified to discover that the kidnapper is his best friend Tommy. Across town a woman in treated to a gang land execution, and her brother has his eyes ripped out by hand.

The future of television has begun!

2 - The Floating Worlds

A visit to a mental institution reveals that Grace's father, whom Harry long believed to be dead, is very much alive. From his hospital bed Eli Levitt leads "The Friends", he meets with Grace to warn her of an impending battle between the forces of good (The Friends) and of evil (The Fathers). He tells Grace that Coty is not her son and that he was switched at birth. "I will come for you all and you Harry Wychoff will save us" Eli preaches from his veranda.

In an attempt to wake Harry to the world that is going on around him, "The Friends" abduct him and take him to world he never knew existed, a secret base beneath his swimming pool.

3 - Rising Sons

Tony Kreutzer sends Harry and Paige to Kyoto to retrieve an item known as the "GO" chip. While there, Harry is abducted and tattooed with a symbol of a palm tree blowing in the wind. He later discovers that the symbol is the sign of "The Fathers". Without any choice in the matter Harry has been accepted into the most evil cult ever created.

In Cyberspace Chickie Levitt, the son of Eli has been spending years romancing someone called Tara. But Chickie is kidnapped by Kreutzer and 50's singing legend Chap Starfall. In an attempt to get Chickie to reveal the location of the "GO" chip they create a monster that eats Tara.

4 - Hungry Ghosts

It's the beginning of the end as Paige's wedding day to Kreutzer has arrived. In an attempt to rid himself of his problems Kreutzer orders the execution of all his enemies. "The Friends" prepare their final assault in bringing down Channel 5 and "The Fathers". They interrupt a live broadcast of Church Windows; In place of the screening they show the murder of a much loved "Friend" at the hands of "the Fathers".

Harry learns the truth about his father.

5 - Hello, I Must Be Going

Coty realises that although he is the leader of "The Fathers" his time may be short lived, so makes a grand statement.

It's revealed that Harry had the "GO" chip all along, and that the person in receipt of the "GO" chip via correct installation will be immortal. Kreutzer wants the "GO" chip so he can live forever, but can he be stopped?

It may appear that I have revealed maybe too much, this is not the case; I have been very careful not to ruin or reveal any major parts of the stories plot.

The Cast

James Belushi
.... Harry Wyckoff

Dana Delany
.... Grace Wyckoff

Robert Loggia
.... Sen. Anton Kreutzer

Kim Cattrall
.... Paige Katz

Angie Dickinson
.... Josie Ito

Ernie Hudson
.... Tommy Lazlo

Bebe Neuwirth
.... Tabba Schwartzkopf

Nick Mancuso
.... Tully Woiwode

Charles Hallahan
.... Gavin Whitehope

Robert Morse
.... Chap Starfall
David Warner
.... Eli Levitt

Ben Savage
.... Coty Wyckoff
Bob Gunton
.... Dr. Tobias Schenkl
Brad Dourif
.... Chickie Levitt
Aaron Michael Metchik
.... Peter
Rondi Reed
.... Eileen Whitehope
Beata Pozniak
.... Tambor
Charles Rocket
.... Stitch
François Chau
.... Hiro

Eugene Lee
.... Lt. Bob Grindrod
William Gibson
.... Himself
Oliver Stone
.... Himself
Danny Kamekona
.... Ushio (uncredited)
Sean Kanan
.... Jacob (uncredited)
Monica Mikala
.... Deirdre Wyckoff (uncredited)

Nicole Nagel
.... Drug Addict (uncredited)

Just to familiarise you with the cast James Belushi is best known for his roles in the movies K9, Curly Sue and Mr Destiny. Dana Dalany for Tombstone, Exit To Eden and Fly Away Home. Robert Loggia who in my eyes is an underappreciated movie legend played Frank Lopez in Scarface, and has also starred in Big, Independence Day, and in The Sopranos. Kim Cattral for years played Samantha Jones in Sex And The City, but her acting roots started with Porkys and Police Academy. Angie Dickenson had practically been a recluse since her role in Dressed To Kill. Ernie Hudson is best remembered for his performance as Solomon from The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. And David Warner has an impressive career of over 200 movies including The Omen, Straw Dogs, The Man With Two Brains and from Twin Peaks, David Warner was runner up to be named as the new Doctor Who when Christopher

Pictures of Wild Palms

Promotional poster

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Ecclestone was selected.

Overview

With the success of Twin Peaks, Producers jumped when they heard of Oliver Stones project. The show was given the highest budget ever in American Television. And it really shows, from glossy locations to beautiful cars no expense was spared here. Even state of the art computer graphic generation was created that had not at the time even been seen in the movies. But unfortunately the show bombed on both sides of the Atlantic. Viewers were expecting to see a similar style to Twin Peaks, what they got was a view of the future which from some angles is not far wrong from where we are now.

One of the biggest problems with Wild Palms was bad communication with the publicists. For something very special was achieved in Wild Palms, and nobody ever knew a thing about it. In the very early 1990's the BBC created a revolutionary form of 3D and presented a special Children In Need weekend packed with 3D shows. In the past 3D on screen had been created by using unusual colouring. But a new method had been devised, this method involved characters remaining stationary while the camera panned a 360 degree circle of them. This made with the assistance of 3D glasses the characters step forward from the background. Oliver Stone invested in this technology with Wild Palms, and a total of 11 scenes were given the 3D treatment but nobody knew a thing about it. Annoyingly when screened in the US, as each scene came up a logo stating "3D" would appear in the corner of the screen.

The story of Wild Palms, is excellent; it's a gripping adventure with so many twists and turns you would get dizzy trying to get to the bottom of them. Each new episode created an alien environment that both you and the cast need to adapt too, this was done in order to put the viewer in the same mindset as the characters.

The soundtrack is something excellent, Oliver Stone turned to Ryuichi Sakamoto to give a far eastern musical theme to the story which has roots in Japan. This he achieved in 13 exclusive tracks of music, but with the exception of one track an operatic piece called Harry In Hospital (which later went on to be used to promote both Saab Cars, and Channel 4); all the scores had something in common. During episode 3 after a much loved cast member is killed, the grieving widow tells Grace of a song that the dead person sang to their children

What it that climbing up my stairs?
It's not a Boar it's not a bear,
And on its head it has a horn,
Could it be a unicorn?
I know it seems preposterous
I believe it's a rhinoceros.

As you listen to Sakamoto's musical accompaniment you realises that these lyrics fit into each an every track (Harry In Hospital Excluded) but each track with the exception of one or two was entirely different.
Stone also used popular tracks from artists of the 50's and 60's The Rolling Stones, Frankie Valli, Lou Christie and The Zombies.

I have such passion for Wild Palms, it really is something quite different that appeals to me on all levels. There was no clock watching, time passed so quickly. I'd advise a viewing of this to anyone.

The DVD

The DVD is only available in a Region 1 format, this means that unless you have a DVD player that will play other countries DVD's this is unlikely to work. However as more and more people have Multi Region players now, its worth investigating. You can still get the old BBC videos of Wild Palms (two separate volumes) from Ebay for around £5 each.

The DVD is available from www.playusa.com for £11.99 or from Amazon for £8.08, Amazon also list both the BBC videos at £3.49 for volume one and £8.10 for volume two.

The DVD contains no special features however is does offer subtitles in both English and French.