I recently explored scenes in Twin Peaks that used the gazebo in Easter Park. This time, I’m taking a look at Easter Park and Black Lake. According to the “Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town,” Easter Park doesn’t exist. It’s called Upper Twin Park and Lower Twin Park. Black Lake is further north along Highway 21. For the series, all of these location were combined. In reality, the park and lake are located at Malibou Lake Mountain Club in Agoura Hills, California.
The circled areas on this aerial view of Google Maps show where some of the action took place along Lake Vista Drive. The park and lake were used as a setting in Episodes 1005, 2006, and 2019.
Episode 1005
The first time we see the park and lake is in Episode 1005 when Donna Hayward meets James Hurley at the gazebo. The camera follows her as she crosses the lawn. In the background, there is a dock which will appear later in the series along with a fisherman in a boat. I wonder who that person was – an extra or someone part of the crew?
This is the location as seen in 2015 on Bing Maps. Sadly the white dock is gone but several of the trees remain.
At the end of the scene, James and Donna look out toward Black Lake. An establishing shot shows a tranquil setting with trees bathed in gold, red and yellow. Most likely the shot was captured from a dock looking onto the lake. I found a similar shot from the bridge along Lake Vista Drive.
Episode 2006
We return to Easter Park and Black Lake in Episode 2006. Maddy Ferguson sits on a dock waiting for James. This dock has also been replaced since the episode was shot in the early 1990s.
James arrives which means he basically drove through the park to get to the dock. Notice the fisherman in the boat is still fishing in the same spot as Episode 1005.
Maddy and James sit on the dock and look at Black Lake. The gazebo can be seen just over James’ shoulder.
The background lighting changes several times throughout this scene. At one point, the gazebo is lit with the setting sun. They probably had an afternoon of several takes including multiple close ups.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes images from Episode 2006 which shows James and Maddy without their jackets.
Maddy departs after saying goodbye to James.
In the background you can see a giant tree on a hill which is in front of a home on Lake Vista Drive. The white fence also begins to slope which is circled in red.
Maddy is shown leaving the dock and James is left to look at the fisherman on Black Lake. I hope he caught something by now.
Episode 2019
Special Agent Dale Cooper and Annie Blackburn take an afternoon excursion on Black Lake in Episode 2019.
This image from Google Maps shows the approximate location of their boat.
There is a series of close up shots of Annie and Cooper. While researching this article, I realized something unique about the shots. Look at the red circled areas and compare them with the image below from Google Maps.
The tree closest to the corner of the island appears to match in both closeups. This means the crew basically reversed the boat to shoot the individual takes. Judging by how steady the boat scenes appear, I’m guessing the camera was mounted on the dock with the boat firmly tied up.
Cooper then examines Annie’s wrists for clues to her past.
I love these close up shots of Annie and Cooper – they really do appear to be falling in love.
And then the kiss!!
The kiss scene fades to a wide angle of shot of them kissing while on the lake. You can see homes on the distant shore which appear to match the homes in the Google Maps image. The crew definitely used a long lens for this shot.
Annie and Dale disembark from their boat on the same dock that Donna passes in Episode 1005. Notice the giant tree in the foreground is still found in the same spot by the updated dock.
The scene ends with Annie and Cooper walking across the lawn while Windom Earle dressed as a fisherman watches from afar. The two lovebirds stop at the gazebo and share a kiss.
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