Shutter Island From Novel to Film Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island is a brilliant movie which is adapted from the equally brilliant novel by Dennis Lehane. After experiencing an emotional connection to the book, Scorsese set to work on creating this masterpiece starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Upon its release, Shutter Island had every range of reaction; it completely split both critics and fans. Scorsese’s representation of Teddy Daniels (the main character), and Dr. Cawley are very thorough and only the slightest bit liberal with hardly anything missing or added. The overall tone or mood of the film is fairly different than the feelings I got while reading the book. Scorsese presents a far more fear-driven, spooky mood to the film. Lehane, on
Scorsese stated in an interview, “I felt empathetic for the character, overwhelmed by the nature of the story.” (Wong). Scorsese has often been hailed as the greatest living American movie directer, and has been in the film making industry for over forty years. He describes the process of translating the mood he experienced in himself to the big screen as constantly having to “choose, select, emphasize certain visual elements and sound.” (Wong). Scorsese recalls that he turned to a few other select films for inspiration and reference while creating Shutter Island. These films include Samuel Fuller’s Shock Corridor from 1963, Otto Preminger’s Laura from 1944, and Jacques Tourneur’s Out of the Past from 1947 (Wong). Initial reviews on this thriller were completely split. Some critics and fans were amazed, while others felt downright offended. Roger Ebert falls into the first category. In his 2010 movie review he commends the effectiveness of the thriller referring to it’s careful thoughtfulness beginning with the very first musical notes which accompany the opening credits. Ebert beautifully compares Shutter Island to film noir with its similarities including a flawed hero, and characters with baggage. He complies that it may take a person multiple views to appreciate the ending, but then argues that such a quality is part of what makes Shutter Island such a master piece. A.O. Scott of the New York Times is
We get the sense that he is not in control of his surroundings, beginning with his lack of control of his own body (as he is throwing up from sea sickness on the ferry). Even as Teddy is speaking with his partner, Chuck Aule, he seems insecure in his facial expressions as he frequently is looking down. Upon my initial reading of Dennis Lehane’s novel I wasn’t presented with any of these notions. Although Teddy is still throwing up from sea sickness, and speaking with his partner for the first time, Lehane illustrates him as a much more nonchalant, confident person. On page 13, in chapter one, we read the first conversation between Teddy and Chuck: “You okay?” Chuck asked. “You look
Ken Kesey's award-winning novel, "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest", was adapted into a film in 1975 written and directed by New York City native Bo Goldman and Czech director Milos Forman. Towards the end of the novel and film, Chief Bromden escapes from the ward. This scene is conveyed differently in the novel and film; however, there are evident similarities between each form of media. This scene is important to the plot because it wraps up the entire storyline. In the film and novel, similarities within Chief Bromden’s escape from the ward include the way Chief escaped, how he couldn't hear anyone in the ward due to being deaf, and how McMurphy assisted Bromden with gaining his confidence to lift the panel and throw it through the window. McMurphy essentially changed Bromden to help him break out of the asylum and back into the real world.
Gone with the Wind is a classic fictional love story that depicts life in the old south before, during and after the Civil war. The book was originally written in 1936 by Margret Mitchell, the movie adaptation was released in 1939, directed by Victor Fleming, and staring Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh. Ms. Mitchell grew up listening to Civil war stories from confederate veterans. It was reported that they told her everything; everything that is, except that they had lost the war, she found that out when she was 10 years old. Though the book was written 71 years after the Civil War ended, Ms. Mitchell did her research and appears to have drawn inspiration from those childhood stories that she was told. This is apparent in the detailed description of the clothing, houses, and everyday discussions and interactions of the characters throughout the book. Though not all historically correct most of what is in the book is accurate. During the time the movie was released, “damn” was considered to be vulgar and controversial and they used the term “darkies” to describe the slaves.
The Mission: Impossible theme has been around since 1966, it was used for the TV show Mission Impossible. Since then it has been covered by numerous artists, and remade by Larry Mullen, Jr and Adam Clayton from the famous rock band U2 to use in the soundtrack to the Mission: Impossible movies. It’s one of the most recognizable soundtracks pieces in movie history. The Mission: Impossible theme was originally composed by Lalo Schifrin, he has written over 100 pieces for other soundtracks, he is 83 years old. When it was first released it peaked No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, and when the remade version came out it peaked No. 7.
Anticipation, suspense, tension, excitement - these words come to mind when we think of the genre, Thriller. According to The Script Lab, thriller’s aim is “to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats” (Buffam, 2015). In these movies the main character, or the protagonist, is faced with a problem - whether it being a mystery, an escape or a mission. Just like every other genre in the film industry, Thrillers also contain a few sub-genres - but the main focus of every Thriller film out there it will always underline the menace that the hero faces.
The first indication of fear transpires as Teddy suspects his paper world would likely be interpreted as inappropriate by his uncle, creating anxiety and unease within him of being criticized. While awaiting his uncle’s reaction regarding his activities in the attic, Teddy was pondering “if his uncle saw them, or even destroyed them”, revealing Teddy’s worries of being exposed, fearing his uncle may label him as immature upon discovering it. Furthermore, Teddy is fearful of his paper world being discovered due to the fear that his enthusiasm for the world would fade if it were to be revealed, as he bears a strong obsession with it, and considers it his second world. He yearns for his uncle to disregard his paper world, as “Theodoresburg had been growing for a year, and often it seemed more real than the town …. in which he lived in.” Teddy feared his uncle would ruin his fixation with his paper world, regarding his it as an equivalent to the real world, which is indicative of Teddy’s immaturity, cherishing a world that does not exist. Teddy’s fear of his paper world being exposed to his uncle is conspicuous, as he is petrified of his uncle discovering it, symbolizing society’s expectation of
Connelly, Marie. "The films of Martin Scorsese: A critical study." Diss. Case Western Reserve University, 1991. Web. 07 Apr 2014.
n Milos Forman’s movie One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest demonstrates the inhumane mistreatment of patients within a psych ward. Nurse Ratched, a very controlling and power-hungry nurse has demoted all her patients to sheepish submissive beings. Randle McMurphy shows up and creates chaos in Nurse Ratched’s order. This causes Ratched to resort to the only solution she sees feasible, abuse and eventually lobotomization. As the film portrays, the mentally ill weren’t receiving proper treatment until mental illness was taken seriously by doctors and deinstitutionalization occurred. Unlike McMurphy’s treatment, deinstitutionalization in the 1960s impacted mental illness treatment positively and created a more societal acceptance of people with mental illness.
Overall I would argue that Shutter Island is heavily influenced by the Hollywood film noir genre and psychological thrillers, and thus indirectly by Das Kabinett des Doctor Caligari. Shutter Island incorporates expressionistic elements in the underlying themes it encompasses, as well as the different symbolic features that are present, such as for example fire and water, light and dark, reality and imaginary worlds. It has taken clear cues from Caligari with similar plot twists at the end, unreliable narrators and ultimately leaving the audience guessing who is sane and who is not, what is real and what is not. The creation of their own imaginary realities allows Francis and Teddy to construct themselves in their own image and allows them to be great rather than to recognize the very fact that they are powerless, ordinary and flawed.
The Prestige is a movie about magicians that turn into enemies when a magician’s wife dies in an accident on stage. Angier’s wife dies when she is doing a trick with him and another magician Borden. Borden is possibly the one that caused her death depending on the kind of knot he tied for the trick. Throughout the movie we see several different parts of what we have seen or read in the recent chapters. Anywhere from love and attraction to aggression to the law; this movie seemed to have it all.
Sex, love, depression, guilt, trust, all are topics presented in this remarkably well written and performed drama. The Flick, a 2014 Pulitzer Prize winning drama by Annie Baker, serves to provide a social commentary which will leave the audience deep in thought well after the curtain closes. Emporia State Universities Production of this masterpiece was a masterpiece in itself, from the stunningly genuine portrayal of the characters of Avery and Rose, to the realism found within the set, every aspect of the production was superb.
The film, Fruitvale Station, is based upon a true story of a young, unarmed African American male, Oscar, who was shot by a Caucasian BART police officer. The film displays the final twenty-fours of Oscar Grant’s lives going through his struggles, triumphs, and eager search to change his life around. There will be an analysis of the sociological aspects displayed throughout the movie that show racism, prejudice, and discrimination.
After watched the Shutter Island, I believe this film is combat against stigma of mental ill.
With many different genres and types of filmmaking, it can result in a large variety of stories and conflicts. Nevertheless, film has always brought people together as a society. If there is one thing everyone can notice about films is the achievement in style and directing. The three directors talked about in this paper are the most successful at delivering a breathtaking style and direction to their films. Baz Luhrmann, Wes Anderson, and Martin Scorsese have produced and directed films over decades and each film as impacted not only the United States but worldwide. With the unmistakable trademarks that each director has, it is very easy to feel sucked into the world in which they are shaping around you and the story. Because of these three directors, the film world and industry has been revolutionized for many centuries to come.
In the Oscar award winning movie Crash, directed by Paul Haggis, a network of characters portray the lifestyles of different races in Los Angeles. In the movie, characters “crash” into one another, similar to pinballs, to spur new emotions and explain their actions. A main character Anthony, an African American male, steadily tries to prove why he does not and will not fall into the black male thug stereotype. He was slightly close minded and repeatedly had a negative outlook towards his environment. Anthony created contradictions between what he said and what his actual intentions were. His actions were guided by his environment and further analysis of them will prove his motivation.
Through unique camera shots, Stanley Kubrick vividly captures and displays an emotional roller coaster of the facial expressions of Jack, Wendy, and Danny as they experience horror straight from hell. The Shining goes above and beyond the average horror film because of Kubrick’s brilliant vision and technical understanding of camera, lighting, and film. His choice of actors is phenomenal, and the script is changed in ways from the book that benefit the film medium and pulls on the emotions of its viewers.