Shutter Island Versus The Shining Film Studies Essay

shut Island Versus The Shining Film Studies EssayRene Descartes was a philosopher who introduced a popular philosophical method called Radical Doubt in his book Meditations on First Philosophy. Descartes proposed discarding any kind of belief that could be doubted, because it might be false. In both(prenominal)(prenominal) Shutter Island directed by Martin Scorsese and The Shining directed by Stanley Kubrick, the viewing audience be introduced to characters that doubt the really existence of reality, much equal Descartes, and who are drowned in the depths of insanity. Fear, paranoia, and doubt are the main ingredients that make both word pictures a psychological mind inner ear that constantly teases the brain with every turn. Martin Scorsese and Stanley Kubrick are both masters in cinema direction and are not regulars in the abuse genre. Nonetheless, both have created a product that makes viewers question what its like to be sane. The goal of this essay is to demonstrate th e similarities and differences between Shutter Island and The Shining found on their studys of insanity, isolation, and alcoholism.The story of Shutter Island revolves around Marshall Teddy Daniels, and his married per intelligence Chuck Aule, and their journey to a remote and barren island to investigate the somber disappearance of an inmate from the mental chancel. The island is home to a fortress-like mental institution, Ashcliffe Hospital, which houses 66 of the most dangerous criminals in the country. From the beginning, Martin Scorsese introduces the viewers to the theme of isolation. In the theory scene, Scorsese uses the boat ride as a sign that illustrates how the island is being distanced from reality. The viewers are never introduced on unfiltered view of the real world external of the innovation. The only available information about reality beyond the walls of the foundation comes from Teddy, through the scattered flashbacks he experiences passim the movie, whi ch easily brings in the theme of reality versus illusion. As soon as the detectives arrive at the asylum a hurricane strikes the island and all transportation and communication systems are cut-off. They continue their investigation in ominous isolation while being surrounded by dangerous inmates and an uncooperative secretive staff.It seems that Teddy is trapped in a labyrinth, trying to find replys to the disappearance of the missing inmate, Rachel Salondo. Every time he finds a clue that could bring him closer to an answer, it turns out to be an answer he did not expect. Teddy begins to question the motivations of everyone involved, including his own decisions. He reaches a point in his investigation where he does not know who to trust anymore. He is, as one character tells him, A rat in a maze, trying to find his way out of the island. As the movie progresses, so does its distance from reality. Scorseses throws Teddy into a psychological mind maze where he begins to question e verything surrounding the investigation. What is real? Who to trust? Everyone in the asylum seems to be skewed by insanity.The Shining is director Stanley Kubricks epic, gothic horror film. The movie tells the story of the Torrance family and their experience at the control Hotel. Jack Torrance is a former school teacher who has a passion in committal to writing screenplays. Jack agrees to accept the job as a caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, a massive resort uncaring in the mountains of Colorado which is completely isolated and free from alcohol, which instigates Torrances descent into madness. From the very first scene of the movie the viewers are given a birds-eye-view of the hotel and its isolation from society. Since alcohol is referenced throughout the movie and Jack is a recovering alcoholic, the theme of alcoholism plays a huge role in Jacks overall behaviour towards his family. intoxication is like a beast within him and since the hotel is alcohol free, Jack believes tha t evaluate the caretaker job will help mend his relationship with his married woman Wendy and son Danny and bring them closer, especially after the incident where Jack dislocated Dannys get up in a bender because of his drunkenness.The theme of the supernatural is referenced in the movie when Wendy is giving descriptions about Dannys behaviour to the psychiatrist. She says that Danny started talking to Tony, the invisible relay link that lives in his mouth. Also, as the family arrived at the hotel, they were introduced to Dick Halloran, the cook at the Overlook Hotel. Halloran contacts Danny telepathically and tells him that he has a psychic ability which allows him to see both the past, the future tense and communicate mentally with other shiners. As time progresses, it seems that the hotel places a striking amount of mental stress on Jack, his underlying insanity stepwise evolves into a rampant madness as he attempts to murder his wife and son with an axe. The viewers witnes s the madness slowly settle, and explode fiercely through Jack, transforming him from a father trying to repair his relationship with his family into a psychotic lunatic bent on destroying everything he loves.In conclusion, both Shutter Island and The Shining are haunted house themed movies that are fill up with labyrinthine spaces that threaten to consume their occupants. Shutter Island is a shadowy and drab looking castle. Redesigned out of an old Civil War fort, every bit of fixture in it relates back to some dark secret in the past. The island itself sends out a warning of the terrible evil that lurks around it. On the other hand, Kubricks Overlook Hotel is just as fear infested as Scorseses Island. sluice though it doesnt have the darkness of the mental asylum, everything in the hotel is brightly lit, carpeted, and to the full of luxurious items. Perhaps the enormous size of the hotel introduces a great whiz of isolation the characters go through.Shutter Island, much lik e The Shining is unintegrated from society. Teddy Daniels finds himself trapped in the island due to a hurricane much like how Jack finds himself trapped in the hotel due to a blizzard. Both Shutter Island and The Shining revolve around protagonists that are unreliable. The viewers are introduced to the heroes and thence to their slow decent into madness. Isolation and insanity are prominent in every scene of both movies, which turned normal and loving fathers into kookie and psychotic killers that led both of them to their end.