In 1999, Indian filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan was not well known, so the film The Sixth Sense was a real surprise.
We are talking about a film with a touch of supernatural suspense that, even today, continues to occupy a privileged place within this genre, and the Sixth Sense received praise from the critics and the support of the public, which resulted in six Oscar nominations.
- Shyamalan surprised with a story that can be read in the horror genre.
- But also in other rare emotional situations in the genre.
- Such as fear of death or pain from the loss of a loved one.
Thus, the film shapes a story that maintains the expectation and tension to end with a message or moral that appeals to feelings.
The film was highly appreciated for its surprising final twist, Shyamalan had already left us many clues about this ending and it was just a matter of playing with the puzzle pieces to put it all together.
For those who know the filmmaker’s filmography, it will come as no surprise to find this common thread, with which he has continued to experiment in other films, such as A Vila (2004) or Corpo Fechado (2000).
These endings have become almost a mark of the director’s identity and represent an interesting game for the viewer.
The sixth sense is one of those easily recognizable and popular films that, as a result, have been parodied to infinity.
An example would be Cole’s unforgettable phrase (Haley Joel Osment) “I See the Dead,” which is already part of the collective imagination, demonstrating that cinema is a fundamental element of our popular culture.
In this article we will not dwell so much on these issues, but we will try to delve into the latent message of the film Why does supernatural cinema have so many followers?
WARNING: Can we talk about spoilers about such a well-known film?As a precaution, we inform you that the article is full of them.
The Sixth Sense tells a paranormal story, underlining the fact that it is set in the contemporary world. Bullying or divorce may be two recognized phenomena today, but that was not the case in the 1990s.
We cannot forget that many countries, until the mid-20th century, did not consider divorce in their legislation, so many children who grew up in the 1990s began to get used to having friends (or even ourselves) with divorced parents. .
The number of divorces has increased over time. What used to be isolated cases is now part of the everyday landscape.
Thus, when the sixth sense was launched, divorce, although already quite common, was not yet as common in all regions of the world.
When it was relatively new, we still did not know what the consequences of divorce would be for our children, nor did we have many photos of this new family model.
In the film, the idea of divorce is manifested, in turn, in one of its most current aspects: the reconciliation of work and family life. This is what happens with Dr. Malcom Crowe, who is afraid of losing his wife from spending so much time at work.
However, his fear is nothing more than death, which refuses to defend himself.
It shows us the day to day of Cole and his mother after the separation from his father, the problems and difficulties they face and how this affects the boy’s school life. Cole’s mother has to fight alone to raise a child who seems to be facing a multitude of problems.
At school, Cole is bullied, can’t connect with her peers, and is the subject of all the jokes. We explore her relationship with other colleagues and between her mother and the mothers of other children.
Everything seems to indicate their family problems, although the reality is very different.
Nor is the current treatment of bullying the same as in the 1990s. Today, schools and families seem to be more aware of their impact and consequences.
The sixth sense, far beyond its paranormal plot, brought us closer to an ignored reality. Likely, much of society no longer identifies people looking for a crazy psychologist.
Thus, our current gaze makes us believe even more in what we see, this suspense and the relationship that little Cole has with death, a relationship that will allow all the characters of the film to know the true value of their lives, the importance of life. remember their loved ones and, in turn, let them go.
With characters perfectly constructed and supported by a solid script, Shyamalan has developed a story whose context feeds on reality itself, and suspense continues to wait until the last minute.
Belief in life beyond death, however frightening it may seem, actually corresponds to a certain desire. If we think, for example, of religions, we will realize that the idea of eternal life is present in different ways, either as the existence of “another place”, as reincarnation, etc.
This idea seems to make our own life more bearable, to say goodbye less difficult and to maintain that hope that after death we will meet our loved ones.
Film and other artistic events, such as literature, have tried to play with terror in relation to “beyond”. One way or another, the dead scare us more than the living because death is the “unknown” and the unknown always scares. We.
However, all these films that fuel this fear represent, in turn, a kind of encounter with hope. Yes, there are evil spirits that can haunt us, but this existence means we will never die at all.
As in other horror films, such as The Exorcist, the game of contrasts alleviates our fear. The idea of evil implies that of good. The idea of something beyond death translates into hope.
The sixth sense feeds on this fear and at the same time plays with hope. Not all ghosts that appear to Cole are scary. He also sees, for example, his grandmother, even if she is never seen at the scene. just an appearance.
Cole will face his fear and discover his true mission in the world: to harness his gift and help others. Help these ghosts find peace, follow their ways further.
The imprint of this Hindu spiritual tradition takes hold of Shyamalan in this portrait of fear, anguish and pain, but also of hope.
Speech plays with our emotions, taking us down a path of pain and tension to connect us with our deepest feelings. We are all afraid of death, we all mourn a loss and we are all afraid, whatever nature.
Our life is nothing more than a path full of obstacles that we must face and overcome, as are the characters of the film.
Shyamalan’s production is paused, except for the small scares that appear on screen, the fears we will discover later are not as appalling as they might seem.
The tension is palpable from the first few minutes of the film, the evils of the contemporary world take over the characters.
We’re talking about suicide, loss, guilt, harassment and certainly anxiety. But beyond all that, The Sixth Sense is a story of friendship, love for one’s neighbour and all people.
We cannot forget those who were part of our lives, but who are no longer with us, must accept their death, let them go and keep them alive in our memory.
Cole and his psychologist will help each other. The two will learn several lessons and develop a great friendship. Crowe will find his way to death and Cole to life.
The end surprises us and leaves a door open to the future; towards a future with more hope for both, albeit in different worlds. The characters overcome pain and obstacles, and do so by verbalizing their conflicts, reconciling with their loved ones and with themselves.
I remember the first time I saw the movie, I got carried away by the suspense and focused on the scary story that was chasing little Cole.
Years later, after seeing him again and already knowing the end, I enjoyed a very different feeling, further away from terror and anguish.
The passage of time has left no trace in the film and seeing it is a great pleasure, know or not the end. Shyamalan presented us with an awakening, a horror story that, at the same time, is beautiful.