Gypsyfly PMS
07-30-2006, 12:34 PM
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f61/Gypsyflypms/10m.jpg
[SPOILERS]
LoL who loved the "Baby's on a half tip" line...I thought that was pretty funny.
I have to say I think this is one of my favorite M. Night movies so far. It was so completely different. I know it was a little flawed and slow moving, even the music didn't reach me like other M Night movies, or maybe I was just so in tune with the story that I wasn't paying attention to any of that. Overall I really enjoyed this movie. If you hate storylines, have no patience and generally only like to watch stuff with big BOOMs within the first few minuts of a movie, you most likely won't like Lady in the Water.
Now, it wasn't until I read this analysis over on IMDB that I realized what the story was really about. I'm a writer so it appeals to me even more now!
I truely believe this is where M was going with the movie.
You need to register to see it, but I'll just post it here.
Posted by underdog14aa "The majority will not understand it... what it's really about"
A friend of mine I think, has for the most part written what is quite possibly the best analysis on the film I'm read yet (taken from therandomjournal.blogspot.com) It' is amazing to me that a film with such depth has made it through to the big screen. I can't stop thinking about it, the film is like a good book, it just keeps on giving...
**spoiler alert**
"the majority of people who see 'Lady in the Water' will not understand it, mainly because the film is specifically about a creative process that most will never experience. I say "specifically" because there are many symbols in the film that go beyond the specifics and are open to interpretation. To some, the message of the film will slowly dawn on them, and to a few, it will be blatantly obvious. The well is deep, and I neither have the time nor the qulification to deliver more than a cup full of what 'Lady in the Water' has to offer. But upon reading this, it is my hope that many will be inspired to give the film a closer look.
And for the record, the critics are wrong. This is not a monster movie. It is much, much more.
Of this I am sure: 'Lady in the Water' is a metaphor for the mental journey on which a writer embarks in order to construct and formulate the perfect story. And thus the biggest clue as to the films meaning: the lady is named "Story". The film is really not about a lady in the water at all; it's about M. Night Shyamalan. It is about his struggle to write a story. This is why M. Night himself plays the character of the writer in the film (named Vick). It is about his creative journey of developing ideas for his movies. He is giving us a window into his mind. He is making a statement. He is trying to tell us "this is what it takes to create a story like 'The Sixth Sense'. This is the journey required." A writer must interpret, heal, and gaurd his "Story" at all costs. He must kill his self-critic and protect his ideas from the creatures outside (the real world that hampers creativity). The "Story" is delicate and fragile, and must be protected at all costs, or she will never make it home.
The Story comes in the form of a water nymph played by Bryce Dallas Howard. She appears in a time of need to find the vessel through which she is to institute change. But she is not yet a completed story. She has not been taken home. She is merely an idea, a muse. It is up to the vessel to complete the story, to help her find her way home.
The vessel is a man named Vick, played by Shyamalan. He has been writing a book that he has not been able to finish. But when he sees Story, he is "awakened". His fears subside and he has clarity for the first time. He suddenly has the inspiration to finish his book.
The Lady is a muse. She is the symbol of a mere idea that has not yet evolved in the mind of its agents. Ideas can never be brought to fruition without perseverance and careful thought. She is a symbol of the idea that strikes the mind of a writer and awakens him with pins and needles in his chest. It is the "Aha" moment that every creative person lives for, but only those with the patience and fortitude to face the journey will see her come to life. Only those passionate enough will have the strength to help their story find its way home.
The character of Cleveland Heep (played by Paul Giamatti) is merely the vehicle used to deliver Story to the vessel, just as a writer uses his main character to accomplish his purpose. He is essentially the protagonist of Vick's story, but doesn't know how to get "Story" home, because Vick hasn't figured that out yet.
It should be stated, if it is not already obvious, that the goal in the film for sending "Story" home is a metaphor for completing the story and releasing it (a finished movie, a published work, etc.)
On a side note, since a writer lives vicariously through his characters, it is appropriate that Vick spends most of the time on the sidelines as he watches them. It is the characters that propel the story forward. The writer is omnipotent in the world of his story, but only the characters can make it fly.
So we have a writer with a rough draft. He isn't satisfied with his random scenes and isn't confident that the story is ready to fly. A scenario all too familiar to the creative writer. The problem is illustrated in this way: While all of the characters are working hard to help the story go home, a critic is misleading them, and creatures in the woods (the burdens and responsibilities of real life that hamper creativity) are putting the story in danger. Vick fears that even though his book is finished, it will not be well received. He also fears that his ideas may put his own life in danger. At this time, Story is sick and frail. Her hair is thin. The characters are confused of their identity and have not yet found their purpose.
This all culminates in a failed attempt to deliver Story to the eagle and send her home. Cleveland is confused. He doesn't understand why their attempt is not successful. Their is an element of predestination here, or divine guidance. The story is not working because it is not right. The characters have not fulfilled their purpose. The writer must re-evaluate, re-invent, and re-write.
This is a very powerful picture for any writer or filmmaker who has had a finished draft that just didn't work for them. They knew it could be better. They had to back up and approach their idea or story from a different angle.
So to accomplish this, the critic must be silenced. The critic in this film probably represents the writer's inner self-critic. It is him second guessing himself. It is the voice that is telling him that his ideas will not be well received. The critic, who reduces all stories to predectable formulas and rejects the idea of using symbols in a film, must be done away with, so he is devoured by the creatures from the woods.
The creatures are still a threat to the story, and the characters cannot defeat them until they discover their true identity and thus find their purpose. Finally, the writer realizes that he has put himself in a box. The roles of the characters needed to be re-evaluated. They finally discover their purpose, and Cleveland discovers that he is the Healer.
Of all people, the one who helps the characters realize their purpose is a child. And the child is the interpreter! (Haley Joel Osment anyone? An interpreter between the living and the dead! Does anyone know how many times Shyamalan rewrote his script for 'The Sixth Sense' before he discovered that the main character should be a child?)
Yes, it may be possible that this entire film is actually about, or at least in part, M. Night's journey in creating 'The Sixth Sense'.
As I watched the film, overcome by sheer cinematic joy, the significance of the symbols gradually sinking in, I thought to myself, "only M. Night". Only the quirky and bizzare personality that sanctioned the film "The Buried Secrets of M. Night Shyamalan" would come up with such a vivid picture of what writer goes through to create a well-crafted story.
One thing is for sure. This man is passionate about story-telling. Alas, I have barely scratched the surface. There is so much more to discuss here. But I will write more about this soon..."
[SPOILERS]
LoL who loved the "Baby's on a half tip" line...I thought that was pretty funny.
I have to say I think this is one of my favorite M. Night movies so far. It was so completely different. I know it was a little flawed and slow moving, even the music didn't reach me like other M Night movies, or maybe I was just so in tune with the story that I wasn't paying attention to any of that. Overall I really enjoyed this movie. If you hate storylines, have no patience and generally only like to watch stuff with big BOOMs within the first few minuts of a movie, you most likely won't like Lady in the Water.
Now, it wasn't until I read this analysis over on IMDB that I realized what the story was really about. I'm a writer so it appeals to me even more now!
I truely believe this is where M was going with the movie.
You need to register to see it, but I'll just post it here.
Posted by underdog14aa "The majority will not understand it... what it's really about"
A friend of mine I think, has for the most part written what is quite possibly the best analysis on the film I'm read yet (taken from therandomjournal.blogspot.com) It' is amazing to me that a film with such depth has made it through to the big screen. I can't stop thinking about it, the film is like a good book, it just keeps on giving...
**spoiler alert**
"the majority of people who see 'Lady in the Water' will not understand it, mainly because the film is specifically about a creative process that most will never experience. I say "specifically" because there are many symbols in the film that go beyond the specifics and are open to interpretation. To some, the message of the film will slowly dawn on them, and to a few, it will be blatantly obvious. The well is deep, and I neither have the time nor the qulification to deliver more than a cup full of what 'Lady in the Water' has to offer. But upon reading this, it is my hope that many will be inspired to give the film a closer look.
And for the record, the critics are wrong. This is not a monster movie. It is much, much more.
Of this I am sure: 'Lady in the Water' is a metaphor for the mental journey on which a writer embarks in order to construct and formulate the perfect story. And thus the biggest clue as to the films meaning: the lady is named "Story". The film is really not about a lady in the water at all; it's about M. Night Shyamalan. It is about his struggle to write a story. This is why M. Night himself plays the character of the writer in the film (named Vick). It is about his creative journey of developing ideas for his movies. He is giving us a window into his mind. He is making a statement. He is trying to tell us "this is what it takes to create a story like 'The Sixth Sense'. This is the journey required." A writer must interpret, heal, and gaurd his "Story" at all costs. He must kill his self-critic and protect his ideas from the creatures outside (the real world that hampers creativity). The "Story" is delicate and fragile, and must be protected at all costs, or she will never make it home.
The Story comes in the form of a water nymph played by Bryce Dallas Howard. She appears in a time of need to find the vessel through which she is to institute change. But she is not yet a completed story. She has not been taken home. She is merely an idea, a muse. It is up to the vessel to complete the story, to help her find her way home.
The vessel is a man named Vick, played by Shyamalan. He has been writing a book that he has not been able to finish. But when he sees Story, he is "awakened". His fears subside and he has clarity for the first time. He suddenly has the inspiration to finish his book.
The Lady is a muse. She is the symbol of a mere idea that has not yet evolved in the mind of its agents. Ideas can never be brought to fruition without perseverance and careful thought. She is a symbol of the idea that strikes the mind of a writer and awakens him with pins and needles in his chest. It is the "Aha" moment that every creative person lives for, but only those with the patience and fortitude to face the journey will see her come to life. Only those passionate enough will have the strength to help their story find its way home.
The character of Cleveland Heep (played by Paul Giamatti) is merely the vehicle used to deliver Story to the vessel, just as a writer uses his main character to accomplish his purpose. He is essentially the protagonist of Vick's story, but doesn't know how to get "Story" home, because Vick hasn't figured that out yet.
It should be stated, if it is not already obvious, that the goal in the film for sending "Story" home is a metaphor for completing the story and releasing it (a finished movie, a published work, etc.)
On a side note, since a writer lives vicariously through his characters, it is appropriate that Vick spends most of the time on the sidelines as he watches them. It is the characters that propel the story forward. The writer is omnipotent in the world of his story, but only the characters can make it fly.
So we have a writer with a rough draft. He isn't satisfied with his random scenes and isn't confident that the story is ready to fly. A scenario all too familiar to the creative writer. The problem is illustrated in this way: While all of the characters are working hard to help the story go home, a critic is misleading them, and creatures in the woods (the burdens and responsibilities of real life that hamper creativity) are putting the story in danger. Vick fears that even though his book is finished, it will not be well received. He also fears that his ideas may put his own life in danger. At this time, Story is sick and frail. Her hair is thin. The characters are confused of their identity and have not yet found their purpose.
This all culminates in a failed attempt to deliver Story to the eagle and send her home. Cleveland is confused. He doesn't understand why their attempt is not successful. Their is an element of predestination here, or divine guidance. The story is not working because it is not right. The characters have not fulfilled their purpose. The writer must re-evaluate, re-invent, and re-write.
This is a very powerful picture for any writer or filmmaker who has had a finished draft that just didn't work for them. They knew it could be better. They had to back up and approach their idea or story from a different angle.
So to accomplish this, the critic must be silenced. The critic in this film probably represents the writer's inner self-critic. It is him second guessing himself. It is the voice that is telling him that his ideas will not be well received. The critic, who reduces all stories to predectable formulas and rejects the idea of using symbols in a film, must be done away with, so he is devoured by the creatures from the woods.
The creatures are still a threat to the story, and the characters cannot defeat them until they discover their true identity and thus find their purpose. Finally, the writer realizes that he has put himself in a box. The roles of the characters needed to be re-evaluated. They finally discover their purpose, and Cleveland discovers that he is the Healer.
Of all people, the one who helps the characters realize their purpose is a child. And the child is the interpreter! (Haley Joel Osment anyone? An interpreter between the living and the dead! Does anyone know how many times Shyamalan rewrote his script for 'The Sixth Sense' before he discovered that the main character should be a child?)
Yes, it may be possible that this entire film is actually about, or at least in part, M. Night's journey in creating 'The Sixth Sense'.
As I watched the film, overcome by sheer cinematic joy, the significance of the symbols gradually sinking in, I thought to myself, "only M. Night". Only the quirky and bizzare personality that sanctioned the film "The Buried Secrets of M. Night Shyamalan" would come up with such a vivid picture of what writer goes through to create a well-crafted story.
One thing is for sure. This man is passionate about story-telling. Alas, I have barely scratched the surface. There is so much more to discuss here. But I will write more about this soon..."