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Jim3k
02-20-2010, 02:41 AM
The first thing to say about Shutter Island is that its advertising campaign is really misleading. I thought it was going to be a variation of the haunted house theme – evil and/or haunted mental hospital. Sort of like Disney’s haunted house where sudden scares come from every nook and cranny.

Instead, it is a chip off the 1960’s-1970’s psychological movies. Rather than attempting to terrify you at every turn, this movie is a study of a broken mind, at least to the extent that psychoses were understood in the early 1950’s. Films such as The Collector, Nightmare, David and Lisa, Three Faces of Eve and Blowup all come to mind, not because of plot similarity, but because of the psychiatric issues faced by persons traumatized to psychotic/schizoid episodes and how they handle them.

I’ve almost said too much, since much of what I want to cover would result in spoilers. Let me just say that Shutter Island is a darn good movie, dark to be sure, but really well crafted by director Martin Scorsese. It is a wonderful tribute to the film noire library – multi-leveled, shadows for all kinds of moods, rats, a foreboding musical soundtrack, a storm, and dream-created precipitation connected to an unspeakable crime committed by a character who has warned that insects are in her brain.

The acting is outstanding. The DeCaprio character is war-damaged and clearly on the edge. He handles it superbly. I think I have seen here the growth of DeCaprio from a damn good leading man into one who can control an entire movie, simply by evocation. He is strong – fearfully so, yet frightened, too; he is confused by circumstances; he is vengeful, yet non-vengeful, his killing days from combat are over. He has become one helluva an actor.

And the rest of cast: Whoa…Mark Ruffalo’s ambivalence, Ben Kingsley’s earnest yet suspect behavior, and Max von Sydow’s patented darkness are all very powerful. There are some cameos – ghosts even – such as Patricia Clarkson and some of the patients. Finally, I do not wish to omit a real ghost, Michelle Williams. True, she is the product of a disturbed mind, but very real.

This is a very good, dark movie. Film noire and psychological movie fans will love it.

Caveats: language, brief male frontal nudity.

HateCarolina
02-20-2010, 12:34 PM
Has anyone read the book? I have enjoyed other books that Dennis Lehane has written (Gone Baby Gone, Mystic River, etc) and I think I want to read this one as well before I see the movie (will probably have to wait for DVD since we have a six week old).

YourLandlord
02-20-2010, 12:44 PM
The first thing to say about Shutter Island is that its advertising campaign is really misleading. I thought it was going to be a variation of the haunted house theme – evil and/or haunted mental hospital. Sort of like Disney’s haunted house where sudden scares come from every nook and cranny.

Instead, it is a chip off the 1960’s-1970’s psychological movies. Rather than attempting to terrify you at every turn, this movie is a study of a broken mind, at least to the extent that psychoses were understood in the early 1950’s. Films such as The Collector, Nightmare, David and Lisa, Three Faces of Eve and Blowup all come to mind, not because of plot similarity, but because of the psychiatric issues faced by persons traumatized to psychotic/schizoid episodes and how they handle them.

This is exactly the type of movie I thought it would be based on the advertising.

A-Tex Devil
02-20-2010, 12:47 PM
Has anyone read the book? I have enjoyed other books that Dennis Lehane has written (Gone Baby Gone, Mystic River, etc) and I think I want to read this one as well before I see the movie (will probably have to wait for DVD since we have a six week old).

I read the book in anticipation of the movie (which I hope to see tomorrow). It's very good. I kept feeling like nothing was really happening in the book but at the same time I couldn't put it down. It's much more a character study than Lehane's other works which are fairly plot driven. But the book very tightly written, and I am looking forward to how it translates to film. Glad Scorsese made it.

HateCarolina
02-20-2010, 03:23 PM
I read the book in anticipation of the movie (which I hope to see tomorrow). It's very good. I kept feeling like nothing was really happening in the book but at the same time I couldn't put it down. It's much more a character study than Lehane's other works which are fairly plot driven. But the book very tightly written, and I am looking forward to how it translates to film. Glad Scorsese made it.

Great. Thanks!! I think I'll have to head over to Borders this evening.

House G
02-21-2010, 10:36 PM
My wife and I saw the movie last night. We really enjoyed the performances by DiCaprio and Kingsley. I can see how you could love the movie or hate it. We both enjoyed it and this morning we were still trying to figure out exactly what had transpired. Try to pay close attention throughout!

NashvilleDevil
02-22-2010, 11:06 AM
Saw it on Saturday. Thought it was good but not one of Scorsese's masterpieces. That being said I would see it again and will also be reading the book.

A-Tex Devil
02-22-2010, 11:47 AM
I saw it yesterday after having read the book. While I was mildly disappointed in the movie (the pace was WAY too slow in the first 75 minutes, and the "creepy" factor was not nearly to the level of intensity it could have been), I am glad I saw it and would recommend at least one more viewing for those who haven't read the book.



SPOILERY STUFF BEGINS HERE:

If you know the outcome of the movie/book, Scorcese does a great job of making all of the guards/orderlies/nurses react to the Marshalls. You think it's one of unease: "Everyone on the island is in on whatever shadiness is going down, and these outsiders may bring it all down." They are actually reactions of recognition. Some of amusement (the deputy warden, Naehring), some of spite (warden), some of fear (the patients). Watch where the camera cuts every time they talk about the Dr. whose left the island. Re-listen to the conversation with Noyce, the meeting at Cawley's house with Naehring. The "surprise" ending was subtly telegraphed the whole way in a similar way that the big 6th Sense twist was. I guarantee, if you watch a second time (sort of how I saw it having read the book), you can't believe you missed it (or you are smarter than me and figured it out).