The character The Log Lady became an endearing figure within "Twin Peaks," but Catherine Coulson transcended this role significantly. A true crowd-pleaser, she took the time to interact with devoted fans of the show and contributed to maintaining its mythology. Additionally, Coulson had a long-standing career as an actress at Ashland’s Oregon Shakespeare Festival and served as a camera assistant for notable directors such as David Lynch, John Cassavetes, and Albert Brooks.
Coulson made "everyone who was close to her feel like they were her best friend," says Richard Green, director of "I Know Catherine, The Log Lady," a feature-length documentary that screens at Ojai's Playhouse Theatre Saturday with a Q&A from "Twin Peaks" co-creator Mark Frost.
Many of those friends played roles in producing the documentary, which concludes with the intense narrative of Coulson’s final days. As Lynch and her team hurriedly worked against the swift advancement of Coulson's lung cancer, they scrambled to feature her in the Showtime revival “Twin Peaks: The Return.”
Coulson
died in 2015
Just four days following a short appearance of The Log Lady filmed at her residence in Oregon, assisted by a nearby production firm and David Lynch guiding via Skype from a distance. This moment serves as a poignant finale for the documentary, capturing scenes where acquaintances and kinfolk congregate at her abode to bid farewell. Simultaneously, Lynch’s Los Angeles-based producer endeavors to determine if Coulson is fit enough to travel to the filming location in Washington using a medical evacuation flight.
However, initially, we get an captivating glimpse into the life of a multifaceted woman raised in the pristine era of the 1950s, where her father was involved in public relations for Disney. When the counterculture started blooming, Coulson transformed herself into a bohemian theater artist during the tumultuous years of 1960s San Francisco. Relocating to Hollywood led her to share living quarters with Lynch and actor Jack Nance from “Eraserhead,” eventually becoming his wife. In addition, she made significant contributions to "Eraserhead” as both an assistant cameraperson and Lynch’s aide. It was then that Coulson and Lynch first brainstormed ideas for what would become known as the Log Lady character.
Although it was far from her only accomplishment, her role as Margaret, the mysterious Log Lady - who was given to intoning deadpan gems like "The answers to all our questions are in the wind and the trees, the rocks and the water" - made her into an iconic figure for legions of Lynch fans.
Green, known for his role as The Magician in Lynch’s "Mulholland Drive," conducted over 65 interviews for the documentary throughout the last seven years. Some of these discussions took place in the very Beachwood Canyon flat where he initially encountered both Coulson and Lynch.
Over twenty years since "Mulholland Drive," Green expressed excitement about collaborating once more with Lynch, who happily recounted stories of his long-time colleague and partner Coulson. "Lynch is the ultimate supporter—ask any performer. His presence and encouragement are unparalleled," notes Green. "In return for this movie, all I did was listen."
"The interview with David was just an hour and a half of joy," Green recalls of the shoot that was likely Lynch's last screen appearance. "He's one of the greatest storytellers that ever lived."
Other "Twin Peaks" figures who contribute their memories of Coulson in the doc include Frost, Kyle MacLachlan, Dana Ashbrook, Grace Zabriskie, Michael Horse and Kimmy Robertson.
Green became intrigued with the idea of producing a documentary about Coulson when she learned about the details surrounding her final appearance in "Twin Peaks: The Return." This information was shared with her by Coulson’s close acquaintance and executive producer, Donna DuBain. “It struck me as such an incredible tale—someone who managed to return for this part one last time only to pass away mere days afterward,” remarks Green.
"Nobody really knew the whole story. That what the NDA was for," he says. "Donna told me about this $6 million NDA that all of them had signed when they got there. The penalty would be $6 million if they told anybody about what happened."
When it came time to film the doc's climactic final scene, including footage from the shoot of "Twin Peaks: The Return," Green says his main goal was to "get out of the way" and let the intimate conversations unfurl with no musical background.
Like Lynch, Coulson was an enthusiastic practitioner of transcendental meditation, which Green was also persuaded to try. "I actually thought it sounded pretty culty," Green remembers. But during a stressful period in his life, he says, "I thought, ‘If I do TM training I'll understand Catherine and David a little better and maybe it'll help me.'"
Green says it was Coulson who was first promoted the spirit of camaraderie among Lynch's casts and crews that persisted throughout his career. "David developed a sense of community and spirit and cooperation and positive energy on a set - I think that's largely influenced by Catherine."
The director also reveals that the Log Lady's original log has been recovered and is on its way to a museum, while Coulson's iconic red glasses will be on display at some of the screenings.
After Ojai, the doc will travel to Ashland, Portland, Los Angeles and other cities, and will also be available to stream
on the film's website
starting May 21.
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