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frogprincesschaplin
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Location: London
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| Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject: The Village |
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(Hope nobody minds me taking up some space to go on and on about Joaquin's work with M Night Shyamlan....I am writing a dissertation on it so I will have a lot to say...)
THE VILLAGE
Written, Produced and Directed by M Night Shyamalan
Touchstone Pictures
Blinding Edge Pictures
Scott Rudin Productions
Covington Woods Pictures Inc.
(Distributors) Buena Vista Pictures (Home Entertainment)
2004
Starring; Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Brenden Gleeson, Cherry Jones, Adrien Brody, Michael Pitt, Charlie Hofheimer and M Night Shyamalan.
AVAILABLE ON DVD NOW (THEATRICAL RELEASE 2004)
*CONTAINS SPOILERS*
The story takes place in a small village surrounded by 'Covington Woods' and appears to be pre-Victorian. This village does not use money and it appears to be governed by the 'elders.' The elder men and women of the village who meet to co-ordinate the day-to-day running of this village.
Joaquin Phoenix plays Lucius Hunt, a shy but unafraid young man, silently in love with friend Ivy Walker. Ivy, played by the beautiful Bryce Dallas Howard, is a blind but adventurous young girl. She's as unselfish as Lucius and waits longingly for him to declare his love for her. Ivy takes care of Noah Percy, who is 'slow of learning,' played superbly by Oscar Winner Adrien Brody.
The elders feature the always superb William Hurt as Ivy Walker's father and Sigourney Weaver as Lucius Hunt's mother. Edward Walker does in fact love Alice Hunt but is unable to act upon his feelings and Alice denies them up until Lucius voices his observation.
The elders also feature Brendon Gleeson as a father who has recently lost his young son and the beloved Cherry Jones as Mrs Clack, an older woman who unfortunately lost her sister many years ago.
The film slowly reveals that the woods surrounding this small village contain creatures that are deadly but are co-operating in a truce. The villagers must not travel into and beyond the woods and the creatures will not enter the village and cause considerable chaos. Every night one must stand watch in a high tower, this stands high opposite to the woods, lined with long wooden polls with yellow flags.
Yellow is a 'safe colour' but red is the 'bad colour' and attracts 'those we don't speak of.' When dead animals begin to appear in and around the village people begin to wonder if the creatures are breaking the truce. Lucius' suspicians are aroused when Noah retrieves red berries which can only have come from inside Covington woods.
Lucius asks permission to cross the forbidden line and travel through the woods as he believes the creatures will not harm him for his intentions are good and he is unafraid like Noah was. He wishes to retrieve medicines to help the poor and isolated village but his request is denied. Lucius tests his own plan and one afternoon he crosses the line and enters the woods to find the plant that grows the berries Noah found. Soon enough he believes he has been sighted by a creature and enters back into the Village.
That evening the creatures do cross the forbidden line and enter the village, as all the villagers hide, Lucius risks all to keep Ivy safe. The next morning the village finds red marks painted on all doors and a town meeting is called. A letter is presented to one of the elders and it is Lucius' confession of his crossing the line and being the possible reason for the truce being broken.
Edward Walker does not act in anger and tells the deeply upset Lucius; "Do not fret.....you are fearless in a way that I shall never know." The elders hope a gift will rectify the situation and continue with their lives and hold the wedding for Edward Walker's eldest daughter. However the occasion is interrupted as children find a creature wandering the village again.
That night Ivy awakes to find Lucius sitting on her porch and she asks him why. "That is why I am on this porch Ivy Walker...I fear for your safety before all others. And yes...I will dance with you on our wedding night." Lucius has gained permission to marry Ivy Walker and soon the whole village is talking of the engagement.
Noah Percy pays a visit to his friends new fiance, Lucius instantly knows that Noah will be upset, he attempts to explain to him that their marriage shall not change his friendship with Ivy. However Noah injurs Lucius with a knife and runs away, to return home, where he cries aloud to discover the 'bad colour' all over his hands.
This news is spread about the village too and Ivy instantly fears that Lucius is harmed and so she walks out to his home first and her fears are correct. As her father joins the scene she tells him she cannot see his colour anymore. Lucius is alive but barely so, Ivy knows this, therefore she requests permission to cross Covington Woods and retrieve medicines to save Lucius Hunt.
Edward gives her that permission and instructs her of how to navigate through the woods. Edward calls upon some of the elders to inform them of his decision here and most have objections, fearing for her safety and reminding Edward of the oath that has now been broken. But they let her go because "heartache is a part of life, we know that now."
Edward takes Ivy to 'the old shed that is not to be used.' Edward reveals that the creatures, the truce, all of it is farce. Edward explains that there is no one in the village 'who has not felt loss so hard...that they do not question the very merit of living at all.'
"Forgive us our silly lies Ivy...they were not meant to harm."
Ivy crosses the forbidden line with two others but they quickly return to the village fearing the legend of the creatures. Ivy carries on alone and in so doing she encounters several dangers, the first being a near fall to her inevitable demise and lastly an encounter with a creature. She outwits it and the creature falls down the hole she almost fell in, Ivy carries on searching for the gravel road to the towns. The creature dying at the bottom of the hole is none other than Noah Percy, having escaped the 'quiet' room in the village.
Ivy finds the gravel road and climbs an Ivy covered wall and onto a road. A patrol car pulls up close to her and Ivy is alerted by the strange sound it makes. The driver, Kevin, speaks to her only to be confused by her situation. She asks for the medicine written on the paper she has and offers Kevin the pocketwatch her father gave her as money.
She tells him that she has come from inside the woods, innocently minded, Kevin returns to headquarters to get her the medicines. His boss is seen only in reflection and he is none other than M Night Shyamalan himself. Kevin is told not to get into conversations with people because rumours begin to start. They are protecting a large plot of land and ensuring the sky above is not used in any flight path. Kevin returns to Ivy and helps her over the wall with a ladder.
The elders meanwhile wait by Lucius' side, hoping for Ivy's return, when she does they are quickly informed that on her journey she encountered a creature and killed it. Noah Percy's parents know instantly that the creature she has killed must be their son. Edward asks the elders to decide whether this place is worth their continuing effort and claims that Noah has made their stories real...All agree to carry on living this way.
Ivy returns to Lucius and takes his hand, speaking to him.................
THE END
Beautiful film, superbly performed and perfectly complete with a stunning soundtrack from JAMES NEWTON HOWARD.
'THE WORLD MOVES FOR LOVE, IT KNEELS BEFORE IT IN AWE.'
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frogprincesschaplin
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Location: London
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| Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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A mini gallery...
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Bine
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Location: Germany
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| Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Oh no - none minds at all. I thought this deserves a whole subforum!
Well written, Beck! 
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Karen
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Location: London, UK
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| Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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Nicely done.....now do one on TO DIE FOR!
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Jindra
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:08 am Post subject: |
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Thank you so much. So nice to remind the movie again!
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Stephanie
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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| i loved the village. great dissection of it and btw i can't help but notice you have a jack white sig!!!! i absolutely love him : ) |
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frogprincesschaplin
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| Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah...Jack White....uhhhhhhhhhmmm 
 Makes good music too
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Lola
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| Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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Great reading and very well done...Thanks so much! The pics are a bonus too!
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jpfan4life
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Location: San Antonio, TX
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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I just watched, The Village, all the way through a couple of nights ago. Good movie but wished Joaquin would have had more parts....I couldn't get enough of the man if I wanted!!!
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