Just watched The Village. What a metaphor!

[johnaries]

And I want to thank everyone who DIDN'T talk about it before and spoil it for me.
If you haven't seen it, STOP! Rent it, and then come back. Don't read any further until you see it.

They created their own Utopian "Walden's Pond", but in order to do so they had to create an imaginary "boundry" of fear, and create imaginary "threats" to keep their children from knowing the truth and possibly exposing themselves to the Horrors of the "towns".

And,when it became necessary for one of them (actually, a blind girl who could see things the rest of them could not) to cross over to the "towns" for medicine, with "magic stones" (why haven't we heard of these magic stones before?) and wearing the "protective colors" as opposed to the "bad colors"....

But, at the end, when William Hurt stands up and admits all the lies and the deaths and heartaches, and he asks "do you think it's worth it?" and the sheeple stand up and accept it..,

Well, is it just me, or is this a real metaphor for Bush's Utopia? Except that instead of keeping it within isolated walls Bush wants to extend it to other countries, whether they like it or not?

[neebob]

1. Well, now that you mention it ...

Until I saw this post, I thought it was just a pretty film with a lame, contrived story. You're right, it's a metaphor. Key difference, though: The Village elders had good intentions.

[Selatius]

7. The road to hell is paved with good intentions (damn the elders here)

The elders, in my opinion, are only a shade different from authoritarian socialists in the USSR. Instead of using gulags and firing squads, they used fear of the unknown to keep people in line.

What made me angry about the film was that instead of facing up to the darkness, they ran away from it instead and condemned everyone they loved to an existence where so much as a common sickness that's easily curable can leave a person, perhaps that girl, blind. They had no right to impose that kind of decision on others.

I'm missing the point though if I concentrate just on that. I don't think Shyamalan made the film so that I could condemn the evils of totalitarian socialism as much as understand man's suffering and his ways of coping, right or wrong.

[johnaries]

11. Actually, you're very close to "the point"..

Remember, not only did the "village" run away from the darkness and the fear, the darkness and fear were not real! The "others" did not exist, but were only proganda that the elders used to keep the rest from going "outside the borders"!

Bush scared us into believing that Saddam had WMD, and so we ivaded Iraq. Now, he's trying to scare us that Social Security will disintegrate.

You can convince people to do anything, if you scare them properly. Although, sooner or later, someone will find a way to surpass their fears.

[johnaries]

8. It seemed to be marketed as a "Wes Craven" type film,

and I can see why anyone would be disappointed if that's what they expected. This was more of a Rod Serling meets Alfred Hitchcock movie.

Yeppers, I've a feeling this is one of those where the more you watch, the more you see.....

[FreedomAngel82]

25. That's how I am

with "The Shining." Whenever I watch it there's always something new. I'll have to watch this movie again and see if I miss something else, but it truly is an amazing movie. I loved it. If you're wanting something like "Nightmare on Elm Street" this isn't for you. It's all about the brain and controlling your enviornment and what others know.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. The difference is, at least the elders in the film meant well. Shrubco

has no intention of creating a utopia.

On edit, funny that the other poster and I replied with the same response at the same time.

I thought the whole business with the monsters and colors was very much a political metaphor, applicable to many places and situations but very much relevant to our current terror threats and color coded danger codes...

[opusprime]

3. Just saw it as well...

I have to admit I was a little disappointed though, I thought it was a scary movie, DOH! I kept waiting for the horror.

I didnt see the metaphor until your post. I like your take. I thought more about the Free State Project, and how they are trying to get control of a geographic region so that they can control the government. I guess I saw the good in what they were trying to do. Thanks for pointing out the other side.

[Democrat Dragon]

4. When I saw that movie, I was thinking the same thing.

glad someone else figued it out. :)

[stpalm]

5. That was SUCH a SHITTY movie!

Contrived, boring, idiotic twist. Monsters seemed arbitrary, Shamyalan thinks he is Hitchcock... stupid stupid stupid! I HATED this movie!

[johnaries]

9. Don't hold back, tell me what You REALLY think!

let's start with the juicy juice, first:
"Shamylan thinks he's Hitchcock": I'll bet you don't even like Hitchcock. You just made that comment because you heard someone else say it, didn't you?
Look further down. In the meantime..,

Contrived? In what way? How many movies today actually create enitrely new societies? Sure, the social setting that was created was based on some Real separate societies that currently exist.

Boring, well, like I said earlier, if you were expecting a Wes Craven "slasher" movie rather than a movie that required you to think, yes, you'd be disappointed.

"Monsters seemed arbitrary"; well, actually, that's one of the points of the movie. The only real MONSTERS are the one's that we create in our in our minds. Whether they were placed there by others, or we created them ourselves. If that doesn't make sense to you now,that's ok: you'll figure it out one day.

"Shamylan thinks he's Hitchcock": I'll bet you don't even like Hitchcock. You just made that comment because you heard someone else say it, didn't you?

OK, I'm not a film student, but I've watched a lot of movies. Hitch was the first true "out of the box" genius. He has been parodied by Mel Brooks' High Anxiety and in Throw Momma From the Train, and some directors have copied him directly. The basics of Hitchcock films were to a: develop characters that the viewer cares about, b; once you identify with the charcter, show a different persective. I'm sure M. Night studied many Hitchcock films. I think he learned his lessons well. He understands timing, point of view, and perspective, but I think he does a fine job of creating his own camera and diretion techniques without "copying" others.

[stpalm]

30. I think it's funny how you think I am a moron

with zero intelligence because I didn't like a bad movie. I do indeed like movies that make you think. I despise brainless slasher movies, despite what you claim. Because I didn't like this particular shitheap of a movie, it is presumptuous of you to assume that I "dont like Hitchcock" and dont understand complicated ideas.

I really don't know why you decided to flame me about this, but I would encourage you to tone down your posts. I liked "The Sixth Sense" and "Psycho", but I didn't like this movie at all. I personally am quite curious as to why you are being such a pissy little bitch- I just said I didn't like the movie, geeze- it's like I was insulting you somehow. (when you are the one who started the personal attacks) You can go ahead and like the movie- I didn't care for it.

[alphafemale]

10. I figured out the "twist" from seeing the trailer

As in-

"Oh. That looks contrived. Look at all that earnest, wide-eyed emoting and hokey looking sets...Looks Shamyalan

...hmm it is.

What's the stupidest possible ending knowing the source?

Howzabout?

It's not set in the past, but in present. And only the leaders know this.

[johnaries]

14. *sigh* that may be the "twist", but it's not the "point".

Why is it so many people want to build their egos by "oh, I knew that was coming"? Sixth Sense threw everyone a curve ball, so now every time a Shaymalayan movie comes out everyone wants to say, "oh. I saw that coming.., I'm just as smart as he is."

The man makes great movies. Why can't we enjoy them without trying to disprove our own inadequacies?

[OneMoreDemocrat]

16. No, the man makes shitty movies with good endings..........

Be honest, up until the very moment that it's revealed that Bruce Willis' character is actually dead in the Sixth Sense, did you (like me) think you were watching one of the worst films of all time?

I call what he does the "Night Effect"....that is, just make sure you have a great twist ending and the audience will forget how awful everything preceding it was.

Works every time, though even the Night Effect couldn't save The Village; it was just too awful.

[alphafemale]

19. And how about when you knew he was dead from the opening?

A bad movie...and "what surprise"

[OneMoreDemocrat]

21. Well, in the case of the Sixth Sense..........

I was legitimately surprised....I thought it was pretty cool actually, though it still doesn't take away from the fact that I almost walked out prior to the twist taking place.

I really wanted to see that film too, there's a scene in which you can actually see the building in which I lived and worked at the time; I came out of my apartment one morning and there was Bruce Willis not 20 feet in front of me shooting a scene...talk about a surprise.

[FreedomAngel82]

26. I remember seeing the Sixth Sense

I was a bit younger when it came out (late high school) and it took me a little bit to get it but then when you watch it again after knowing everything it brings a whole new angle to the movie and makes it more creepy. Imagine being like that little boy and having to live with that.

[alphafemale]

22. His "point" seems to be...."Trust Leaders" "Assimilation is Good"

He is RW isn't he?

[PassingFair]

15. Agree, the "acting" sucked up a storm, and I LIKE most of the actors

...with the exception of Shamalangadingdong's favorite, Joachim. Phew, he knows how to stink up a screen.
I blame what had to have been his crappy direction. Boring, boring, boring. In fact, I had a hard time staying awake. Stilted dialog, did I mention boring?

[ComerPerro]

6. Maybe that's why my brother figured it out really early in the movie

He noticed the metaphor, but didn't realize what he was doing.

I'll run that by him later, see what he thinks.

[justiceischeap]

12. That's an astute observation

I won't get in to Alphafemales strong disliking however, I will say this, if you go to a M. Knight film thinking there will be no twist at the end, then you shouldn't be going to his films.

That said, I'd rather see M. Knight try to be Hitchcock than most of the other crap that is being released.

As far as the elders, not only did they create a boundry with fear and imposed it on others but it was their fears. So they were propagating their fears on those that had no reason to believe there should be any. Did that make sense?

The film was obviously an observation on today's times.

[alphafemale]

17. Guilty as charged.

I'd rather he not "try" to imitate Hitchcock.

He lacks an ease with irony and irreverence.

He could probably better weave a fantasy fiction with a moral message.
The sets he uses would fit better too.

He is a RW'er right?

[justiceischeap]

18. I don't know about his political status

I just know his movies are way better than most of the crap released.

[alphafemale]

23. I know people enjoy his work. I just don't.

There's just something to the look and everything about his stuff that causes me to notice it.

The sets don't look like anything one would live in.

Yeah... The sets become more interesting the characters for me.

[FreedomAngel82]

27. Nobody can take Hitchock's place

I love his movies. He and Wes Craven are my favorite's.

[American Tragedy]

13. And of course the "good color" is yellow.

Which is fitting, since the society was formed out of cowardice and is based around constant fear and control.

Ironic, that the elders built their little village as a reaction to homicide. At least in the world from which they escaped, you could get immediate medical help when someone was stabbed.

[dddem]

20. funny you should mention that.

Whe we saw the movie last summer at the drive in, my daughters and their friends were scared at the beginning of the movie and wondering what was beyond the woods. My reply - republicans!

[FreedomAngel82]

28. LOL

That's funny. Now that will give your kid nightmares.

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Brilliant movie

I loved it. And I can see some of that going on today. (Sigh) The Bush administration is laying out the rules and their congressmen/women and Senators are following orders. I enjoyed that movie very well. I definietly want to buy it.

[fishwax]

29. I saw it as a metaphor on religion/social structure in general, rather

than being specific to these times. Of course, it has application to these times because the theme is relevant repeatedly through the course of history (mccarthyism, fears of immigration, etc.).

But while I picked up on that fairly early on, I don't think it was executed quite as effectively as it could have been. Also, technically William Hurt actually didn't admit anything to anyone, since the elders he spoke to at the end already knew the origin of the village and were co-conspirators in its origin.

The movie held my interest, and I usually like his movies, even if the payoff in his more recent movies hasn't been as satisfying as it was the first time around with the sixth sense.