Analysis of Shutter Island Essay

How should people deal with the criminally insane? They are very dangerous figures, who had harmed people before. Some psychiatrists believe that drugs can control the mental conditions of the patients. However, some psychiatrists believe that to lobotomize the patients is the only way to stop them from their dangerous behaviors. The surgery removes some brain tissues from the patients to make them emotionless. This act invades the rights of a human being. In contrast, some psychologists believe that if you treat the patients with respect, they will feel the love and caring from others. Shutter Island is a thriller based on the novel written by Dennis Lehane. The story happens in the 1960s, set in the shutter Island, where there is a mental hospital called Ashecliff, which is used to imprison the most terrible criminally insane. Two marshals go to this island to investigate the missing prisoners in ward B. The movie focused on the moral value from different people’s perspectives. The film is full of suspenseful shots and conversations. The audience may think that the 2 marshals are trapped in the island, however, the director created many more traces for the marshals to discover. As the shots usually focus on Ted, one of the marshals, and his emotions, therefore, the psychiatrists who are not supporting Ted’s investigation are portrait as the villains. In scene 4 of Shutter Island, Ted and his partner, Chuck, go to the office of Dr. Cawley. Dr. Cawley introduces the building to them as an old recorder is playing Quartet for piano and strings in A minor by Mahler, a composer from the Second World War. The music gives a thrilling feeling to the scene. Also, the music reminds Ted of his memory from WWII. Audience should be expecting a conversation about the missing prisoner, Rachel Solando. However, her name and the case are not mentioned in their dialogue. Surprisingly, a new character, Dr. Naehring, a colleague of Dr. Cawley, appears in this scene. He remains sitting on a chair for the whole scene. Then, Dr. Cawley asks for what the gentlemen want to drink. Ted would like a glass of soda. He unexpectedly orders a non-alcohol drink. Dr. Naehring said that it is uncommon for Ted’s profession to not indulge in alcohol. As an intelligent marshal, Ted defends his profession by pointing out Dr. Naehring, as a psychiatrist, is holding a glass of wine in his hand. Dr. Naehring is impressed by Ted’s excellent defence mechanisms to protect him by being offended, and he says, â€Å"Men like you are men of violence. † Once again, Ted is brought back to memory. The shot shows a German office. There is blood on the floor and a dying officers lying on the ground. People may not think that the scene is important, as it is not a part of the investigation. However, this scene shows the relationship between the doctors and the marshals is distant. For example, since shot 16, the two marshals remains in the same place throughout the scene, while Dr. Naehring remains in his chair for the whole scene. Another reason that this scene is necessary to the film is that it provides opportunities for Ted to flashback. His memory hinted the audience that he had been a soldier and he had seen violence. It is foreshadowing that Ted’s background is related to the development of the story. More importantly, Martin Scorsese continues his style in the Taxi Driver and the Raging Bull by creating characters that display a crazed violence. In Shutter Island, there are many criminally insane. In scene 4, shot 8 and shot 35 -40 are about war. There is blood all over the floor and people dying. However, as an Academy Award winner, Scorsese does not apply a variety of shots to the scene. It is because he wants the audience to focus on the conversation among the characters. A very common shot that Scorsese used is the depth of field. He applies it to Ted when Ted is thinking or to show that he is worried. Using the depth of field technique, the audience can focus on the focal point. It is also a good way to create suspense as the audiences do not know what is in the background. However, without good acting from the character, the shot can be disturbing and not enjoyable for the audience, or the emotions from the actor cannot be shown clearly. To have a close study of a film, we can have a better understanding of the director’s filming style. We can learn that the director directs each scene and each shot with a reason. Every shot is useful for the development of the film. For example, in Shutter Island, the director took a shot at the recorder in an office, and it can be related to the recorder that appeared in Ted’s flashback. Having a close study of a film, we can discover that there are often similar shots to the movie in the past. For example, there is a shower scene in which the camera looks up at the shower as the water is running. It is similar to Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock. Running water is a typical thriller theme, signifying danger and time running out. Shutter Island also has other similarities with Psycho. In Shutter Island, Rachel Solando, the missing prisoner was at first the focus of the film, also the reason the marshals travelled to the island. Later in the movie, the focus changes that Ted’s started to concern about the brain surgery in the lighthouse. Like Marion in Psycho, audience would assume that she is an important role of the film, however, she died very soon. This technique makes the audience more anticipating. By improving our understanding of how film communicates with audience, we can improve our ability to make film. We would know when to use different shots. For example, medium shots are used to show what the character is doing; close up is to show subjects subjectively. We can also learn to eliminate unnecessary shots or characters in the film. Every shot should be well planned and well thought before it was taken, and it should be able to connect with other shots in the film. Furthermore, having a close study of a film can help s understand the style of films of different genres. For example, Shutter Island is a mysterious thriller. By studying this film, we can learn how do choose a mysterious soundtrack for a thriller, and how to make a scene more suspenseful. In conclusion, it is important to study films closely in order to improve out ability to make film. As Martin Scorsese once said, â€Å"Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out. † To learn from great directors, we will know what should be put in the frame and what is out.