Magnolia (1999)

Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson

Cast: Tom Cruise [Frank T.J. Mackey], Philip Seymour Hoffman [Phil Parma], Julianne Moore [Linda Patridge]

On a random day in San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer in love, a boy genius, an ex-boy genius, an ex-boy genius, a game show host and an estranged daughter will each become part of a dazzling multiplicity of plots, but of one story.

My rating: 8/10

---

Narrative aspects

‘Magnolia’ is a film that has its storyline divided into different sections with the obvious weather forecast headings like ‘Light Showers. 99% Humidity. Winds SE 12 MPH.‘, and also the more frequent use of various characters and their lives which switch between each other. This allows the audience to finds breaks within the story and to shift their focus from one idea to the next, keeping them engaged in the film and attentive towards the plot point and perhaps the implicit details as well. Moreover, divisions between ideas are important for a film that is as long as two average length films, to not overwhelm an audience with an abundance of information for just one character. The length of this film is justified by the in-depth use of so many characters and backstories that seem to not connect but then eventually do. All characters relate to each other in some way, acting as parallels to each other, whether biologically or visited by another at a public place. It shows that even in reality, people’s lives can, in fact, overlap and a person may be going through the same situation or emotions as another. Though at the beginning of ‘Magnolia’ the similarity between the characters is unclear. However, an audience would expect that such a combination of characters coming together in the same town would eventually take place, otherwise the director of the film would not show these characters’ stories.

The film is covered in themes exhibiting key ideas that help an audience to sympathise, despise or understand characters and situations better, though also including Biblical allusions that serve as the interpretation of the famous frog scene in the film.

(covered in detail in the ‘favourite scene’ section)

• Relationships – The film depicts different kinds of human interactions like a husband and wife, a presenter and an audience, a father and a son or a nurse and a patient. These relationships allow the audience to observe various angles of probable life and understand the mood and atmosphere created. It is a theme since it is relationships that drive characters to make choices like committing suicide, meeting someone new or facing their fears, and it is this that allows the characters to grow and the story to progress forward.
• Pain – This involves both emotional and physical pain felt by the characters in the film. Every character has their own source of pain like Frank who is living with the emotional pain of his lost parents and Stanley who is pushed by his father to compete and succeed in a trivia game show. Moreover, physical pain is felt by Earl Patridge and Jimmy Gator in the form of their ever-growing cancer, which brings emotional pain to the loved ones around them. The film explores the different situations and reasons for pain and depicts how a certain individual could act and respond to it.
• Impurity – The film depicts characters that are going through a dose of ‘impurity’ like Claudia Gator and her drug intake, Linda Partridge and her adultery and Frank T.J. Mackey and his continuing game of lies revolving around his past. To add on, the other characters also display impurities in relation to their situation and story. In the end, all characters are seen with the struggle and the heavy-weight their guilt and regretful actions have put on them emotionally that they are seen broken down, with the aim of getting some help and being saved from the nightmare their sadly enduring. This drives the story to progress and also adds the suspense and tension which keeps the film engaging since the audience would not know how and if the characters would come out of the situation with success.
• Repentance & forgiveness – Characters look out for the forgiveness by their relatives and acquaintances for the ‘impurities’ they are guilty for throughout the film and in the past of their lives. Characters aim to restore their dignity and improve as people with an inner self-awakening and this drives them towards being committed in the film and pushing the plot forward.

Infer & Deduce: There are many ideas involved in finding a reason for naming the film ‘Magnolia’. The flower comes to mind at first, signifying the life cycle of an animate object which can be seen throughout the film where characters seem to be content at first but then something in their life tears them apart and brings them to their lowest. Flowers, in general, could symbolise blooming juxtaposed to withering. The meaning of Magnolias depends on the colour of the flower as well as the attitude of the person giving and receiving the flowers. White magnolias, in particular, symbolize purity and dignity which in the case of the film is quite ironic since every character is going through a state of impurity, whether it is the use of drugs, the abuse of parents or infidelity, which brings them to their downfall.

According to IMDb.com, ‘Magnolia’ may signify:

• Magnolia Blvd. is a street in the San Fernando Valley where the film takes place.
• Magnolia sounds similar to “Magonia”, a term created by Charles Fort (who wrote about strange phenomena and is referenced in the film’s closing credits) which is an alleged place in the sky where things are kept until they fall from it.
• There is a legend that the bark of the Magnolia tree can cure cancer.

All of the above points do apply to the film’s characters, plot and settings, further re-instating the fact that there is not only one reason for the film to be called ‘Magnolia’ and rather than just like the characters with varying identities, Magnolia’s meaning is subjective and can be applied to all of them.

---

Technical Aspects

Along with the astounding attention to detail in the narrative part of the film, ‘Magnolia’ exhibits an array of camera techniques used to convey certain emotions or plot points throughout the 3-hour time span of it. The ratio of freeze-frames (where the camera is still) to shots where camera movements are involved is significantly low.

• Pan and Tilt movements – These types of movements are used to follow characters in a scene. Panning is used as they walk from the left to the right, or vice-versa, parallel to the camera, moving on a fixed axis point. While titling involves the same concept though is done from top to bottom, or vice-versa, on a fixed axis point. These kinds of camera movements are not as active as dolly movements where the entire camera follows the subject, and allow an audience to observe the scene with more stability. An interesting use of the pan and tilt camera movements is with the Whip-Pan or Swish Pan, where the camera moves very quickly on the pan or tilt axis which causes a blur and can create a seamless continuous transition from one scene to another even if they have been shot at two different times and put together in post-production. In the film, it is used to transition from one character’s story to the other character, and appear to connect both timelines.
• Dolly and Zoon movements – This is a major technique used in various instances in the film to denote a sense of suspense and a rise in tension. The frame goes from a wide shot to a medium or closeup shot very swiftly, creating a fastened pace while emphasising on a certain character or object in a scene. This technique is achieved by using a dolly and physically moving the character towards or further away from the subject, or by using the internal built-in feature, zooming in or out, of the camera. While dolly is used to increase the intimacy between characters and other subjects, zooming in or out gives more of an on-looker sort of feeling, as if the audience is spying on the subject in the frame.
• Framing – The type of shots mostly consist of medium to medium-closeup shots of the subject, especially people, and are at eye level, whether they are standing or sitting. It is rarely done that the angle is higher or lower than that of the normal eye-level of a person. In terms of significance, it allows audiences to view all characters, regardless of what they are going through, how their personality is exhibited and what choices they make, to be assessed and judged as equals to each other. All the people in the film are going through their own subjective experiences and form them as individuals who either grow into greater individuals or succumb to the expectations of reality. What someone goes through, no matter how small or large, does not make them inferior or greater than anyone else. At our core, we are all equal and the perception of the clothes characters where, or where they live alters their status in our eyes.
• Other – Tracking shots that are not necessarily on a dolly (are hand-held, most likely being a Steadicam) are used in one particular scene where Stanley, the young boy visits the TV studio that conducts the trivia show he had been studying for, is being shown around the premises and the camera follows him but then shifts to following the presenter’s wife. The camera does not seem to make a cut and it follows the character like some sort of ever-watching entity, paying attention to all actions made by the character. This effect engages the audience’s attention into following the on-screen characters on their narrative journeys.

---

Favourite Scene

Up to this scene appearing on screen, the film captivated me through its multi-layered character portrayal and development and how the seemingly varied people linked up in some ways. Though once the first frog fell from the sky onto the windshield of Officer Jim Kurring’s police car, I was introduced to a wave of confusion, bewilderment and incapability of holding my laughter in. The rain of frogs was hilarious for me and I felt that it was so random for a film that made perfect sense up to this point. It was after the film ended that I researched the scene’s significance and found that it is quite symbolic.

The film uses a Biblical allusion of the plague of frogs to mirror the modern day situation to history:

(1) And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me. (2) And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs.

Exodus 8:1 & 2

The film refers to the numbers ‘8’ and ‘2’, at times even together, many times in hidden places subliminally. This clearly alludes to Exodus 8:2, a verse that happens to also mention frogs and an abundance of them, just like the film depicts. According to IMDb.com, the places where the numbers appear are as follows:

1. Weather forecast: 82% chance of rain
2. A gambler needs a 2 in blackjack but gets an 8
3. Sydney Barringer’s mother and father’s apartment number is 682
4. Right after Jim Kurring sees Donnie Smith climbing up the building, you can see a flash of a sign on the side of the road that says “Exodus 8:2? (it’s visible again when the frogs fall and hit Kurring’s car)
5. In Marcy’s mugshots, her criminal record number is 82082082082
6. In the bar scene, there is a chalkboard with two teams, the frog and the clouds, the score is 8 to 2
7. A member of the game show crowd holds a placard with Exodus 8:2 written on it
8. Jim says he gets off work at 8:00, and Claudia suggests they meet 2 hours later for a date

These are just a few of the examples where Paul Thomas Anderson uses the cleverness of scriptwriting and set design to really leave clues for the attentive members of the audience to spot and draw the connection to this very confusing frog scene. The verse from Exodus 8:2 refers to the story of Moses and how he was given a mission from God to convince the Pharaoh of Egypt to let the prisoners go so they may worship Him, and if the Pharaoh refuses, God “will plague all [the Pharoah’s] territory with frogs”. In the context of the film, it could refer to the ways in which the characters have drowned themselves in self-doubt and wrong-doings that it is time for them to turn to repent for their mistakes. The “Pharoah” could be a symbolism of the characters’ addictions (drugs), jobs (motivational speaker), relationships (husband and wife) and agendas (winning a competition), and that these people should prioritise and focus on the bigger picture and meaning of life and improve themselves. Though however, the audience sees the characters continue on the same path they started on and become rather worse in their behaviour or emotionally unstable which causes a rain of frogs to “cleanse” out the impurities caused by the ‘naive’ characters.

To add to the peculiarity of this scene, on the 28th of June in 1957 a weather phenomenon took place. Thousands of small fish, frogs and crayfish fell during a rainstorm at Magnolia Terminal near Thomasville, AL. Whether it is a coincidence that the numbers 8 and 2 were part of the date and the location of the incident was named Magnolia Terminal, or an act of a powerful entity on purpose is beyond comprehensible. It is quite interesting to ponder upon, being that this occurrence took place years before the film was produced and released. Paul Thomas Anderson could have taken some inspiration from this event which lines up very well with the Biblical verse.

Source: Climatological Data, Alabama

---

What would I do differently?

I immensely enjoyed the film, not expecting it’s extended length to deliver worthy entertainment and a story that was captivating in every scene. The two aspects I would alter would be the length since, for me, I feel that it would put off people from watching the film since it would seem like taking a major life decision since it takes a lot of time out of someone’s life. However, when considering the story and how heavily its audience captivation depends on the various characters having detailed backgrounds and somehow linking to one another, the 3-hour length seems to be appropriate. Regardless of this, the film did not seem boring at any point. To add on, the other aspect I would change would be the explicitness of the film, especially regarding Tom Cruise’s character. Though however, his actions and attitude did contribute to the understanding and interpretation of his personality and reasons behind what he chooses to do.

---

Further Research Areas:

Meaning of frogs in the movie “Magnolia”

ABUNDANCE OF SYMBOLS IN `MAGNOLIA’ HAS FILMGOERS LOOKING FOR CLUES – Chicago Tribune

Magnolia and Meaning – Culture Snob

The Magnolia Flower: Its Meanings and Symbolism

Magnolia Film Review – Roger Ebert

Misery (1990)

Directed by: Rob Reiner

Cast: Kathy Bates [Annie Wilkes], James Caan [Paul Sheldon], Richard Farnsworth [Buster]

Paul Sheldon, a novelist, is in a serious car crash and is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes, who claims to be his number-one fan. Annie brings him to her house in the suburbs, where her obsession for him takes a horrifying turn when Sheldon is killing off her favourite character, Misery, in his upcoming novel. As Sheldon comes up with a plan for escaping, Annie becomes more controlling and violent as she forces the author to write according to her wishes.

Based on: ‘Misery’ by Stephen King

My rating: 8.5/10

---

Narrative aspects

‘Misery’ is a film that explores a brilliantly thought out plot that is simple but yet multi-layered. The film mainly takes place in the house of Annie Wilkens, limiting the settings in which the protagonist Pal Sheldon is exposed to yet, the film remains to be interesting until the end. A main point about the film is the character portrayal and development that aid the story to move forward and engages the audience into the surprises of the unknown:

• Paul Sheldon – The famous author for the ‘Misery’ novel series suffers from a celebrities worst nightmare when he is taken hostage by a woman who claims to be his number-one fan. Paul Sheldon is thankful at first but as the story progresses he starts to realise that whatever happened to him with the car crash was a complete disaster and far from any good. The audience sees him start to struggle and suffer, which would ultimately bring an inner awakening to a person who would be assured of being arrogant and egotistical. Paul has a successful novel series and out of nowhere, he is in a situation he never thought he would end up in. It makes one realise how sufficient we are on our own but also how easily we can be brought down to nothing from illness or injury. Paul is seen bedridden and completely dependant on Annie Wilkens, who sadly, by his bad luck, is not someone who he would want taking care of him.
• Annie Wilkens – The antagonist of the film is seen with a variety of attitudes, from content and civilized to completely rageful and horrific, which would lead an audience to immediately conclude that Annie is suffering from bipolar disorder. She is easily triggered into feeling angry by the slightest of words or actions, and Paul falls victim to it. Annie’s innocence is shadowed upon a few scenes after she appears, at first making an audience question the outburst but once it continues repeatedly on occasions, an in-depth look into her character could unearth more origins for her behaviour. Annie is portrayed as someone who is most likely having ‘Celebrity Worship Syndrome’, an obsessive-addictive disorder, where clearly, Paul is the famous personality in this situation. For Annie to stumble upon her idol is beyond her dreams and she displays to be ‘overly involved and interested (i.e., completely obsessed) with the details of the personal life of a celebrity’ (PsychologyToday). This leads her into controlling Paul as if he is some sort of play-doll or pawn in a game of chess, with her demands being every move towards reaching ‘checkmate’ and gaining the version of the ‘Misery’ novels she would be pleased with.

 

According to Wikipedia, based on the book by Christopher Booker:

1. Overcoming the Monster
   • The protagonist sets out to defeat an antagonistic force (often evil) which threatens the protagonist and/or protagonist’s homeland.
2. Rags to Riches
   • The poor protagonist acquires power, wealth, and/or a mate loses it all and gains it back, growing as a person as a result.
3. The Quest
   • The protagonist and companions set out to acquire an important object or to get to a location. They face temptations and other obstacles along the way.
4. Voyage and Return
   • The protagonist goes to a strange land and, after overcoming the threats it poses to them, they return with experience.
5. Comedy
   • A light and humorous character with a happy or cheerful ending; a dramatic work in which the central motif is the triumph over adverse circumstance, resulting in a successful or happy conclusion.
6. Tragedy
   • The protagonist’s character flaw or great mistake which is their undoing. Their unfortunate end evokes pity at their folly and the fall of a fundamentally good character.
7. Rebirth
   • An event forces the main character to change their ways and often become a better person.

‘Misery’ fits in the categories of ‘Overcoming the Monster’ (where Paul makes it his mission to get rid of Annie, the antagonist, and break free from being held captive), ‘Rags to Riches’ (Paul is successful at his work as an author and it all goes away when Annie finds him after the car accident. Paul grows as a person with more consideration as he escapes from Annie’s home), ‘Rebirth’ (Whatever Paul goes through makes him realise that he should change his ways and so ends up with a new mindset about himself and his work). The combination of these plots allows the story of the film to become more in-depth as well as continue to remain entertaining with multi-layered characters till the credits roll. It is storytelling at its finest and combining many of these plot concepts is not noticeable in the film, nor probably in the book by Stephen King.

Infer & Deduce: The film’s title shares its name with the novel it is based on by Stephen King, though contains a hint of mystery since the word ‘Misery’ is also the name of the book series that the main character, author Paul Sheldon, creates and writes. Additionally, this is also the name of the protagonist in the book series that is in the book written by Stephen King that the film is based on. Humorously, it sort of feels like something Christopher Nolan would conjure up. Moreover, the use of the descriptor ‘Misery’ would apply to the emotional state Paul Sheldon goes through while being held captive at Annie’s house, as well as what Annie feels towards Sheldon.

---

Technical Aspects

‘Misery’ uses a variety of techniques to convey the mysterious and disturbing attitude of the character Annie, for example, or the nature of the plot itself. While the soundtrack enhances the atmosphere and makes the scenes more suspenseful, the variety of shot types allows certain implicit messages to be translated for the audience:

• Bird’s-Eye Shot – In the few beginning scenes, shots taken from a helicopter while flying over a landscape create the setting for the rest of the film, allowing the audience to familiarise themselves with where the story takes place and how the setting could affect the fate of the characters.
• Long Shots – These kinds of shots are used for establishing a setting but show the more intricate of details when compared to a bird’s-eye view. An example of this are scenes from the beginning where the snowy mountains and location is shown while Paul Sheldon drives on the road. Like the Bird’s-Eye Shot, it enlightens the audience about the setting where the film could prominently take place and how the snow, in this film, could act as a helping hand for the protagonist when he is in a life-or-death situation. In ‘Misery’, it is the snow that causes him to be taken hostage by his psychotic number-one fan Annie Wilkens.
• Extreme Close-Up Shots – These kinds of shots are used to either direct the focus of the audience to a specific aspect in particular or if an object is of small sizes, like the orange Novril pills that Annie gives to Paul for his pain. Moreover, a sequence that extensively uses these shots is when Annie is coming back home from getting the paper Paul requested for his typewriter while Paul is hurriedly going back to his room so that Annie does not suspect anything. Movement and facial expressions are emphasised on as the pace of the scene rises. Paul is seen struggling with his injury but hastening to his room with close-up shots of the door nob and him locking the door with a bobby pin, for example, or Annie shoes as she walks into the house.
• Low Angled/High Angled Shots – These camera angles allow an audience to view the world from certain characters’ point of view without the shot being in the first person. Low Angled shots are used to create the view of Paul Sheldon since he is lower in height when talking to Annie because of being on his bed recovering. Similarly, the audience sees a repeated use of High-Angled Shots that portray how Annie sees Paul, towering over him and looking down. Moreover, these shots depict the level of power in the situation where Annie is seen as superior and controlling over Paul, and Paul is inferior and helpless.
• Pans/Tilts/Dolly Movements – Camera movements of any kind keep the shots more interesting to watch for an audience. While in some moments they help reveal details an audience would not have seen in the setting, camera movements follow characters throughout a scene allowing the audience to feel as if they are in the situation rather than watching characters on a screen. This film uses movements to their advantage in scenes that are high in tension with no knowledge of the fate of characters. This keeps it fast-paced as well as the audiences on the edge of their seat.

Furthermore, the lighting techniques allow another level of emotion to be felt by the audience as it creates an intimidating atmosphere in some settings while giving a natural, homely look in others. In scenes hot during the day, lighting is mostly natural from the source of the sun, while indoor scenes use lamps and candles to illuminate the set. In addition to that, an interesting use of lighting is when it starts to rain in the area where Annie lives. When she enters into Paul’s room with surprise, the scene uses the lightning outside to create a dramatic play of light and shadow on her face, enhancing the menacing and malevolent attitude of Annie.

---

Favourite Scene

This scene explores a different side of Annie Wilkens as she is seen with a unique attitude when compared to the rest of the film. Annie is seen to have an inner realisation about the situation with Paul Sheldon, stating that because he is almost finished with writing the Misery novel that she wants and that his legs are getting better, he would demand to be let out of the house and go home. Annie would not have any control over his life and situation she seems to be enjoying and the rain outside continues to remind her of that ‘inevitable’ future.

The scene uses an array of camera techniques to portray the emotions that Annie in particularly is feeling, with close-up shots emphasising on capturing her facial features and expressions of despair and melancholy. This makes an audience’s strong pessimistic feelings towards her psychotic behaviour previously die down a little as she is seen to have a progression of character and forget about her delusions. Annie seems to know that she cannot have everything she wants anymore. While this scene has comparatively focused on Annie with lengthened shots on the character, the reactions have been countered with Paul’s expressions being shown from time to time as she looks at him and says particular words. From the way Paul reacts, he would seem to feel exactly the same as the audience and be hopeful that once the new Misery novel would be over, and Annie receives the story she wanted, she would let him go without any harm. There is a look of relief on Paul’s face. The low-key lighting in this scene adds to the gloomy atmosphere created by the rain which in turn affects Annie’s normally energetic attitude. Moreover, the natural lighting sources of the lamps in the room make the scene feel less scripted or fabricated and more of an actuality. To add on, the sound from the rain outside hitting the windows also brings more emotional pain to the scene while making it more naturalistic.

However, all restored faith in Annie Wilkens drains away when she seems to become detached from the rationale she was leading Paul towards believing and pulls out a small revolver from her robe pocket. Immediately the audience, as well as Paul, realise that Annie definitely has some psychological conflictions with herself and would do anything in her power to achieve what she wills. The tension rises in the scene, creating anticipation towards what horrific action Annie would commit next, or when she would have her next anger outburst. The final dutch-angled shot in the scene taken to show Annie exiting her house and stepping onto the porch portrays a sense of displacement between the character’s attitude as well as their morale.

---

What would I do differently?

Of course, producing this film with modern day technology would allow it to be high definition and consist of different settings, clothes and props as times have changed though I would not change anything about the film. It was pleasant to watch, disturbing at times which is exactly what it intended on, as well as, entertaining. The actors did a brilliant job in portraying the characters and the emotions they felt in the situation.

---

Further Research Areas:

THERE ARE ONLY SEVEN STORIES IN THE WORLD

Understanding The Seven Basic Plots

The Seven Basic Plots – Wikipedia

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Stephen King’s Misery – YouTube

Misery Film Review – Roger Ebert

What’s the Difference between Misery the Book and Misery the Movie?

Book vs Film: Stephen King’s Misery

Celebrity Worship Syndrome – PsychologyToday

“I’m Your Number One Fan”— A Clinical Look at Celebrity Worship

The Psychology of Celebrity Worship -HealthDay

Psychology; A Clinical Assessment Of Annie Wilkes From The Movie ” Misery”

Annie Wilkes: Love and Obsession

The Inspiration for Misery – stephenking.com

The Exorcist (1973)

Directed by: William Friedkin

Cast: Linda Blair [Regan MacNeil], Ellen Burstyn [Chris MacNeil], Jason Miller [Damien Karras]

When Regan starts acting odd her worried mother seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end with the expertise. A local priest, however, thinks the girl may be seized by an evil entity. The priest makes a request to perform an exorcism on the girl and the church sends an expert to help with the task, though it does not go how they would hope for it to be.

Based on: ‘The Exorcist’ by William Peter Blatty

Inspired by: The real exorcism of Roland Doe

My rating: 7.5/10

---

Narrative aspects

‘The Exorcist’ explores the real-life exorcism of Rolan Doe, a horrific event that this film contains many detail parallels to. This film contains different storylines and follows the characters from different parts

• Northern Iraq – Father Merrin, a priest and archaeologist, is unearthing ancient objects that are believed to hold some evil powers.
• Georgetown, D.C – Chris MacNeil, actress, is working on a new script she has received for a film. She is seen spending time with her daughter Regan and investigating the sounds coming from the attic.
• Georgetown – Father Karras walks out from Georgetown University where the film is being shot and heads towards visiting his ill mother.

These characters are seen in different settings and completing different tasks that seem to not relate in any way. It makes an audience wonder what their significance is to the film and its plot until Regan MacNeil gets possessed by an evil entity and all the varying storylines start to piece together and connect with one another. This assures the audience that nothing in the film is shown or said for no reason, everything serves a purpose and every character plays a part in the broader story leading towards helping Regan get better. The different strands of storylines help keep the film engaging as it does not overly focus on one or two characters or a particular scene alone. It involves an audience to figure out the mystery element in the film while characters on screen do so as well.

To add on, the film contains the main themes of family and religion prominently which both complement the story and add the rationale and emotion that helps drive the story forward:

• Family – This film explores the concept of family through the relationship between characters, especially Chris and her daughter Regan where she goes to great extents to help her and make sure the young girl goes back to being her normal self after the possession. It is the innate maternal affection and protection that is seen in Chris and would probably resonate with mothers in the audience that would do anything to keep their children safe. The interaction between characters also gives a sense of familial ties even though they may not be biologically related, like with Chris and Father Karras who ends up helping her with the demonic exorcism of her daughter. These kinds of relationships help enhance the emotions created by the story and allow the audience to feel sympathy, happiness or despair for these fictional characters
• Religion – A major theme in this film is the relation of the plot towards religion, which is a factor that triumphed over all the other methods of making Regan better. Throughout the film there are multiple schools of thought or explanations to help Regan out that her mother exhausts, starting from science and biology by visiting a medical doctor, then psychology by visiting a psychiatrist for therapy then finally settling on faith, religion and the act of exorcism carried out by priests from the Catholic church. In the end, the spiritual belief system ended up doing the most good and in conclusion supports religion as an ideology that should be considered in situations, which nowadays is mostly seen as a coping mechanism or myth in a time where science rules the way in which we lead out lives for explanations.

Infer & Deduce: According to www.cambridge.com, an ‘Exorcist’ is “someone who forces an evil spirit to leave a person or place by using prayers or magic”. Clearly, this would refer to the priests who, in the end, make the most difference to young Regan’s possessive state. For the film’s title, it could refer to both the act and the person as a final resort that turns out to work the best than any other researched areas of expertise. To add on, the film’s title directly refers to the novel it is based on so the choice of name could be to make the relation between film and book easier.

---

Technical Aspects

‘The Exorcist’ is probably the most famous horror film in history, and will likely remain to be in the future. Other than the story and the trials faced by characters, for the film’s time of creation in the 1970s the techniques used to make it are quite phenomenal. It contains a variety of elaborate set designs with a large group of extras, like the setting of Northern Iraq in the beginning scene, and the movie shoot sequence with Chris Macneil. This allows the scenes to look more realistic as well as it provides further context for the characters’ personality and actions, and the plot. Further on in the appearance category, this film without doubt heavily depends on special effects like editing and makeup to convey certain emotions or plot points in the story. Special effects like the appearance of the demon’s face in the shadows when Regan’s mother opens the door to her room are used to subliminally imply fear and dread, while the obvious use of special effects makeup is used on Regan while she is possessed for her flaky and bumpy skin, cuts on her cheeks and the contact lenses to change her eyes to a bright yellow colour.

In terms of the more visually technical aspects in the film, interesting camera movements and angles are used for certain shots to capture a certain mood. While camera pans and tilts track the characters’ movements across the scene to keep the audience on their feet and let them view the entire set as a whole affecting the plot, low and high angled shots allow the perspective of different characters to be seen by the audience. Another interesting technique this film uses is zooming in and out. While this keeps a shot ever-moving and avoids the scene from distracting the audience from the lack of movement, it also narrows down the attention and field of vision as the camera focuses on a particular person or object in the shot. To add on, it gives the scenes a feeling as if the audience is secretly eavesdropping and watching the characters converse, completing the mystery and eeriness of the film. On the other hand, the technique of lighting also aids the story’s perception by the audience. The film plays with illumination and shadows, especially in scenes that take place at night as it enhances the element of mystery and the unknown that triggers the feeling of fear and anxiety in the audience that is much needed in a film of the horror genre. A lot of realistic lighting sources are used in scenes light lamps or candles that the audience can see in the film. This compliments the realism of the film, which makes the story and the emotions depicted by characters more convincing.

Another interesting point of play by the director is the use of sound in the film, which is a significant tool for the horror genre to portray added control over the emotions of the audience. The score in the film is very limited, mainly appearing for the title sequence and at some heightened moments of tension. Though, however, the lack of music complimenting the film is even more intriguing. There is a sense of naturalism and a realistic vibe that immerses an audience into the film and gives it a sense of non-fiction since in real life, there is no such thing as a background score. Furthermore, characters are seen playing music too, like in the scene where Chris MacNeil holds a party at her house with the member of the movie she is acting in. A man plays the piano and everyone standing around him sings along, associating music with an activity of leisure and entertainment. It compensates for the lack of soundtrack in the film and adds the music element in a more realistic way, through characters providing it. Other than music, the sounds of cars driving, people chattering and the wind blowing all are part of the soundscape in the film and create a naturalistic ambience and a greater depth to the scenes.

---

Favourite Scene

As Damien enters the possessed girl’s bedroom after calming his nerves, he finds Father Merrin on his knees with his head on the bed, dead. Bursting with anger, Damien charges for the Regan and attacks her, finally asking the demon to “take him” instead of her. He gets possessed and then sacrifices his life for the girl by jumping out of the window and presumably ending the demon.

This scene acts as the finale and climax of the film, giving the audience a sense of closure that the plot has come to an end and has been resolved. The ambiguous ending can be interpreted from various angles since a clear indication is not given to the audience, other than Damien sacrificing himself then jumping out of the window and dying. It allows an audience to remain entertained and involved in the film much after the film is over and the credits start rolling. My take on the end is that:

• Damien had been reminded of his dead mother by the demon as it had imitated her and caused him to step out of the room, letting Father Mirren continue on his own
• Damien allows the demon to possess him mainly because that it would help save the young girl but moreover, he would feel guilty for causing Father Mirren to die as he wasn’t in the room, as well as, feeling emotional about the loss of his mother.
• Damien jumped out of the window to perhaps have a chance at killing the demon (even though demons can’t be killed and can transfer themselves into another vessel) and also since being a priest, having been possessed by a demon is as low as reputation can get. To add on, since the expertise of Father Mirren in exorcism did not work on the girl who is to say that there would be any luck with Damien, which ultimately probably led to him committing suicide.

Moreover, special effects on characters like makeup add another layer of realism and convince an audience that whatever is happening in this fictional film (in this case based on a true story) is an actuality for the characters but also could be an actuality for the audience themselves. Makeup also helps an audience clearly understand the horror of the demonic possession by the way the girl looks and how different it is to normal human beings, as well as the bruises and cuts on a character’s face,  display the pain they would be going through. To add on, the effects created with camera angles and movement also enhance the atmosphere created for the audience to be impacted from. Low and high angle shots give a particular perspective and sometimes portray what the viewing field of the characters are while tracking the movement of a character in the room in this scene impacts the pace and tension as Damien starts to panic and fight with the possessed girl Regan.

---

What would I do differently?

The film has aged surprisingly well for one from the horror genre, though of course, visual effects have grown to be better with time due to the progression of technology. I would personally work on furthering the realistic outlook of the demonic-possession and not depend on make-up alone for the look and perhaps use the motion-capture technology or some degree of CGI for it. This would allow a modern day audience to enjoy the film much better since it would be up to the visual standards of the current film industry and production. Moreover, I found the opening scene quite interesting since it explained a hint of backstory history for the artefact that could have caused the demon possession to take place, however, this plot point isn’t explained explicitly in the film. Some symbols do appear in the scene that are shown once again later on, as the demon statue, though the direct link between everything is not given to the audience clearly.

---

Further Research Areas:

Is The Exorcist based on a true story? Real-life tale of Roland Doe’s possession that’s more terrifying than the film and TV show

20 Fascinating Facts About The Exorcist

The untold truth of The Exorcist

Venice: William Friedkin on Shooting a Real Exorcism: ‘It Was Terrifying!’

Book vs Movie: The Exorcist

Sound in Filmmaking (PDF)

Filmmaking: Use Sound to Tell Your Story

Film Language Sound (PDF)

THE EXORCIST – Film Review (Roger Ebert)

Google Scholar – Psychology of Religion

The Ultimate Conflict Between Science and Religion

The Hitcher (1986)

Directed by: Robert Harmon

Cast: Rutger Hauer [John Ryder], C. Thomas Howell [Jim Halsey], Jennifer Jason Leigh [Nash]

Jim Halsey picks up a hitchhiker named John Ryder while transporting a car from Chicago to San Diego. After a daring escape followed from Ryder claiming to be a serial killer, Jim hopes that he would never see the man again. But when he spots the murder of an entire family by the hitchhiker, Jim follows Ryder with the help of a waitress named Nash, battling against each other in a deadly series of car chases and murders.

My rating: 8/10

---

Narrative aspects

‘The Hitcher’ plays with character portrayal very well since there is little to nothing explored on the backstory of the people involved in the plot. An audience needs to work with what they are shown on screen to figure out what could happen next or why the character is acting a certain way, which makes watching the film a more enthralling experience. Upon meeting with Jim Halsey, immediately an audience is aware that he has probably been driving for a long time straight since he falls asleep on the wheel and almost crashes into an oncoming truck. It is from these hidden clues that form the story of the film, minus the rather unnecessary details that some films provide the audience with. As the audience follow Halsey’s journey they learn more about him, like when he stops at the diner and talks to Nash, the waitress working there. She represents the cluelessness of the audience since he is meeting her for the first time and thus explains his situation in an appropriate way that a stranger, like an audience member, would understand. Similarly, when John Ryder makes his first appearance on screen as the ‘plain and simple’ hitchhiker looking for a ride to his destination, the audience needs to look at his demeanor to pinpoint what is his purpose in the story and how could he possibly cause problems, since the title of the film, ‘The Hitcher’, gives a large hint towards Ryder being a significant point in the plot. Ryder’s mundane appearance is immediately countered when he refuses to answer Halsey’s questions and describes how he cut off the limbs of the person he had hitchhiked with just before. It grows clear that the protagonist has crossed paths with a cunning and scheming man with psychopathic tendencies, who proves to be exactly that when he murders an entire family following Halsey throwing him out of his car and getting another ride. The audience suddenly feels threatened by his presence in the film, wanting what is best for the main character Jim.

This film is a parable for the classic story of ‘Little Red Ridinghood’, as it draws parallels to the main plot of it. An unsuspecting traveller is met with a ‘big bad wolf’ that tries to meddle with their life and eventually ends up at the scene with bringing some sort of calamity to the ‘grandma’, or in this case, Nash, killing her then threatening to do the same to the poor traveller. Given this description, it is clear to see the similarities between the film and the old story, down to delivering goods to ‘grandma’s house’ (Jim is travelling because he’s transporting the car he’s driving from Chicago to California for a dealer). Unconsciously, the audience could be drawn towards finding a film more enjoyable if they have experienced or heard such a tale before, with a different version and in different words. The general idea is that humans are drawn to the things we know better than those we know nothing of. Like the story, the film shares the same moral of ‘stranger danger’ and keeping an eye out for a ‘big bad wolf’ that could appear from nowhere.

Infer & Deduce: Upon watching the film’s beginning sequences, the reason for the title becomes clear since it clearly refers to John Ryder, the man that Jim Halsey stumbled upon on the road while driving to California, who is known as a hitchhiker while meddling with the lives of unsuspecting travellers on the road. The audience immediately deduces that he is a major part of the film and expect a lengthened appearance of him while interacting with Jim Halsey.

---

Technical Aspects

‘The Hitcher’ is an interesting film since the majority of it follows the story on the road, and in a car in most cases. While Jim is the main character, he is seen spending a large chunk of the movie trying to stop John Ryder in his car, while stepping out from time to time to visit a diner, where he meets Nash, a sheriff’s station and a jail cell, and an abandoned repair warehouse. The effect of this lack of location changes in turn makes the film more interesting to watch since the audience are drawn to the fact that the only thing this main character is connected to is his car, where he goes to places and progresses the story while driving it and also prevents himself from dying and the antagonist winning the battle while driving it. The climactic ‘good vs. evil’ battle that most action films have in a significant grand place just so happens to take place on the road while battling in vehicles in this film, just like the rest of it. It depicts a sense of danger throughout the film since the final fight is on the same road he’s been driving on for days.

The film uses a variety of camera techniques, divided clearly between movement-inclined (when a scene involves a car chase) and shot angle-inclined (when there’s a calmer and much more emotionally driven moment). There is a significant use of long shots and establishing shots to set the scene at certain main points in the plot and show the vastness of the setting. This makes Jim Halsey, the protagonist, appear as an insignificant part of the bigger picture while travelling through the wide open spaces of the suburbs and the unpopulated areas of America. The film makes use of a mixture of diegetic and non-diegetic sound; with the rain pouring onto the roads or hitting the windows of a car and cars driving along the highway, and suspenseful, but subtle at times, music playing in the background to compliment the mood of the scene and project a certain influential atmosphere on the audience. The lack of soundtrack in some sequences gives the film a natural feeling, which one would find in the wilderness while being on their own just like Jim Halsey. The gloomy and dimly lit set up of scenes also adds on to the ambiguity of the film. While the majority of the scenes take place during the day with natural lighting, night scenes are quite dark comparatively. Car scenes are lit up by the headlights outside or the roof lights inside the car, while the motel scene, for example, has light coming in from the open curtains or from the washroom left open.

---

Favourite Scene

This scene is the last showdown between Jim Halsey and John Ryder, the climax contains literally no dialogues as the two men muster their last bit of energy to finally settle the chaos between them. As the tension rises with nothing but actions, there are a lot of jump-cuts, with some shots only lasting a couple of seconds. This makes the scene feel fast-paced, creating anticipation about whether Halsey is prepared enough to put Ryder to an end or has he got his work cut out for him. To add on, a few moments are filmed in slow motion, making the scene much more impactful and dramatic, and clearing the way for a conclusion that the audience could or could not anticipate. The great stretch of silence in this scene is captivating and suspenseful, with the subtle drumming music in the background at some parts in the scene creating a much more deepened effect of tension. The lack of dialogue adds to the fact that this scene serves as a different kind of climax scene comparing to the conventional action film, where it would involving heroic acts, displays of emotions, right-on-time accuracy and an adrenaline-filled fight against the protagonist and antagonist. Though ‘The Hitcher’ does not tick off any of these categories, with its climax scene being one that is one of the most calming interactions between the two polar-opposite characters. The scene is not fast-paced and rather takes time to emphasize just how tiresome this whole journey has been for both Jim and John as if the ending was inevitable. The scene becomes nervewracking when Ryder grabs a large weapon from the ground and starts shooting one bullet at a time at Halsey while he’s trying to start the car to drive away. As Ryder grows closer to Halsey, the audience becomes more restless towards wanting the main character to survive, the tension keeps rising.

---

What would I do differently?

The film appealed to me since I enjoy the thriller and suspense genres quite a lot. The characters, though not having any backstory details spent time on, where pretty in-depth. An audience, by looking at their choices and their pick of words and actions, can figure out their personality and probably their fate in the film. However, one thing I would like to change is the rather ambiguous ending which I personally felt did not lead to anything in particular. John Ryder hinted that Jim should be smart and figure out why he is doing this to the young man but the explanation for the ending is left at that. People have speculated that Ryder wanted Jim to go through what he had gone through, or that wanted to make him reckless so that Jim could kill John without any problems. Still, whether theories are close to the actuality or not an audience can never know since no dialogue or action really led to a certain topic of ending.

---

Further Research Areas:

Hitchhiking’s Time Has Come Again – New York Times

Hitchhiking Safety Revisited

Highway Patrol seeing more hitchhikers, don’t pick them up – WLOX

HERE’S WHY CARREGISTRATIONADVISORS.ORG SUGGESTS ALWAYS AVOIDING HITCHHIKERS

Hitchhiking Across America: One Ride At A Time

Law on Hitching in the USA

Killed by a Stranger: A Rare Event, but a Rising Fear – New York Times

Thumbs Down: America and the Decline of Hitchhiking – PDF

The staggering number of wrongful convictions in America – Washington Post

How Many People Are Wrongly Convicted? Researchers Do the Math. – NatGeo

The Hitcher (1986) Film Review – Roger Ebert

ORIGINAL VS. REMAKE: THE HITCHER

Little Red Cap – Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Little Red Riding Hood – Charles Perrault

The Grimm Brothers’ Children’s and Household Tales (Grimms’ Fairy Tales)

50 SHADES OF RED: SEXUALITY AND LOSS OF INNOCENCE IN LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

Charles Perrault’s Mother Goose Tales

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS – Sir Richard Burton, translator

The Night Of The Hunter (1955)

Directed by: Charles Laughton

Cast: Robert Mitchum [Harry Powell], Billy Chapin [John Harper], Lillian Gish [Rachel Cooper]

Serving time in prison for car theft Rev. Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), who is a religious fanatic and serial killer, meets murderer Ben Harper (Peter Graves) who confesses that he hid $10,000 that he had stolen. After being released from jail, Powell is obsessed with taking the money for himself and tracks down Harper’s widow Willa (Shelley Winters) and her two children John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce).

Based on: ‘The Night of the Hunter’ written by David Grubb

My rating: 8/10

---

Narrative aspects

‘The Night of the Hunter’, a film based on a book about how greed can lead to a human being losing his or her conscience and way in life, is still relatable in today’s world. The narrative progresses from one point tot he other gradually, allowing viewers to absorb and understand what is taking place within the plot without overwhelming them. Every scene contains a level of suspense and a hint of dread as the audience fell in favour of the children, the protagonists of the film, and want them to succeed. In many of the film’s moments, tension rises and falls, being replaced with another instance where John and Pearl are faced with a fate-changing situation. Though this film is a crime and thriller, in its essence it is a mystery of where the money is hidden, which spirals into the survival of the children. From the moment Ben Harper, John and Peral’s biological father, reaches home with the money in his hands, the money’s real hiding place is kept hidden and is not shown or mentioned. This involves the audience and heightens the effect that the mystery genre creates.

This film has a variety of underlying themes that provide a better understanding of the plot, characters and their emotions:

• Religion – The belief system of human beings plays an im[portant role in this film, where all characters either use religion as a basis for their own advantage or show strong faith and practice. Henry Powell, the protagonist in the film, is a serial killer posing as a preacher to sway the people around him into a trance that whatever he says and does should be accepted and followed blindly without questioning. He is a tool in the brainwashing practice he follows with anyone he meets, like when marrying the widow and mother of John and Pearl, Willa Harper. He uses religious biblical verses out of context and bends their meanings to fit his own personal interests and get away with the deceiving-kind attitude he presents to the outside world. It makes an audience question what is right and wrong since someone posing as a preacher could commit heinous crimes in a film does not mean it cannot happen in reality. To juxtapose his character, Ms Rachel Cooper, an old woman who has devoted her like to taking care of young children that don’t have a home, is one of strong belief and uses it in the correct ways while sharing biblical triumphs and stories with the children to allow them to understand the situations they encounter in their everyday lives. The film starts with Ms Cooper telling a story to the children she cares for which references some verses from the Bible which actually does foreshadow the story that would proceed in the film:

Now, you remember children how I told you last Sunday about the good Lord going up into the mountain and talking to the people… And then the good Lord went on to say, ‘Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly, they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them.’

• Authority – The film has constant references towards authority and how character’s sacrifice their individuality and free-will in the hands of much superior force, whether human or other. This relationship is seen in Henry Powell and his -not-so-genuine belief in God and religion and using that level of authority to get away with his disgraceful choices. Moreover, Ben Harper is an authority figure to his son John Harper, who is given the task to guard the secret of where the money his father stole is hidden with his life. This commitment completely changes the way young John lives his life and the way he acts, becoming a more mature child and acting as the caretaker of his sister when his parents cannot. Similarly, Henry Powell is an authority figure in the eyes of Willa Harper, John and Peal’s mother, while also Ms Cooper is someone the children look up to and obey. The film’s theme of authority battles between giving authority to the correct person for the correct purpose against depending on authority to help you escape impossible situations for which one is guilty.
• Good (Innocence) vs. Evil (Greed and Deception) – Without a doubt, the concept of ‘Good vs. Evil’ is linked to every scene, plot point, character and theme as well. While Henry Powell acts as a manifestation of Evil in the film, the people around him are, in a surface-level sense, the counter Good. Powell is fueled by his greed and materialistic behaviour while also using the art of deception to sneak past unsuspecting town-folk and achieve his goals. The saying ‘Looks can be deceiving’ is one that is the main message of the film where, while Powell seems good because he’s a ‘preacher’ and spreads the ‘word of God’ but is completely far from it, John comes out as being a strong-willed individual with the loyalty towards his father in his possession and the determination to bring injustice to his step-father. On the other side, when looking at greed and deception, the persistence in manipulating a child, like Powell does with Pearl and asks her to play the ‘secrets game’, exhibits the level of inhumanity a person can possess to confirm that they succeed in their business. It is a sad and devastating reality of the world and how many people use this tool for their own selfish desires. In this way, this film is very relatable in any time period since the characteristic of being selfish or greedy is close to being innate in people.

To add on, the film sports a few parallel moments, ones that are visually similar and others that reference other characters in literature. Firstly, the film’s starting involves a scene where John watches his biological father, Ben Harper, being taken down and arrested by the police to be sentenced to hanging. This causes the boy to feel extremely distressed and angry, shouting out to the policemen to stop hurting his father. While the audience is met with the young boy’s courage and determination to keep his father’s secret safe, the film exposes John to another moment towards the end that mirrors the way in which his father was taken away, but this time having Henry Powell to be the subject being arrested. John is taken aback by the similarity to something that happened very recently in his life and is immediately distressed as he lives through this ‘deja vu’ moment once again. To move forward, other parallels in the film include the story of Blue Beard and the concept of Old Mother Goose, which are both allusions to literature. Blue Beard shares a similar story to ‘The Night of the Hunter’ while Old Mother Goose is seen to be similar to the way Ms Cooper acts and cares for the children in her care.

Infer & Deduce: The choice for the film’s title could be because it is based on the book by the same name. This way, people can relate their understanding to the book and may even want to seek out the book after enjoying the film, and reading it for further entertainment. Though, digging deeper into the overall meaning and significance, ‘The Night of the Hunter’ could be a literal order of words put together. Many of the scenes and especially important plot-progressors, do take place at night, the film plays around very intelligently with shadows and the main Antagonist, Henry Powell, is depicted quite like a hunter who is after the money hidden by the children, whom he refers to as ‘lambs’.

An interesting thing to note about the film is the biblical references Henry Powell communicates with the letter markings on his hands, the left hand spelling out ‘HATE’ and the right-hand spelling ‘LOVE’. What is an implicit and subliminal reference to the plot and the character in the film turns out to actually be something very intelligent, with on the film’s poster the left hand’s knuckles being on display pointing straight to the camera. Before even watching the film, a viewer would notice and understand that the character in the picture, Powell, is associated with negativity.

---

Technical Aspects

The film uses a variety of technical aspects to get its implicit meaning across to the audience. While shot types and angles, like bird’s eye view and close-ups to establish the setting and convey deep emotions felt by the characters, respectively, are used with their significance to capture a moment in the film with ambiguity but still providing a lot of information, music in ‘The Night of the Hunter’ plays a key role in the suspense and thriller atmosphere heightened throughout. The loud booming soundtrack adds a sense of danger to the backdrop of the film while the lyrical songs scattered across which are sung by different characters give the film an eerie feel, for example, the song that Powell sings ‘Leaning on the Everlasting Arms’ (‘a hymn published in 1887 with music by Anthony J. Showalter and lyrics by Showalter and Elisha Hoffman.’ – Wikipedia) may have an innocent and soothing nature and meaning though it becomes associated with Powell committing his acts of crime.

Along with the above, the major aspect of the film, for which it is famous for, is the use of lighting to complement the nature of the scenes. Lighting in the film is used to maintain a degree of secrecy, ambiguity and mystery, in a film that is all about its suspense. The play with shadows in the film impact the way in which characters and scenes are perceived by the audience. The expressionistic usage of light, rather than realistic, is what makes Henry Powell a cunning criminal with psychopathic tendencies, and on the other hand, the light technique makes the audience feel pity for the children while being shadowed in the large and devasting world they live in. These messages are constantly switched from one to another and it adds to the ever-changing attitude of the audience towards the way certain characters act. To add on, the lighting setup is done decently well, with accuracy and consideration given to the time of day and the source of light (like the position of the sun and moon, or lamps and candles inside or outside the setting). It seems as though a lot of the day scenes have been shot with natural lighting and a limited use of added external lights to enhance the scene. This allows the characters to seem more realistic rather than over-exposed. Though on the other hand, many of the scenes take place in the night and this compliments the shadowy, eerie feeling portrayed throughout the film. An interesting concept in relation to lighting is that in a couple of scenes the lighting technique creates the shape of a triangle around characters. Being a film with a major influence of faith and belief, the triangular shape of light could symbolise the Holy Trinity.

---

Favourite Scene

When Henry Powell is out to catch John and Pearl once and for all, they escape his villainous capture by rowing a book down a river bank and letting the current guide them to wherever they can find shelter. This scene is one of the more calmer and non-distressing parts of the movie that actually makes one quite sad for the poor children who never asked for such a complicated life. The first significant thing about the clip is the song that young Pearl sings to herself and her doll:

Once upon a time there was a pretty fly
He had a pretty wife, this pretty fly
But one day she flew away, flew away
She had two pretty children
But one night these two pretty children flew away… flew away
Into the sky
Into the moon

The lullaby bears a lot of similarities to the situation John and Pearl are in the middle of, involving their own parents and the fact that they have been taken away or have ‘flown away’ from them. The effect of this song in this scene makes the audience feel more emotional and sympathetic towards the children, growing their desire to see them have a happy ending and find a family once again. The symbolism in this song is strong, with comparing the children and their parents to bugs and ‘normal folk’ whose lives are pretty insignificant to the dominating predators, like human beings and in this case, Henry Powell, who could just swat these ‘flies’ away in order to successfully receive his desires.

Another interesting concept portrayed in this scene is how the children, in their wooden boat, pass by a couple of animals who are seen living in their homes, like a spider on its web and a frog by the water. This could perhaps symbolise that through the children progressing forward down the river, they have no home or place of belonging, compared to these animals who seem to have a satisfactory system of survival. John and Pearl are drifting forward with no idea about what the future could have for them and yet desperately needing to escape the comfort of their home since the threat of Henry Powell rules over them.

Another brilliant aspect used in the film, regarding mise-en-scene, is the use of lighting to portray a certain tone and mood in scenes. Though the lighting angle constantly changes, where at one point the character’s face is illuminated and the next it is not, the use of ‘natural’ moonlight appearing to shimmer and glisten as a reflection on the river adds a fairytale-like feel and atmosphere as John and Pearl drift ahead in the clam and dark night. The moonlight alone is enough to illuminate the scene and yet keep some aspects hidden in the shadows to continue the ambiguity the film has created for the audience. The scene is very simplistic and it is this point that deepens the meaning and the emotions projected onto the audience. The fact that children of such a young age as John and Pearl have to suffer such tragic and horrific times makes the audience feel more sympathetic towards them. One loophole in the lighting choice and direction is that during a wide shot of the boat on the water, the stars shine down on the characters but the moon, that is clearly seen reflected in the water, does not appear in the sky. This is a lacking on the design part since the backdrop omitted such a large part of the setting that would make the lighting logical and natural.

---

What would I do differently?

I thoroughly enjoyed this film’s plot and method of production. For the time, it looks incredible and it is brilliant that the story is still applicable in today’s time. If I were to create this film, I would aim to have a better continuity with the lighting. In many scenes the direction of light changes with the type of shot like, for instance, the scene where Ms Cooper is sitting near a window with her gun while singing a song. When the shot transitions from a medium shot to a close-up, the lighting changes. Though it is done to create an effect to imply certain hidden messages of the character’s emotions, it is pretty illogical since light definitely does not work like that in life. Moreover, I would use a better grade of special effects along with making the film in full colour. This would enable a modern audience to connect with the film better as it would be of the standard that films are of nowadays.

---

Further Research Areas:

How To Keep Your Audience In Suspense Using Music

How to Create Suspense Using Music

How Low-Key Lighting Can Instantly Make Your Film Dramatic

Light in Filmmaking – PDF

Reverend Harry Powell – Wikipedia

Night of the Hunter: a masterpiece of American cinema

Robert Mitchum as Reverend Harry Powell: 10 Quotes About Iconic Role

Blue Beard – Character Profile

The Story of Blue Beard

Mother Goose – Wikipedia

Harry Powers: Bluebeard of Quiet Dell

True crime: America’s most notorious lady killer

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Cast: Ivana Baquero [Ofelia], Doug Jones [Pale man, Fauno], Sergi López [Vidal]

The Allies have invaded Nazi-held Europe in 1944, wherein Spain, a troop of soldiers are sent to a remote forest to remove the rebels. Captain Vidal, a murdering sadist, leads them, along with him are his new wife Carmen and her daughter from a previous marriage, Ofelia. The young girl, after witnessing her stepfather’s brutality, is drawn into Pan’s Labyrinth which is a magical world of mythical beings.

My rating: 9/10

---

Narrative aspects

Guillermo del Toro, a genius with the art of fairy tales, created a brilliant film called ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, following an 11-year-old girl facing the trials of the real world and the spiritual in order to reach goals from a guiding faun, a mythical creature. Being a film completely in the Spanish language, it applies well to the setting of the story as well as accompanies the characters and their backgrounds. The film starts with a shot which comes again at the end of the film, where Ofelia lays on the floor after being shot by her stepfather. This foreshadows a tragic ending and also signifies that the whole film is a flashback that leads up to that point. Moreover, an audience would not put together the fact that the first scene is, in fact, something that occurs later in the film until they see the shot once again.

The film uses the medium of ‘storytelling’ to convey its message and plot. Quite literally, a film is an art of storytelling so within the film’s story there are various stories, making it a little paradoxical. To add on to this effect, the film has an omniscient narrator at the beginning and the end which gives it the oral sense of reading a storybook. What is more is that throughout the film, characters use the medium of storytelling to cope with their life and it’s tragic calamities and brutal realities. Ofelia, a young girl forced into accepting a person who she despises to be her father, reads fairytales to escape from her sad and demanding lifestyle, while her mother Carmen is seen telling a rather romantic story version of her meeting Captain Vidal, her second husband. Also, the faun uses storytelling to convey the message that Ofelia is a princess and that she needs to complete three tasks to become immortal in a way that would be easier for a young girl who likes the fictional fantasy world to understand. Since this film follows the form of how many stories and fairy tales from books are structured, the Hero’s Journey theory could be applied to Ofelia and her encounters, where she becomes aware of her secret identity, is called to a mission that she feels intimidated by then complete successfully one step at a time.

‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, as the title would suggest, combines many mythical elements to form the story, like the guiding Faun and the Pale Man. While these characters bring about a heightened tension in the film, filled with suspense and dread as to what would happen to young Ofelia next, each of them has a purpose to serve in the story. The reason for these elements is that it brings the stories Ofelia reads in her leisure time to life, in a world where mythical creatures would be thought of not existing. Moreover, it adds the element of surprise and the imagination a child would have in perceiving the world around them. The various mythical entities in the film are:

• Faun – In Roman mythology, Fauns are creatures that are part human and part goat, who love the forest, music and good to the people they encounter. They are closely associated with the Greek god Pan. Fauns are merry creatures, who would lure anyone into joining their festivities. Being creatures of nature and showing loyalty to their superiors, it is no surprise that Ofelia, a secret princess called Moanna, stumbles upon finding a Faun in the labyrinth. The good-nature of the Faun is seen throughout the scenes consisting of him, where he even gives Ofelia a second chance after she disobeys him and eats two grapes from the Pale Man’s table of food.
• Pale Man – While the film does not name the Pale Man with a mythological creature’s title, the being bears a strong resemblance to the Tenome from Japanese folklore, with eyes in the middle of the palms. The word ‘Tenome’ literally translates to “eyes on hands”, which helps to confirm the origin of the Pale Man in the film. Tenomes do not have a larger purpose to fulfil but they had come around from a tale of a blind man wanting to have a glance at life, only to be reborn as a yokai (a class of supernatural monsters, spirits, and demons in Japanese folklore) with eyes on his palms. According to the lore they are much more carnivorous, compared to the tempting feast put on the long table in the Pale Man’s lair.
• Fairies – A magical creature who resembles a human being, with quick wit as their most common trait. Fairies can fly, make flowers bloom and help things grow. In the film, they guide Ofelia in the right direction and advise her on what to do, like many of the mythical elements in the film. They are the ‘pets’ of the Faun, helpers for his goals.
• Magical objects – These objects aid Ofelia to progress in her journey given by the Faun:
  • Fortune-telling Book – Ofelia makes use of a magical book that tells her what to complete next on her mission in the form of a story, with pictures and colour. This book also shows the fortune of the near future, like when Carmen was bleeding and fell sick while Ofelia was looking at the book in the washroom.
  • Chalk – Ofelia uses a white chalk given to her by the Faun to open a doorway into the Pale Man’s lair. This object looks like a regular piece of chalk but completes what every child’s imagination would want. Ofelia uses the chalk at multiple occasions, with the second time being when the sand timer runs out and the door which she entered through closes, making her draw a rectangle on the ceiling. The third is when she wants to reach her stepfather’s room without bringing any attention to her. Again, it is another tool that helps her out of the darkest of situations and makes sure she complete the three tasks from the Faun before the time is up.
  • Mandrake root – Being a member of the deadly nightshade family, plants that contain toxins. While the Greeks used to use it as an anaesthetic, and in the Middle Ages, they used it for its fertility powers (‘those having trouble conceiving would sleep with them under their pillows’). Referring to www.wired.com, “According to Anthony John Carter, writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine in 2003, medieval folks carried mandrake roots around as good luck charms, hoping the plant would grant them not only wealth and the power to control their destiny but the ability to control the destinies of others as well”. These ancient believed traits could apply to the use of the Mandrake root in the film as it was intended to aid Carmen, Ofelia’s mother, through her difficult pregnancy.

In terms of character portrayal, Captain Vidal is a personality that would be despised by an audience from the beginning. His brutality and lack of hesitance towards torturing and killing people are horrifying for the characters in the film as well as the audience watching. Being a dominating and aggressive person, he is Ofelia’s stepfather but the audience would want him to be far from it. While Ofelia tries to escape the reality she hates, Vidal is seen as being a pure villain of the story. This film generally seems like a children’s fantasy story yet juxtaposes and displays the real gruesome reality of life in a rather graphic way. It is an adult film throughout but follows a young girl on her journey with a mythical creature in a fantasy land.

Infer & Deduce: There has been discussion over the film’s title and whether it is the right name to give it. ‘Labyrinth‘ is defined as “a confusing set of connecting passages or paths in which it is easy to get lost”, which would apply to the maze seen in the forest near the soldier base camp. Moreover, labyrinths have a spiritual significance as well. According to www.crystalinks.com, “A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. It represents a journey to our own centre and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools”. In this sense, the labyrinth could be both a literal one present in the film as seen and also carry a symbolic meaning, where Ofelia’s journey from discovering that she is a princess to reuniting with her royal family is a maze of trials on its own.

Another point of discussion is the question of ‘Who is ‘Pan’ in Pan’s Labyrinth?’ since there is no character called pan in the film. Pan is a mythical Greek god of the wild, and faun-like creature. Guillermo del Toro wrote the subtitles for the film and it was his own choice to use ‘Pan’ in the title, though he has revealed that it is not an accurate descriptor for the film.

---

Technical Aspects

‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ uses brilliant CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) techniques to create the world of fantasy and fill it with creatures like the fairies that can shapeshift into stick insects. However, many of the non-human characters’ looks are achieved by special effects makeup and costume, like the Faun and the Pale Man. The set design uses materials and props from the 1940s, like vintage cars and soldier outfits that are historically accurate. An interesting point of the film is that even though it is based around a fairy tale story, the colours are not that rich in the film and mainly revolve around shades of brown, black, green, yellow and grey for aspects in the mise-en-scene. The only scene which contains much more than these earthy colours is the last scene where Ofelia is finally reunited with her family in the underworld. This scene has the colour scheme of red and gold, glowing and shining while making the sequence look far more magical than the realistic presentation of the world during the rest of the film. These palette choices, along with the accurate set props and design, all magnify the juxtaposition between the 1940s and modern day 21st Century, as well as the real world and the fantasy world (i.e. the world of others compared to the world of Ofelia).

In camera and editing, two techniques create an interesting outlook in the film. The first is where the camera is at many times positioned lower than the average eye-level in scenes, following the gaze of the 11-year-old protagonist of the film. Though it is still at her personal eye-level, this tactic allows the audience to see the world from her eyes without the film being in the first-person point of view and making the fears of Ofelia much more intimidating, like using low-angled shots when she is conversing with the adults in her life, her mother and especially Captain Vidal. Moving forward, another technique used in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ is the overlapping transitions where one scene blends into the other while the camera pans or dollys to the right or left. An example of this is the scene involving Captain Vidal and his search team in the forest, where the camera dollys to the right and a tree trunk comes into the shot. Another shot of Ofelia exploring the forest on her own is taken after the camera moves away from the trunk. These two takes are seamlessly edited together to create this continuous movement effect which makes it seem as though both scenes are occurring simultaneously. From a story perspective, it could signify the fact that in the world of the plot, both the real world and the fantasy are taking place in the same dimension and time even though rational thinking would not allow the world of Fauns and magic objects to exist at the same time. It strengthens the sense of escapism that Ofelia is going through, wanting to disconnect from her life that she feels discontented with.

---

Favourite Scene

Ofelia, after completing the first task set by the Faun, uses a chalk given by her new mythical friend to draw a portal-door to an underground lair that houses a Pale Man sitting at a table like a statue, which boosts her confidence to finish the task quickly before the sand timer runs out. This scene is a famous one due to the presence of this odd, no-eyed creature with large hands and a vicious behaviour, making it stand out from the other scenes in the film. It is a tense moment in the film as Ofelia races against the clock to achieve her goal and make it back to her room in time before the Pale Man traps her in his lair for good. The audience desperately want Ofelia to escape without being harmed, which makes it more enthralling to watch.

This scene sheds light on some small realities of life and the behaviour of children especially. Ofelia, being a young girl, seeks out what every imaginative child would want. Having being bestowed to use a magical chalk that can make portals and doorways appear through a solid wall after drawing with them is filled throughout every childhood dream. The attitude of Ofelia in this scene is like how any child her age would react and interact, excitement and curiosity filling their mind. Moreover, the scene does not glorify the power of the unknown and magical, and Ofelia is faced with a horrifying encounter while being in the Pale Man’s lair. This balances out between the expectations a person would have compared to the reality of it, where one would want a task to be as simple as drawing a rectangular outline on a wall with an everyday item but would then have to face a life-and-death situation. Equilibrium is restored throughout the film, the odds are never completely out of favour for Ofelia. Where she is in a dire situation, there is always a helping hand or a ‘miracle’ that aids her to avoid a drastic future. To add on, this scene also shows the attitude of disobedience, along with curiosity, in children. The Faun warned her not to eat anything from the Pale Man’s feast no matter how tempting the dishes look yet Ofelia, being a young child, sees no harm in ‘only taking one grape’, ‘what could go wrong if I just have a little?’. The temptations in a child are too strong to fight off and the more likely they would do something that they are told not to do, keeping aside how obedient they are normally. The audience sees Ofelia as a natural young child at heart who loves reading books and imagining a fantasy world come to life, while still having the innate attitudes that any child would have.

---

What would I do differently?

Personally, I enjoyed the film thoroughly mainly because of my love for the fantasy genre. Normally, a story like this would be expected to arise from a novel but the fact that it is an original screenplay is astounding. If this film were to be made now, by me, I would most likely make use of the motion capture technology for the Faun and the Pale Man since it would reduce time spent on makeup and would also be more comfortable for actors to perform in. Moreover, technology has advanced drastically since 2006 so it could potentially look as realistic as the bets makeup would achieve a final effect. To add on, if this film was written and directed by me I would make it in English since it is my strongest language, and I only know basic Spanish. Though the fact that it is set in Spain and is completely in Spanish is quite apt since it is unnatural for everyone in a film to ‘magically’ know English in a country where it is not its first language.

---

Further Research Areas:

15 Things You Didn’t Know About Pan’s Labyrinth

Fantasy and Myth in Pan’s Labyrinth: Analysis of Guillermo del Toro’s Symbolic Imagery

Who was “The Pan” in Pan’s Labyrinth?

Pan – Greek gods and goddesses

Into the depths of Franco’s Spain: Pan’s Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno)

Pan’s Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of History

What does “Pan’s Labyrinth” have to say about fascist post-Civil War Spain?

Pan and the Fairies – Making Pan’s Labyrinth Documentary

Behind the Scenes – Schmoop

In Gloom of War, a Child’s Paradise

PAN’S LABYRINTH – Roger Ebert Review

Pan’s Labyrinth: Crash Course Film Criticism #9

The Spanish Civil War: An Overview

Tenome – Japanese Legend

Tenome – Wikipedia

Fairies – Mythology.net

FANTASTICALLY WRONG: THE MURDEROUS PLANT THAT GROWS FROM THE BLOOD OF HANGED MEN

The plant that can kill and cure – BBC.com

Fortune-Telling: Fact, Fiction & Fantasy

Vertigo (1958)

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Cast: Kim Novak [Judy Barton, Madeleine Elster], James Stewart [John Ferguson], Barbara Bel Geddes [Midge Wood]

John Ferguson (James Stewart) retires from being a police officer after experiencing an intense fear of heights and suffering from vertigo. He is hired to protect his old friend’s wife from committing suicide though along the way unravels a mystery that leaves Ferguson speechless.

Based on: “D’entre les morts (From Among the Dead)”, written by Boileau-Narcejac

My rating: 8.5/10

---

Narrative aspects

‘Vertigo’, like any other Alfred Hitchcock film, has a brilliant, multi-layered storyline filled with characters settings with intricate details that give clues about the narrative to the audience. The film begins right within the action of a police chase, with establishing shots of the city night-life on top of building roofs. This choice of the scene immediately captures the audience’s attention while also setting up the main plot point of the film is the fear of heights and sensation of vertigo felt by John Ferguson (James Stewart). Following the first scene, Ferguson and Midge Wood, his friend for years, are sitting in an apartment conversing. The topic of the discussion serves as an explanation of what followed the horrific, near-death experience for Ferguson, his medical state as well as providing more details about the major characters in the film by introducing the audience to Wood’s home and relationship with Ferguson.

This film has a mise-en-scene filled with implicit details that allow the audience to reduce further characteristics of the story. While the acting style of the actors applied well to the character’s personality and portrayed the key traits that aid in the understanding of the film, Hitchcock focused on using colours to establish a certain mood or atmosphere in a particular scene:

• Red and Brown – These colours are mostly used as the backdrop and colour for settings and props, like Mr Elster’s office and the restaurant Ernie’s. The former has a lot of leather work which displays a sense of high status and professionalism, being that Mr Elster is an esteemed individual in a secondary sector business. Like his office, the restaurant has walls covered in dark red wallpaper and paint. Dark colours make a room look smaller but specifically, the colour red symbolises energy, excitement, strength, power, love, passion among others. For Mr Elster’s office, ‘strength’ and ‘power’ would apply well since he is a man of great superiority, while the restaurant having many couples of formal dressing could emit the feelings of ‘love’ and ‘passion’ with the colour red. Brown is a complementary colour as it is primarily for anything wooden, or as said before leather, which also displays a sense of class.
• Grey – This is the colour of the formal suit worn by Madeleine Elster, along with other plain colours like black and white. These colours, in John Ferguson’s eyes, compliment the natural look she carries, with virtually no make-up on her face, and giving Ferguson a clean palette that catches his attention. Since grey is a colour that is a result of black and white, looking at the symbolism of those colours should apply to it as well. Black is seen as the colour of elegance, wealth, mystery, sadness and depth, while white is seen as purity, humility, love, protection and reverence. Many of these characteristics apply to Mrs Elster as she is a combination of a mysterious woman from a wealthy background, who has a multi-layered personality.
• Blue – This colour is worn by John Ferguson quite significantly after the death of Madeleine at the roof of the church. For the court case, he wears a bright blue suit and again at Ernie’s he is seen in the same suit. The kind of clothing worn for a court case is a very important factor that the jury take notice of subliminally. Blue is often seen as contentment, tranquillity, stability, confidence, security and depression. Though the last description would apply accurately to the state of Ferguson, the colour of choice is a striking shade of blue which stands out from the plain decor of the courtroom. The conventional descriptors of the colour blue all seem to oppose the feelings that Ferguson would be going through after the woman he had affections for died. In this situation, it seems as if the colour is used ironically, to showcase the wishful state he would want everyone to see him in but is far from it in reality. After Ferguson is happy with the ‘new’ Madeleine, Judy Barton, he returns to wearing the colours he was seen before, black and brown.
• Green – While Madeleine Elster is seen interacting with a lot of green coloured items, like her car, many of her clothes and the hue from the Hotel Empire, she is also seen with different, and rather, pastel colours. On the other hand, Judy Barton is a character that wears prominent makeup with brighter colours. They are complete character foils of each other. Green symbolises self-awareness, perseverance, youth, soothing, jealousy and more. What is interesting is that none of these descriptors really apply to the either Judy or Madeleine, since both characters are quite conflicted. Again, the significance of the colour could be ironic, traits that both Judy and Madeleine are seeking to possess. Even though Judy wears much more makeup and different styles of clothing, John Ferguson, upon seeing her, is convinced that she is linked to Madeleine in some way., which heightens the suspense and mystery of the film.
• Purple – Judy Barton is seen wearing a light purple dress when on a dinner outing with John Ferguson for the first time. Of course, to Ferguson, she is a complete stranger but Judy chooses the colour and dress either to be depicted with the same colourful choice that she is known for or to project a certain mood onto him. Purple signifies mystery, enlightenment, mourning, intimacy, transformation among other traits. ‘Transformation’ is a trait that applies well to the situation, other than ‘intimacy’, which Judy feels for John. ‘Transformation’ would refer to the changes made to ‘Madeleine’ and how, now, the reality of Judy is what she wants Ferguson to see and love.
• Colour Combination – The way Hitchcock presented the nightmares, hallucinations, that Ferguson sees takes a major use of colours to depict a certain mood felt by the character, in a rather subliminal way. The colours blue, purple and red, along with green, are all used at alternating instances. While each colour could signify a certain message, a display of a mixture of them could suggest the confused and mercurial nature of Ferguson’s emotions relating to his job to follow Mrs Elster, along with his inner latent feelings about his acrophobia and vertigo. There is a lot of surrealist imagery in the sequence, adding to the peculiar nature of dreams as a whole.

‘Vertigo’ focuses a lot on character portrayal, to aid the story’s progression as well as sways the sympathies of the audience a certain way. John Ferguson, on the job to follow and keep an eye on Mr Elster’s wife, he keeps his distance but ends up starting to like her. When he is following Madeleine in his car, while she drives ahead, there are no spoken dialogues for the entire sequence and only background music to compliment the suspense of the situation. The lack of verbal interaction and the soundtrack give the scene the feeling of ‘spying’ and that the audience is involved with it as well. Another interesting aspect about Ferguson’s character is the inner conflict he endures relating to the deaths he indirectly caused to take place. Firstly, his fellow police officer fell off the roof of a building while trying to save Ferguson, which triggered his awareness of having acrophobia and vertigo. Secondly, because of his phobia, he was not successful in saving Madeleine from jumping off the roof of the church. These two occurrences are enough to lead him into acting aggressive and dominating over Judy and create an image of her that pleases him mentally and gives him the satisfaction of another chance at love. Though, sadly, Judy also falls to her death now because of Ferguson’s controlling attitude. All this guilt piling up within him would cause him a rather permanent psychological trauma.

To add on, another interesting moment in the film is when Judy, after being insisted on accepting a dinner invitation with John Ferguson, looks to the camera and triggers a flashback of the church stunt encounter to ensue. She does not drift off while looking to the floor or at her own reflection in the mirror, but looks straight to the camera, at perhaps the audience as if telling them something she could never let anyone else know and that anyone could understand greatly. As an audience watching the film, only we can truly understand the emotions and difficulty that the characters go through in situations. It is as if Judy is asking the audience for some needed guidance since they are the only people who she can escape to for help. From a film-viewing standpoint, it creates a moment of truth for the audience since this plot twist is completely unexpected while also giving the feeling of desperate aid directly from the character Judy.

The ending of the film is probably the most captivating part of it. After ‘Madeleine’ dies, the film takes a spiral since John Ferguson becomes an unstable character and then the appearance of a ‘ghost’ named Judy enters into his life. The audience starts to question the plot and where it is headed and after Carlotta’s necklace is seen around Judy’s neck, and Ferguson draws parallels to what he saw earlier in the painting, everything becomes clear. There are two ‘twists’ in this film that bring about some uneasiness. The first is when Judy has a flashback to the event of Mrs Elster’s death, but from her point of view (i.e. the camera follows her) and it is revealed that she was a doppelganger of the real Mrs Elster the entire time. This re-viewing of the situation puts things into perspective for the audience as well as a close-to-intimate moment is shared between the character on screen, as she ‘breaks the fourth wall’ and looks directly into the camera. The reality of the film is kept between the character and the audience, which is quite an impactful effect within a scene so tense and emotional since Judy is battling between moving on or staying with Ferguson and continue to remain in his delusion. The second ‘twist’ moment is not entirely a plot twist but serves as an encounter of equilibrium, as it could be described. History repeats itself when Judy is startled by the sudden presence of a nun in the shadows and lose her balance, causing her to fall out the open window exactly the same way Madeleine had died. Whether it is a choice to act as the symbolism of Ferguson getting over his fears and his pastor to intensify the confusion of a film it is, it seems to act out as an appropriate end for it. It rounds off the film, leaving John in the state he was in after initially believing that Madeleine had died.

Infer & Deduce: The film’s title, ‘Vertigo’, clearly indicates towards the main character’s fear of heights and the feeling of dizziness he feels when at a high place, though one may argue that it could be referring to the problems that his fear has caused him which was, firstly, the death of his fellow police colleague then, secondly, the death of Judy at the top of the church. Both people of significance to him in some way died because of heights. Moreover, the film leaves Ferguson in a vertigo-type of state because of the sense of déjà vu, where he watches the same woman die again, but for real the second time. It also leaves an audience watching in a trance because of the topsy-turvy mood the entire film conveys, even before the idea of a plot twist. In conclusion, ‘Vertigo’ could point to the direct plot itself, the flaw in character or what the audience could feel at a particular level for the film.

---

Technical Aspects

This film begins with an eye and mind-bending credit sequence made up of graphical designs and extreme close-up shots of what one would assume are the main character of the film. This sense of immediate proximity to the subject in the shot sparks up the initial discomfort within an audience, which later develops at multiple points in the film. The film uses an array of shots and camera techniques which are quite fitting for the scenes, like establishing and wide angled shots to set the scene and show the audience when and where the film takes place, as in the shot of the Golden Gate Bridge. Conversations are portrayed through long takes at times where the camera pans to follow characters around a room, or with medium shots to show the surrounding background and props rather than the usual over-the-shoulder shots. Some medium close up shots, especially when the subject in the frame is a person, have a still or rack focus to direct the audience’s attention to particular parts in the frame. An example of this is when Ferguson goes over to Midge’s house after she left him a note asking about his whereabouts. At times in the scene, the camera is focused on Midge alone, walking around her apartment, showing her facial expressions. Moreover, another brilliant camera technique is used when Ferguson ends up in the art gallery while following Mrs Elster, who is sitting on a bench looking at a painting of Carlotta, her great-grandmother. The camera follows Ferguson’s gaze, allowing the audience to understanding what he has noticed and drawn conclusions from, zooming in on aspects from Mrs Elster then zooming into parts of the painting to show the similarities, like the same bouquet of flowers and the way her hair is done in the scene. Though one technique that triumphs all the others is the dolly-zoom, which is known as the vertigo shot, where the camera moves forwards or backwards and is zoomed in or out in the opposite direction of the movement simultaneously. This shot is used in various films now and to convey different kinds of feelings, whether to enhance the suspense, add a comedic effect of alarm or to fulfil the purpose it was created for: emphasise the height of something.

The film does not waste its potential on using music to complement the occurrences in scenes or at what stage the plot is at. The film’s soundtrack, composed by Bernard Hermann, is fitting for a thriller mystery since chords and music notes are not necessarily in the conventional progression order that a listener would expect them to be. Due to this, it gives the overall film a background of uneasiness and suspense. Music can have a strong impact on the emotions and mood of an audience, and this creates a much more impactful effect of the film on them.

---

Favourite Scene

John Ferguson, after noticing the necklace around Judy’s neck bearing resemblance to Carlotta’s necklace, drives his dinner date to the Church where Madeleine fell to her death to complete one final task to let go of his past. Since Judy is the same Madeleine, she immediately senses some sort of suspicion and feels nervous. This scene is quite powerful in terms of the way John Ferguson as a character has developed. He seems to be more bold and confident in this sequence compared to the rest of the film and isn’t hesitant to face his fears at the thought of finding out what really happened to Madeleine.

This scene stands out from the rest because of the interesting parallels and irony portrayed through the dialogues of Ferguson and the way he acts towards Judy. Taking a short sequence where he forces Judy to climb up the stairs to the top of the Church, John Ferguson says the following (04:50 minutes in the clip above):

You were the copy. You were the counterfeit, weren’t you? … You wanted to stop it, why did you scream? You tricked me so well up till then. You played the wife very well Judy! He made you over didn’t he? He made you over just like I made you over, only better. Not only the clothes or the hair, but the looks and the manner and the words… and those beautiful phony trances and you jumped into the bay, didn’t you? I bet you’re a wonderful swimmer, aren’t you? And then what did he do? Did he train you? Did he rehearse you? Did he tell you exactly what to do, what to say? You were a very apt pupil, weren’t you?

These words are ironic because while Ferguson feels betrayed and deceived, he did the exact same thing to Judy when he met her so that she could look just like Madeleine and he could come to terms with his horrid past. The way in which these words are said, in disgust and rage, is actually pretty hypocritical since Ferguson showed no compromise and hesitation to fulfil his own desires, just like Mr Elster did with the desire to kill his wife. Where Mr Elster took advantage of Ferguson’s fear of heights, Ferguson took advantage of Judy and her submissive character as she would do anything for his love, and turned it towards trying to get back what he lost. In addition to this, the words ‘train’, ‘rehearse’ and ‘played’, along with the phrase ‘tell you exactly what to do’ all apply to what a production director does to their actors, changing their appearance to fit the character envisioned in their mind and the script and tell them to do exactly what is written for them in the part. Hitchcock was known to have a specific vision and choice for actors, choosing blonde and white women for the female roles. It is interesting to infer that the scene, and the script, are aware of this nature in film production, enhancing the element of irony. While Elster was cruel to murder his own wife, take a non-suspecting man like Ferguson and use him as a tool in the crime to clear Elster’s name, Ferguson is really no different than the criminal himself in this matter as in a broad sense, he did all that to Judy, without murder being involved.

---

What would I do differently?

‘Vertigo’ is a masterpiece with a great story that I couldn’t change to anything better. Though some people may feel that its length is quite long, I feel as if it is apt since it allows the audience to get acquainted with the characters on screen enough to feel the empathy for and impact of the plot twists. Though aspects I would enhance in the film are the special effects and the set design in terms of the quality of projected displays used for the background of room and car windows, as well as shots from the top of buildings. In a modern day, with the latest technology, it would look far more realistic and improve the film from a minor technical standpoint.

---

Further Research Areas:

Acrophobia (The Fear of Heights)

Acrophobia: the Fear of Heights – VeryWellMind

Everything you need to know about vertigo (condition)

Vertigo: Ending Explained

BOOK VS FILM – Vertigo and D’entre les Morts

Vertigo – Spark Notes

Color Wheel Pro – See Color Theory in Action

Color Meaning and Psychology of Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink and Violet colors.

Colour Meanings and Symbolism

12 Colors and Their Meanings

The Definitive Guide to Guilt

Wizard Of Oz (1939)

Directed by: Victor Fleming

Cast: Judy Garland [Dorothy Gale], Ray Bolger [Scarecrow, Hunk], Margaret Hamilton [The wicked witch of the west, Almira Gulch]

Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto are transported to the land of Oz after being struck by a tornado back home. In a search for a way back, they follow the Yellow Brick Road to Emerald City to meet the Wizard, while on the journey become friends with an unintelligent Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), a heartless Tin Man (Jack Haley) and a Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr),  who are all heading to the Wizard to help them.

Based on: “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, written by L. Frank Baum

My rating: 9/10

---

Narrative aspects

‘The Wizard of Oz’, directed by Victor Fleming, and based on the famous written story, takes the audience on a rather magical trip through the normal life in Kansas juxtaposed to the thrilling nature of the world of Oz. The film follows a linear narrative and progresses one step at a time as characters develop along the way through new situations and stepping into the unknown. Dorothy, a young girl who lives on a farm in the normal ‘human world’, is just as clueless as the audience when she is transported to Oz after a rough storm. The audience shares the adventure of finding a new land with the protagonist, not knowing what would happen at any moment in the future. ‘The Wizard of Oz’ fits into the concept of the ‘Hero’s Journey’, a theory that states that the ‘hero’ of a story goes through twelve stages in completing a given task, which forms the plot, from the ‘call to adventure’ to ‘returning with the elixir’:

      1) ORDINARY WORLD

Dorothy is at her countryside home in Kansas, US. The audience is introduced to her simple farm life, with small interactions with her relatives. Dorothy is a normal young girl, unsuspecting of what adventures could happen in her life.

      2) CALL TO ADVENTURE

A harsh tornado causes Dorothy’s house to travel and transport to the land of Oz, and firstly to Munchkin Land. Dorothy is very confused about this new land and the beings that live in it. She is in search of a way to get home after the Wicked Witch threatens her for her ruby slippers.

      3) REFUSAL OF THE CALL

The Good Witch tells her to follow the Yellow  Brick Road to Emerald City to ask the Wizard for help. Dorothy feels concerned and unsure about how capable she is to do that.

      4) MEETING THE MENTOR

Dorothy meets with the Scarecrow after travelling on the Yellow Brick Road for a while and becomes quick friends with him. She invites him to come along with her to visit Oz, who could maybe give him a brain.

      5) CROSSING THE THRESHOLD

Dorothy meets a bunch of trees which surprises her, faced with a problem. She solves the issue and wins a few apples to eat then is faced with another stranger, the tin-man. She sees the Wicked Witch once again, who threatens her for the second moment while watching her every step.

      6) TESTS, ALLIES, ENEMIES

Dorothy meets the Cowardly Lion as well and the team travelling to Emerald City is complete. They stumble upon a poppy field that makes her fall asleep when they are almost at Emerald City. The Good Witch helps them to wake up with snow, a trusted ally.

      7) APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE

Dorothy finally reaches the Emerald City and so, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, though he refuses to see them at first. This makes Dorothy very sorrowful, questioning why he refused. Though finally, they meet up with the Wizard, who frightens them more than helps them.

      8) ORDEAL

Dorothy and the team are asked to retrieve the Wicked Witch’s broomstick as a condition to fulfil their requests of getting a brain, a heart, courage and going home. The tension rises as she faces the Wicked Witch, who takes her away. Dorothy must choose between keeping the slippers and letting her dog go or giving them to the Witch who would use their power in the worst way. Dorothy is broken about it, then sees Aunty Emily in a large crystal ball.

      9) REWARD (SEIZING THE SWORD)

Dorothy defeats the Wicked Witch, by throwing a pale of water on her, and is reunited with her friends the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion. She collects the broomstick and takes it to the Wizard, who then helps fulfil his promise. Everyone is happy and pleased, satisfied with what they receive.

      10) THE ROAD BACK

The Good Witch comes to visit Dorothy and tells her that she always had the way of reaching home. Dorothy realizes that all she needed for her happiness is back home. She says goodbye to her friends. Dorothy reaches home after clicking the heels of her ruby slippers, in an instant, while reuniting with her family.

      11) RESURRECTION

(unclear about this stage since  Dorothy does not face any fatalities)

      12) RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR

She wakes up, realizing it was all just a dream with her friends and family playing some character in it. She tells her family that she loves them and that she would never imagine leaving her home.

 

The film is a musical and the songs are brilliantly written and also the performance choreographed. This element makes the film more capturing for audiences watching while giving it a family and children-friendly element as well. Moreover, the music compliments the colourful set design, character costumes and transition from sepia-toned Kansas to full technicolour Oz. The soundtrack in this film is captivating and affects the mood of the audience by altering according to the scenes. When the witch is on screen, the music grows darker and with added suspense while when Dorothy is strolling with her friends from Oz, the music is usually accompanied by lyrics and is lively.

In addition to Dorothy being the protagonist, the supporting characters bring a lot of brightness to the film in terms of the story and their actions. Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion at different instances along her trip to Emerald City, getting to know them better and inviting them on her expedition so that they could ask the Wizard to grant them something too. Comedic moments ensue, making it a fun pass-time for an audience to watch. When the plot becomes tense, comedy equalises it to keep it enthralling. What is more is that the same actors that play Dorothy’s friends and family in Kansas play characters in Oz. This brings familiarity to the audience but also to the Dorothy since at the end of the film it is found that it was all a dream, after being knocked unconscious by the tornado.

Infer & Deduce: The film shares the title of the book on which it is based, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, though omits the word ‘wonderful’. This could be because of its tongue-twister type of nature or that it would be too long for a film title. However, the direct title of the book is part of one of the main songs in the film:

We’re off to see the Wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz
We hear he is a whiz of a wiz
If ever a wiz there was
If ever, oh ever a wiz there was

The Wizard of Oz is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the wonderful things he does
We’re off to see the Wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz

---

Technical Aspects

The ‘Wizard of Oz’ is an astounding example of technological advances and choices for the time that it was produced in. Being a 4:3 aspect ratio film is one thing that sets it apart from the films of the modern day. Technicolour technology using three film strips of dyed different colours was run through the camera to combine together and form a final picture that is coloured. Along with this, other camera techniques like shots types and angles with camera movement varies according to the scene and the characters on screen. There are a lot of eye-level shots with not much of the over-the-shoulder jump-cuts that normal conversational sequences are made of. Characters are usually gathered in one shot and converse with each other in one take. Many scenes in the film are long one-shots where the camera follows the characters around, like during a sound performance (‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow, when Dorothy is in Kansas before the tornado). A varied use of cross-fades from one scene to another is used to show time skips to quicken the pace of the plot.

The film uses an array of special effects to capture the magical mystery of the world in which Dorothy and her friends live in. Whether it is the Wicked Witch throws a red-orb fireball at the Scarecrow or the Good Witch travelling using a pink bubble and appearing on the screen magically, the film utilises special effects in a very interesting way. Moreover, the set design is intricate, realistic and very fitting for the fantastical world that Oz is. There are a lot of extras used to add more realism and complexity to the sets and background of the film, for instance, in Munchkin Land or Emerald City. Other than all these characters being dressed in clothing appropriate for the scene, it makes the scene more believable as a civilization that actually exists. It makes the world of the film more captivating.

---

Favourite Scene

After the tornado strikes the small farm Dorothy lives on in Kansas, she’s whisked away with no idea that she has landed in another place called Oz. This scene exhibits an amazing use of technology to capture a wonderful and unique way of dividing the film’s outlook between Dorothy’s own home in Kansas and the new land of Oz that is miles away from what she knows. This scene would have brought amazement to the audiences that had watched it at the time of release because from a sepia and dull-toned film canvas, transforming into a vibrant palette of colour much like the real world they would have lived in. This transition also clearly signifies the transition from Kansas to the land of Oz, which aids the story progression.

To add on, the advantage of using the technicolour technique is that it captures the bright tones of colour from the brilliantly built set pieces, which would have looked plain and mundane if the film continued on its sepia-toned path. This could have altered the interest of an audience since the new and more exciting setting of the story is no different than her own home, in terms of its appearance and filter. This scene was, personally, a surprise for me when I watched the film for the first time. I was not expecting such a transition and to think that it was made in 1939 and to achieve such colour and vibrancy blew me away. The very concept of altering the colour tone to enhance the difference between the normal realm and the fantasy realm helps with the amazement of the audience and the characters as well.

While researching this film I found out that the film crew used a stunt double of Dorothy for the scene to make the entrance of Judy Garland’s Dorothy easier. This was done due to the minor limitations of technicolour, where unlike today, one cannot cut out a portion of the film and edited a different filter of colour. The crew had to paint the entire house a shade of sepia, along with the actress herself for the shot where she runs to the door only. Then the normal, coloured clothing Dorothy stepped in instead of the double. It’s brilliant to think that for such a short shot, the production crew would have to go to so much trouble to make a scene work in the past. Now, with the wonders of editing, everything is so simply done.

---

What would I do differently?

Making the film with modern day technology and skill would definitely impact the quality, reach and reception of it. The effects would be more realistic with a lot of it being CGI animation and greenscreen chroma-key rather than having sets built for all the locations. Personally, I would use motion capture technology for the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion so that they look more realistic and the time put into preparing actors with prosthetics and makeup. The widescreen format would also have much more of the set on screen, giving the audience more detail from the mise-en-scène.

---

Further Research Areas:

How THE WIZARD OF OZ Went From Black & White To Color

The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)

8 Differences Between the Wizard of Oz Movie and Book

Wizard of Oz – Behind The Scenes

The Hero’s Journey – Mythic Structure of Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth

An Introduction to The Hero’s Journey

How Technicolor changed movies

Musical selections in The Wizard of Oz

Effects of Music Training on the Child’s Brain and Cognitive Development

Music and Emotion – Sync Project

Music & How It Impacts Your Brain, Emotions

Unbreakable (2000)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Cast: Bruce Willis [David Dunn], Samuel L. Jackson [Elijah Price], Spencer Treat Clark [Joseph Dunn]

David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is a security guard who is miraculously the lone survivor survives a highly fatal train crash, finds himself the subject of a theory that explains his good luck. When news of the crash is made public, a man who is excessively weak tracks him down to try to explain to Dunn about his unique unbreakable nature.

My rating: 8.5/10

---

Narrative aspects

M. Night Shyamalan is a brilliant storyteller with unique ideas and concepts. Within the world he creates, the detail is so well-rounded and there are continuity and consistency with everything, down to the slightest of cues that an audience may not even catch. At the beginning of ‘Unbreakable’, before the film even starts, there are a series of titles giving the audience information about comic books and their sales. At first, it seems completely random though later on the concept of comic books becomes a clear and main point in the story. Moreover, the scene with the birth of Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), the protagonist in the story, and how he has a condition that affects the strength of his bones is addressed later on. Everything in the film has a purpose to serve, nothing is present without reason.

The theory of the Hero’s Journey could be applied to this film since it has a protagonist that follows the pattern of any classic comic character with having powers, called to carry out a duty for society hut refusing the reality of such abilities at first. The character development is done gradually, without fully relying on flashbacks alone. A mixture of previous encounters with dialogues addressing their past lives is used, with the choice of action and interaction with other characters giving clues to the audience as well as furthering the plot. An example is a scene where David Dunn (Bruce Willis), the protagonist, is on a train heading for his hometown Philadelphia and upon a woman asking if the seat next to him is free, discreetly removes his wedding ring from his finger. This action clearly indicates, before even meeting any other characters, that he is having some marital issues, perhaps a divorce in the process. M. Night Shyamalan executes such a device of ambiguity and implications without directly telling or showing an audience a certain angle extremely well. It involves an audience and sort of forces them to look at the film more deeply than just watch it for a pass time. Like any mystery thriller, details of the plot are shown one at a time so that the audience can absorb and keep on track with the fast plot and as the characters learn about conditions too.

The two polar opposites of characters, David Dunn and Elijah Price, are depicted brilliantly, with their abilities being at the other end of each other on the spectrum, to start with. Dunn is physically strong where Elijah is not though Elijah is mentally strong and extremely smart. Both characters come from different childhood backgrounds, deal with different kinds of people, have different jobs and personalities and yet they are linked to each other. The difference of their abilities, in a rather confusing way, is what makes them similar. David Dunn is supposed to be the superhero while Elijah Price is the supervillain, due to the actions they commit as well as given the comic book background this film pursues. It gives the film a sense of realism since the superhero aspect is not as fictional as in mainstream comic movies like the Marvel or DC Cinematic Universes. More than laser vision, flight or mind control, Dunn and Elijah enjoy and suffer, respectively, from physical characteristics that any human could actually have.

Like any Shymalan film, one is not complete without a plot twist. ‘Unbreakable’ introduces the classic character plot twist where the ‘enabler’ turns out to be nothing more than the real villain. It has the message ‘now you are worthy to fight me’ flowing throughout this turning point in the film. The twist would bring about a mixture of speculation and emotions from the audience watching. Some may like to see a sequel, where the relationship or rivalry between Price and Dunn progresses and where Dunn unlocks his true potential, like any superhero story.

Infer & Deduce: The film’s title is interesting since it is a characteristic that inanimate objects share. Thought, however, alludes to a human being, a character in the film that has the ability to be invincible. While watching the film, the title’s reason of choice becomes obvious since the audience is introduced to David Dunn, the protagonist with the ability of superstrength and to sense the wrongdoings a person has done or is going through. He has never fallen sick, nor had any injury, making him a person who is literally ‘unbreakable’. To counter, the first scene of the film involves the birth of Elijah Price though after learning about his medical condition that causes weak bones, the audience is aware that he isn’t the character that the film’s title is referring to.

---

Technical Aspects

Along with M. Night Shyamalan’s brilliant storytelling technique, his visual and cinematographic style of presentation is unique and engaging in some ways. Generally, in this film the camera shots and movements are carried out as though the audience is an outsider, poking into and eavesdropping on the conversations and lives of the characters. This gives a clear peek into the action on the screen while the audience feels involved in the story and in whichever way the characters are affected the audience would feel something similar. An example of this is the scene where David Dunn is sitting on a train on his way to Philadelphia and a woman takes a seat next to him. The camera doe snot make the usual jump-cuts from one character’s angle to the other as a usual presentation of a conversation would go but it is actually in one take, with the camera moving back and forth on the seats in front of them and creeping through the crack in the seats. This gives an audience the feeling that they do not belong there and while given a view of the characters on the train, they feel bad for sort of ‘listening in’ on a conversation. Moreover, this choice of camera movement and angle depicts the disconnection the audience has with Dunn since this is the first scene with him and they are not aware of who he is and what is his significance to the story.

The camera rarely stays still. Even in situations where the shot does not change, the camera dollys towards the subject slowly, keeping the pace constant and not boring for an audience. Shyamalan uses movement more than varying shot types, having many scenes in one take along with focusing on having many multiple characters in a frame to simultaneously display both reactions and attitudes. To add on, the camera acts as a direct insight towards what the characters know and find out, like for example, when Dunn exited the memorial service for the train crash, the camera would sort of follow his gaze and would only reveal scene cues when the character would notice them. Another very unique example of brilliant camera movement is when young Elijah Price opens up a present and finds a comic laying inside the box, only that it is upside down from his view. As he holds the corners of the comic and turns it to face him straight, the camera follows this action, taking the audience around in a complete turn of 360° till he finally can see the name and picture properly. It looks phenomenal, almost as it is a first person point of view angle.

Shyamalan also plays around with sound when he wants to convey a certain character reaction or emotion across to the audience. By manipulating the level of ‘noise’ in a scene, like a background ambience from people talking or cars driving, the audience steps into the mind of the character directly, understanding the emotions or the atmosphere in the fictional setting of the film. An example of this is the scene where Dunn finds out that after the train crash he is the only one that survived, without a broken bone. His shock and detachment from reality while absorbing that news is displayed by nothing but the sound of slow wind and silence in the background, while the camera focuses on Dunn during wide angled shots and medium-close up shots. Even though he is seen talking and interacting with his family members and people at the hospital, the echoey silence intensifies his feelings of mental trauma at the hint that something special is going on with him.

---

Favourite Scene

This scene puts Dunn in the spotlight, letting go of his inhibitions and letting his powers show him what he is capable of. Price pushes him to stop fearing the unknown and Dunn ends up at a station where random, mundane-by-look people rush past him as he stands in between the crowd. As a few people nudge into him by accident, he starts to find out about the horrid lives they lead, realising that ‘looks can be deceiving’. This message is actually quite close to the life outside the film screen, with audiences feeling the weight of how everyone around them leads such different lives and one cannot even imagine what the other is going through.

The way in which the flashes into the secret lives of strangers is depicted is clever since the camera is pointing down from a high vantage point, a high-angle shot. This is a smart decision by the director as it gives the audience the feeling that they are spying on the character Dunn is looking at due to the CCTV set up of the camera filming. Moreover, other than having a wide shot showing the entire set up of the location to give the context of their wrongdoings, the high angle makes them seem inferior in Dunn’s eyes since they can choose to do the right thing but yet resort to harming others.

David Dunn is shown to be at the edge of reaching above his abilities and being completely vulnerable. He could choose to make the wrongs right and turn the criminals in or feel the weight of the world being such a frightening place that he tries to forget everything he sees. The audience is curious to know how Dunn would react to realising that he has got psychic powers and that before it was just a lucky guess or feeling that he’d have about the man carrying the gun or about someone having drugs in their possession. Dunn becomes self-aware, empowered and determined.the audience is reminded of Dunn’s good side since after finding out about his powers, the first thing he does is go after a man who claimed a strangers house as his own and tied up the people who actually live there. The audience knows that these strong powers are in the right hands, with someone who could make the city of Philadelphia a better place.

---

What would I do differently?

I thoroughly enjoyed the film, it’s ability to involve a viewer as well as the characters involved. It has a plotline that sets it out from the rest and is still enjoyable more than a decade later. Being an avid M. Night Shyamalan fan, I enjoyed exploring the pattern of production he has with character portrayal and story points.

If I were to make my own ‘Unbreakable’ I would have driven deeper into the powers that Dunn possesses and really show him tackling heavy obstacles that could really put his life in danger. The way in which the film is formed and structured, it seems as though ‘Unbreakable 2’ is a sequel we never got as an audience. Though however now, with Split being a brilliant success, Shyamalan’s third unofficial instalment in this series is set to release in January 2019, ‘Glass’, which focuses on Elijah Price and his storyline.

---

Further Research Areas:

The Study of Instinct: unraveling how the brain generates behavior

The Evolutionary Roots of Instinct

Extra-sensory perception – a controversial debate

ESP – Extrasensory Perception

Osteogenesis Imperfecta – Rare Disorders

How It’s Possible For An Ordinary Person To Lift A Car

Can Humans Have Superpowers?

The psychology of superheroes (and villains)

Unbreakable – Movie Review