This movie is some weird mix between a sci-fi and a film noir. The sci-fi element is contributed by the presence of the aliens and weird powers and the film noir by the extremely low lighting, which makes it feel like a black and white film, and the dark urban setting.
The scene with the ring showed the relationship between the couple. When the officer asks Emma if the ring is bothering her, she replies without a real answer, simply stating that she never takes it off. The ring is reflective of their relationship, which is painful in some ways, but will not cease to exist because their love is too strong.
A key motif in the movie is the maze. It seems as if the whole situation is a maze in which Murdoch is stuck. (By the way, Murdoch seems like a German name, which would agree with what Mr. Bennett said about this being a German expressionist film) It seems that the only way out is through Shell Beach, which may not even exist, except in his memories. We see this when he is told to go on the express and then when he asks why the train doesn't stop, the man says because its the express. The idea that the city can be manipulated, that its always dark, and that the people have an extremely limited memory suggests that the whole world is a maze that the aliens, or whatever the hell they are, have created and have continued control over. Even the people are controlled, which makes them more of an object than a human. Take the conversation between the alien leader and Emma, in which they talk about how an existence in which one had no memories to call their own would be tormenting. He gives the innuendo that such is her existence and everyone around her. In a sense, the aliens are like Gods except that now a human is presenting a dilemma. So, they might be better described as demi-gods.
One question I have is why they arr doing all of this. Are they studying the human brain or the psychology of human beings? That's what it looks like.
You have put your finger on it beautifully. They are studying humans in order to survive themselves.
ReplyDeleteI'm finding it very interesting to watch this version, because it is very different than the original cut. The scenes you reference, for example, the ring scene was cut in the origninal, as were the heavy-handed references to the spiral -- the cappucino, and the fingerprints. Also, the speech at the water wtih Emma was WAY shorter in the original. This diretor's versiion is way too talky, I think.
The scene wtih Emma singing was VERY short in teh original. She only sings about 10 words of "The Night has a Thousand Eyes" She only sings,
They say that you're a runaround lover. I say it isn't true. But, if you put me down for another, I'll know, believe me, I'll know.
that's it. In the director's cut, she sings the whole song. Also, in the original, they had a professional singer dub over Jennifer Connolly. In the new cut, she sings it herself, rather badly, I think, but maybe that's better, more realistic.