Sling Blade The Complete Review This film by virtue of its independence has shied away from the usual hype associated with American movies. The result is an original screenplay by Billy Bob Thornton that is transformed into a mesmerising tale of the south. Thornton cast actors with ability rather than their image or ‘Hollywood status’. Sling Blade challenges us to re-evaluate our principles and our definitions of right, wrong and of justice. Billy Bob Thornton plays a slightly retarded psychiatric patient by the name of Karl Childers, who has been in an asylum for the criminally insane for the last 25 years. As his name suggests, Karl Childers is a child-like man with instilled Southern Christian values and somewhat comical mannerisms including his nervous grunts and the rubbing of his hands together in preparation and readiness for the day ahead, or perhaps with satisfaction and acceptance of self. His jutting lower lip, raspy voice and short back and sides haircut have similarities with the protagonist in the movie Forest Gump, but that is where the similarities end. Despite Karl’s horrific background, a sense of right and wrong and of justice still seem to pervade. Billy Bob Thornton doesn’t so much act but more so becomes Karl Childers. Karl, at the age of twelve murdered his mother and her lover, the local bully, with a sling blade in a fit of evangelical rage. In the first scene we come into contact with Karl. A soothing sythesiser plays slow haunting music to set the tone. We are introduced to Charles Bushman, played by J.T Walsh, a fellow psychiatric patient at the asylum. He likes to reminisce about his perverted ‘glory’ days with a sentimental yearning to re-live them. Charles slowly and deliberately drags a chair across the room. In this way, an instant dislike for Charles is achieved without him saying a word. He details the story of his last murder to Karl, at this early stage of the movie it is unclear whether Karl is approving of this one way conversation. A request by the local newspaper to interview Karl before he is released is approved and he is escorted through the clinical white corridors of what he calls the ‘nervous hospital. Karl gives his detailed story of how he murdered his mother and her lover to a trainee journalist from the local newspaper. Karl waits outside the room, the fluorescent lights in the room are turned off and a ... ... middle of paper ... ...he diner. When the more thoughtful and intimate parts of the movie present themselves, a slow paced piano is used to match the solemn moment. Sections of the movie have a positive and optimistic outlook, for example, when Karl walks through the small country town to the house of his new found friend. Karl is obviously filled with awe and enthusiasm for his resurrection into life, this is reflected through the music. An intimate moment in the movie is between Karl and the boy. Karl tells an extremely sad story. A soulful slide guitar and whistling accompanies this story, the music is extremely sad and is the emotion for the kind hearted but seemingly emotionless Karl. Another touching and emotional part of the movie is when Karl visits his father. Whilst Karl walks to the run down house of his elderly father, harmonious voices sing a haunting gospel tune. Sling Blade is an intense drama that takes its time in telling the story and revealing the characters. This film is not be seen for its entertainment value but to be appreciated for what it is, a brilliantly constructed and original tale of human tragedy. Sling Blade shows us that heroes are sometimes the most unlikely of people.
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Show MoreTo begin, the piano acts as an artifact. It essentially exists as a passageway back in time into the lives of Berniece, Doaker, and Boy Willie’s ancestors. First, I would like to discuss what the piano means to Berniece. At the end of the book, the exorcism takes
The movie Psycho was created in 1960, and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This film has many meaningful moments behind it, which all lead up to a shocking yet interesting twist for an ending. Many clips corresponded well with Bill Nichols thoughts, and opinions on how “Every movie is a Documentary.” By comparing both the Nichols reading, and the film Psycho, it is easy to see that this film is a wish-fulfillment documentary. This film shows what could be a scary reality in many people’s lives. It gives us examples of what could be our deepest nightmares and dreads, influences an opinion over people who have multiple personalities, and even feeds some people’s interests.
The story begins in a small town in America. The Fowler family is faced with the burden, frustration and pain of having to bury their twenty-one year old son, Frank. The inward struggle faced by Matt Fowler, his wife, and family drives him to murder Richard Strout, Frank's killer, in order to avenge his son's murder and bring peace to himself and his family. Matt faced a life-time struggle to be a good father and protect his children from danger throughout their childhood. Dubus describes Matt's inner ...
In film, many times the auteur often uses the medium to convey a moral or make a social commentary. In the case of Howard Hawkes’s original version of Scarface, there is more being portrayed through the characters then merely the story. Hawkes makes a statement about the façade of organized crime, and the farce of the American Dream.
father's death. He is forced to act insane in order to find out the truth
“The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.” This quote is the first thing that flashes across the screen as viewers begin their journey into The Hurt Locker, a critically acclaimed war movie written by Mark Boal and directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt). The quote was written by former New York Times war correspondent, Chris Hedges and it perfectly sets the stage for a story that depicts just how potent and addicting war can be (Corliss). The 2008 movie won six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Actor in a Leading Role (“Nominees & Winners”). The Hurt Locker is an exceptional movie that contains everything one would expect from an award-winning film: an intriguing plot, heart-wrenching tragedy, breathtaking visuals, top-notch acting, believability, and even a bit of controversy.
Bateman is not just a nihilistic killer devoid of feelings or emotions. There is something inside of him that yearns for something more than what is just on the surface. Admittedly, this wanting is severely misplaced through murder, rape, and torture. By creating a character like Jean, however, the author is able to show Bateman’s caring, sincere reactions to her–something the film does not quite convey. American Psycho is not just a satirical take on a superficial Wall Street society, but it is also a tragedy. Recreating the dinner scene with Jean shows that underneath the surface Patrick Bateman is, indeed, a human being with real feelings and emotions. Therein lies the great tragedy that this superficial society has turned him into a monster.
In “The Thematic Paradigm,” University of Florida professor of film studies, Robert Ray, defines two types of heroes pervading American films, the outlaw hero and the official hero. Often the two types are merged in a reconciliatory pattern, he argues. In fact, this
In the article “The Thematic Paradigm” exerted from his book, A Certain Tendency of the Hollywood Cinema, Robert Ray provides a description of the two types of heroes depicted in American film: the outlaw hero and the official hero. Although the outlaw hero is more risky and lonely, he cherishes liberty and sovereignty. The official hero on the other hand, generally poses the role of an average ordinary person, claiming an image of a “civilized person.” While the outlaw hero creates an image of a rough-cut person likely to commit a crime, the official hero has a legend perception. In this essay, I will reflect on Ray’s work, along with demonstrating where I observe ideologies and themes.
The plot of this movie is about the struggle between the farmers and the cowboys. The farmers all want to start up crops, but the cowboys want to run their cattle through the open space so they can feed. Obviously, the two sides don’t agree. The cowboys end up attempting to use strong-arm tactics to get their way. They even try to scare the farmers off the land by burning down one of the homes of the farmers. Eventually, Shane, a former gunfight, realizes what he must do. He rides into town and kills all of the cowboys, including Wilson, the hired gun.
Directors use various techniques to create a compelling and memorable motion picture film for the audience. In 1982`s Blade Runner, Ridley Scott portrays various themes of mortality, memory and identity through various film techniques such as editing, cinematography, and mise-en-scène.
Early in the film , a psychologist is called in to treat the troubled child :and she calmed the mother with a statement to the effect that, “ These things come and go but they are unexplainable”. This juncture of the film is a starting point for one of the central themes of the film which is : how a fragile family unit is besieged by unusual forces both natural and supernatural which breaks and possesses and unites with the morally challenged father while the mother and the child through their innocence, love, and honesty triumph over these forces.
In the film, American Psycho, Patrick Bateman was a wealthy investment banker who also happened to be a serial killer. He was highly intelligent and was charming which attracted many of the women who came his way. Unlike most people in the world, he lived in constant pain. He was rarely happy with himself, and also hated everyone around him. He felt that he needed to inflict his pain on others in violent ways. He always had something disgusting to say such as, “I like to dissect girls; I am utterly insane.” It is outside of the norm to speak in this way, therefore he would be considered deviant. He displayed feelings of distress as he became frustrated very easily with himself and others. Everything
Enhancing the sustained fright of this film are an excellent cast, from which the director coaxes extraordinary performances, and Bernard Herrmann's chilling score. Especially effective is the composer's so-called "murder music," high-pitched screeching sounds that flash across the viewer's consciousness as quickly as the killer's deadly knife. Bernard Herrmann achieved this effect by having a group of violinists frantically saw the same notes over and over again.
For our paper we’ve chosen to analyze the film, The Wild Child. The film helps to serve as a great example for multiple psychological phenomena and concepts pertaining to the material that we have learned throughout the course this quarter. Right from the opening scene of The Wild Child, the viewer is able to make note of the complexity that is the life of the young Victor; otherwise known as the wild child in this film. The viewer is able to view Victor’s lack of social awareness, his inability to cope in a way society deems fit when placed in a stressful situation, quintessentially he lacks the basic skill of language to voice his distressed thoughts. All of this can be analyzed from the opening situation in which he frightens a women picking