The Village

I can't understand why M. Night Shyamalan's The Village is so widely disliked. Correction: unappreciated. I love this movie. It has the feel of a Twilight Zone episode, so naturally I like it for that reason, but there is much more to admire beyond that alone.

What makes the film most terrifying is its precise manipulation of sound. The Village manages to create shock not through loud explosions, but small noises such as the crunching of leaves or twigs to make the audience wonder, "What is that?". It helped me realize just how easily scared I am. It's really fear of the unknown, a concept that Hitchcock applied to his films. Shyamalan has clearly learned from the Master. I'm relieved to know a modern director can grasp what really frightens people.

Another thing I enjoyed about the movie was the absolutely beautiful music. A James Newton Howard score, it focuses mostly on strings. The music can at one moment relax me (on par with George Winston) and then the next have my heart racing. It contributes a lot to why I like the film. The soundtrack is on my ipod, of course! :)

Also worth mentioning is Bryce Dallas Howard's performance in the lead role of Ivy Walker. Simply brilliant.

My Grandpa Knapp has been visiting us this past week for Thanksgiving. We watched The Village tonight. I was glad that he loved it and that the twists surprised him (as they did for me the first time I saw it). We both appreciate good movies and have a mutual taste for Hitchcock films, making for some pretty engaging conversations. I wish we could do this more often.