Checking in to let everyone know that the reading packet for this class should be available now at the Print House, on Huntington Avenue (across street just past Longwood Avenue). Please get the packet this week if you have not already, and start reading the sections on themes and symbols; or feel free to continue reading in the packet, the whole things is assigned for the next two weeks.
I'm also wondering if anyone has any further thoughts on last week's film? Sometimes thoughts come to the fore after the film settles into the psyche for a while.
One thing I noticed after having not seen the film in a while is that there were many visual images of dissipation and things being scattered to the winds; like when Saskia lets the rolling papers fly out of her tobacco pouch, or when Rex drops the package of ping pong balls out of the car. The frisbee Saskia buys for Rex is also of course a symbol of something that can fly or float away (or be thrown away).
Having never seen this film before but being a big fan of the horror genre, I feel that the most successful horrors are the ones that are believable. While the masked villain with a chainsaw can have its affects, nothing lingers more like the seemingly "everyday guy" turning out to be the one capable of such acts. This film had that lingering power for me.
ReplyDeleteFrom the instant that Saskia walked in the store and we, as an audience, saw Lamorne entered shortly after, it was apparent that something was about to occur. Once Rex realizes that Saskia has been taken, the film turned very frantic and almost claustrophobic in that Rex was unable to think clearly and found himself frequenting the same locations, etc. While not a direct foreshadowing in any sense, the frantic tension that is created and heightened as the film progresses leads the viewer, or at least me, to think that Saskia was not just killed, but that there was something "bigger."
I think for me the most interesting part of the film was Lamorne's discussion about being a sociopath and his discovery of that sensation. This was probably (apart from the ending) the most disturbing part. it seemed as though Raymond kidnapped Saskia and buried her as a test for himself to see how far he could bring himself and what exactly he was capable of. This is where there was almost a sympathy instilled in the way that George Sluizer directed this. Rather than depicting the villain as some deranged lunatic mindlessly killing, it was a seemingly simple man testing his capabilities, which made me for a brief moment almost feel bad for Raymond (emphasis on "brief").
Overall I was really glad that I got to see the film for the first time and it is definitely one that I will look forward to seeing again.
There were two other movies that came to mind after thinking about this film:
-- John McNaughton's Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (much more graphic and a lot less subtle than The Vanishing but an interesting look at the killer's personality as a focal point of the film)
--Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train mainly for the way they depict the villain as a somewhat simple/curious man.
Speaking of Hitchcock, I agree with Justin that the depiction of the villain in a horror film as having a psychological disorder, as opposed to a maniac like most contemporary horror films was a nice choice. It also reminded me of the way the Master of Suspense constructed his story lines.
ReplyDeleteI have to confess that my first thought when I realized that Rex had been buried alive was that he should have spent more time learning martial arts instead of worrying about what happened to Saskia. Perhaps he could have punched his way out. I wouldn't be surprised if Tarantino stole this plot point knowing how much he enjoys to borrow cinematic elements from existing movies & tv.
The music was a wee bit silly at times, but as far as 80s movies go, it faired pretty well. The fact that the music didn't take me out of the film completely is probably a testament to how understated the score was for it's time.
My main issue with the film was the egg dream, to me it screamed FORESHADOWING! METAPHOR! PAY ATTENTION NOW! THIS IS IMPORTANT! Because it was a significant, reoccurring motif, I didn't feel it delivered by the end of the movie as promised. I guess I expected some sort of grand, mystical resolution and all I got was a silly newspaper headline. It seemed like a bit of a cop out. Perhaps upon second viewing I will find the nuance I felt this element was lacking. Please feel free to enlighten me if you felt differently.
The Vanishing hit me powerfully on several levels. When Rex and Saskia are first introduced I felt as though they were people I could relate to and a couple that I would enjoy being friends with. I guess they seemed like a realistic and believable "cute couple." This believability was somewhat interrupted by the introduction of the egg dream. I also thought that it seemed a little forced. The experience switched from Rex and Saskia being real people to being characters in a movie, fitting awkwardly into the structure of a narrative. I liked the metaphor as a whole, I just think it could have been introduced more gracefully.
ReplyDeleteThe believability of the characters made the horrific scenes much more terrible. I could easily see myself in the characters' shoes from the very beginning of the movie. The tunnel scene, the scene in which Rex discovers Saskia is missing, the flashback to when Saskia is abducted (particularly the look of realization in her eye when Raymond covers her mouth with the cloth), and the final scene underground all hit me much harder because I was viewing each situation from Rex and Saskia's perspective.
I did not feel any strong connection with Raymond. I found him interesting, but did not relate to him in the same way. I found his beard distracting.
I did have one point of confusion. What exactly was Rex's relationship with Saskia? When she first went missing Rex was asking for help, saying that he couldn't find his wife. Later in the film, when Rex was on television, she was repeatedly referred to as his friend. Was this a translation issue? or perhaps Rex referred to her as his wife as a way to stress the dire situation he was in and get help from people at the gas station?
Raymond's role as not only an "everyday guy" but a father was most disturbing to me, ESPECIALLY because he tested out his techniques for abducting women on his daughter. When his daughter got in the car and he reached over to lock her door and then pulled her into him and when they were screaming at the home he would later use to bury Suskia alive were the most disturbing parts of the movie for me. They were treated as normal everyday things, funny things, that didn't really matter, just time spent with the family. I think it truly proves how crazy he is that he is testing out his scenario for killing someone with his family, all the while showing no guilt or nervousness.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the golden egg was a bit of a miss for me as well. It felt odd and forced, as Dan and Sarah said. The ending when their obituaries are cropped into egg shapes felt sort of cheesy to me.
ReplyDeleteThe fear of being buried alive is a nearly universal human fear. I found some interesting (if a bit melodramatic) articles about the phenomenon. Edgar Allen Poe also had a story called Premature Burial. It's interesting how this theme is prominent in the human psyche, and therefore in the human culture.
ReplyDeleteLinks below --
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/gruesome/buried.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premature_burial
Poe's story -- http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/eapoe/bl-eapoe-premature.htm
Since watching this film last week, I have had some time to let this film 'sink in'. I feel that the strength in this film lies in the tension created in the slow, steady revelation of facts and events. We as an audience do not receive any information about what happened to Saskia before Rex does, which allows us to empathize with him. After viewing the film, I felt confused by something that Raymond mentioned earlier on: "My daughter was bursting with pride, but I thought that her admiration wasn't worth anything unless I could prove myself absolutely incapable of doing anything evil. And as black cannot exist without white, I logically conceived the most horrible deed that I could imagine right at that moment. But I want you to know, for me killing is not the worst thing." Throughout watching, I kept wondering-- what will he do which he feels worse than killing? Only a few days after watching the film did I remember that Raymond handed the police officer his medical certificate for 'claustrophobia' when he gets pulled over with Rex. Then it clicked- maybe if Raymond really were claustrophobic, this for him really would be the worst thing. To bury someone alive would force someone to feel his worst fear.
ReplyDeleteI, too felt the eggs were a little cliché, but I do feel that they signify a height in Rex's desperation to find out what happened to Saskia. When Rex dreams the same dream that Saskia had before she died, we know that he is consumed by the need to find her, to the point where it is all he can do with his life, and all he dreams about. To Rex the dream may signify a 'sign', which may have an influence on his decision to go with Raymond, and to drink the poison.
I appreciated the way the movie resolved itself in the end. Because there was no big "dramatic" event in the conclusion, the film seemed even more believable.
ReplyDeleteIn reality, things do not end "dramatically," especially death. The fact that The Vanishing ended abruptly without much of a punch more accurately reflects the way things in life actually pan out. Death is quick and occurs within seconds, with no room for reversal. It is not exciting or dramatic; but rather it is quick, and then over.
The fact that we were left with nothing in the film is very believable. People die and then they are forgotten, a mere memory. The headline shows how publicized the event was but also symbolizes the fact that while once on the cover of every magazine they will soon be forgotten, and replaced by some new news event.
I have actually seen the Western remake of this, and I have to say, this film is so much more powerful, yet not as powerful as I felt it could be. I believe my feelings on that matter come from a biased source, as I am a huge fan of the psychological horror genre, and more specifically I am a fan of the Showtime series Dexter.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't unusual for me, as a viewer, to analyze the constructs of a killer's mind and accept them as being a functioning member of society. The BTK killer lead a perfectly normal life with a perfectly normal family for quite a long time before being caught, and was as flatly unapologetic and coldly factual as the killer in the Vanishing. So it doesn't surprise me much, though I guess that it is meant to.
The dark humor was enjoyable, something it's Western counterpart did not have, and it's portrayal of the killer more thorough--which was especially effective. It was about the psychology behind what happened, not the crazy car-chase ridiculousness that the Western version had me believe.
I have a question for everyone: What is with all these American remakes of great foreign films?