Those who have seen this movie are well aware of the disturbing scene where Greg is attacked and killed by a visage of his own mother - but exploring some of the imagery in this scene, and in the opening scene, has some particularly bizarre and disturbing implications.
Here is the description of the dead body in the opening scene from the script:
"She's dead. Her jaw hangs open - head slumped to the side. Blue lips and face - covered with bug bites. Her leg is twisted back - violently rotated in its socket - a piece of bone visible near the knee’s twisted skin. Her red pump dangles from her foot, over her chest. Legs open. Something awful and provocative.
Water or something viscous has soaked her pajama bottoms."
Going back to see the opening scene, you can see that this was not something that was left in the script:
Now going back to the death of Greg, look at some of the imagery on freeze-frame:
And perhaps worst of all, this awful close up we get:
A consistency with the creature is it's appearance as the parents of the characters - very first time we see it, it appears as Hugh/Jeff's naked mother, just to taunt him, as Greg's mom, and of course, Jay's father (it also takes the appearance of her grandfather on the roof, as we see a photo of him on the wall with Jay as a child).
Now what this all MEANS, I think that's open to interpretation - but I think the Freudian imagery adds to the whole discomfort that the film exudes in it's handling of sexuality. What is your take on it?
Hi,
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After watching many films, I feel ashamed, to be completely honest, about my inability to engage in discussion about the meaning of the film, or to share thoughts on the questions that it might raise. I feel as though the artistry is lost on me, which makes me sad.
I want to be able to appreciate and articulate my opinion on a film to a deeper level, and point towards particular scenes, visual techniques, or writing choices as evidence to support those opinions.
How can I become a better viewer? Is there a set of questions I could ask myself after watching a movie that will at least start me on the path towards my goal? Who are the film critics whos work I may benefit from reading?
Any help is much appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
Edit: thank you all for your responses. I've read through them all and have found them to be very helpful, practical and supportive, and it has made me excited to continue learning about film and story.