ifirit

I agree. Like or dislike the film, please be considerate enough to prevent spilling the beans on content or events from the film. (Just replace the TEXT with what you wish to say.) Spoiler Tag: [color=white] TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT [/color] Alternatively, [quote="Spoilers"] [color=white] TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT [/color] [/quote] You may also wish to add a heading that informs other readers that spoilers lie ahead. Spoiler Heading: [color=red] [b] SPOILER HEADING [/b] [/color] Anyway, with that out of the way... Warning: Silent Hill Spoilers I have to agree for the most part that this is both an incredible, outstanding film and a campy, hair-pulling movie both at the same time. There are times when I was on the edge of my seat thinking "OMG, OMG, OMG, OMFG...." or "That was so freakin' awesome!" However, there were also several times when I was so disappointed at the writing that it really drew my attention to the weaker aspects of the film. >.> <.< Such as... Alessa saying "Look, I'm burning." or the Bubble-Head Nurse Shuffle "Now, jazz-hands!!!" But, I digress. Actually, that explanation part would have been great had the plot not been reiterated constantly thoughout the film, though without the cliche video-gamey "Congratulations, here's an explanation!" introduction. As much as the film explained certain aspects a little too thoroughly, it failed to mention other aspects of the film as well. The elimination of the god (or mention of) from the film raises the question of how a little girl gained the power to create the world (or the Dark World) on her own. It shows that Alessa was tormented and hated because they thought she was a witch, but it fails to justify the reason by informing the audience that she had a special power within her. So, it will be difficult for the general audience to understand how the world is created, and why Alessa has the power to do what she does. In addition to this, the film doesn't make a point to explain that creation of the Misty World/Dark World was created by this power (be it that it comes from Alessa's power or from the power of the god). If the Dark Alessa is to be considered the source of her power and not simply a split-personality/manifeastation of her pain, then it appears such that she is actually a demon, which then leaves the question of where did such a demon come from, i.e. from what mythology did it appear? (I ask this because the religion of Silent Hill, as portrayed in the film, does not believe in such things. Yet, it acts to drive them out and destroyed, contradictive to the series, which makes the "demons" a part of the religious beliefs, as based on Native American mythologies.) Unfortunately, because of the way that Gans and company set up the story for the film, it eliminates the possibility for SH2 and SH3 to exist as sequels, in this universe. Having Silent Hill exist as a smoldren, toxic fume-spewing ghost town prevents it from existing as a peaceful, serene vacation spot used to establish the loving, emotive relationship between James and Mary, which without greatly hinders that story. (Sure, it could be set in South Vale, but Brookhaven and Pete's Bowl-O-Rama were placed in downtown Silent Hill, suggesting that Paleville and South Vale are non-existant in the Toluca Lake area.) Also, since the memebers of the cult all burned in the accident (except for Alessa) and were drawn into her world, it is unlikely that there is anyone left to seek out Alessa's reincarnation (if Sharon is even a reincarnation), or anyone who would be interested. SH4 could be used for material for a sequel film, but without the establishment of the religion of Silent Hill as seeking to bring God into the world, it wouldn't make much sense. As such, the film will branch into its own universe and will exist from now on as its own entity, much like the comics. I was really hoping that the film would have coincided with the series, because I really, really, really, REALLY like the visual style of the film, but you can't always have your cake and eat it, too. (I plan on purchasing the film on DVD simply for the closing credits montage; dis-embodied lights rock!) For me, the scariest parts of the film weren't even the gory ones. The scariest parts were created by the fear of pain or death. Rose's close-call in the alley and with Cybil in Midwich, inspired greater fear within me than when the Red Pyramid tore Anna apart or when Alessa raped and subsequently killed Christabella with her barbed-wire tentacles. Sure, those aparts were hard to watch, but I wasn't afraid for the characters, for whom our concern was established (as opposed to what was mentioned by Eccles, that many people felt the characters deserving of their fate). Even in the basement of the Brookhaven Hospital, the nurse encounter was still terrifying because of the nature of the encounter, which was plagued with doubt as to whether she would survive it. It seems to me, that scenes where there exists doubt about whether the characters will survive such encounters much scarier, mostly because it adheres closer to gameplay where a person's ability to survive is their own. But, also, because the characters must have a certain degree of freedom involved that makes their responses and resulting actions harder to predict. [/non-sequitor] I agree that I was hoping for an all new music composition for the film which could have been used seeing that Akira Yamaoka was officially tied to the production, but what are you gonna do? As such, I also agree that the cues were just too obvious and cut-&-dry, but the dynamics and expressions used to build up the tension within the music itself were phenomenal. Jeff Danna did a great job of re-orchestrating many of the different songs. Of course, Promise [Reprise] was used many times (acting as a sort of Theme of Alessa), but each time there were varied additions. Such as the additional strings and orchestral accompaniment during the latter stages of the film, when Rose catches up with Alessa, to the synthetic and pad accompaniments used during the chase to the bathroom in Midwich. The remastered version of Magdalene with it's changes in rhythm, really exposes the vulnerability of the piece. These changes helped to add a human touch to the mostly 4/4 time scales that Akira Yamaoka uses so often. I even enjoyed the way Danna mixed versions of the original music together in adding scale and tension during the dark world parts. I really hope an official motion picture soundtrack for Silent Hill is released at some point.

Yes, three. A side door near the Second Visit entrance in Subway World, the front door to Hospital World and the front door to Apartment World. Anyway, what people are arguing about is an aspect of game creation which is typical of all adventure-horror games ("survival-horror" is an outdated term): maze design. Looking at Silent Hill in this aspect, you have to also consider the difference between a locked door and a jammed door. Locked doors are obstacles that act as part of the gameplay (being that overcoming obsticles are part of solving a maze), while jammed doors are a part of the ambience of the game, meant to affect the player psychologically. However, in most survival horror games, there is an additional element to the game design that effects the ambience that the player experiences: the map. The map is an essential tool needed to navigate the world and to prevent players from becoming lost and frustrated. It helps to guide the players to their destination, to focus their attention on the goal and to help them think through the obsticles that obstruct their path. However, the map is the antithesis to the ambience created by the jammed door. A jammed door frustrates a player because it means that the most direct path to their destination is no feasible and/or because it hinders the experience of navigation. Being able to see a space that should be accessible, yet isn't becomes disappointing to a hasty player. Yet, in the Silent Hill series, the maze design incorporates the ability to go around jammed doors and can at times allow players to enter a room from a secondary entrance. Also, for players who were truly inquizitive, they were able to discover that these jammed doors didn't always lead nowhere. A few rooms do exist behind the jammed doors in Midwich Elementary. (So, don't blame jammed doors on lazy game designers.) Maze design is a dying art in the video game industry since most games use fully 3-D level design, but Silent Hill does a fairly good job of it, as I don't feel that any single "level" in Silent Hill is repetative. In addition, the camera angles were part of the director's decisions on the presentation of the game and for the most part, they are great, although SH4 needed some fine tuning. (It took RE three sequels to add an adjustable camera.) If you are absolutely frustrated with the current set-up, just download the camera hack program and have free reign on the field of view. You can even use it to find out Angela's fate. (Apparently, she decides to take up yoga.)

WARNING: Silent Hill 1 & 2 Spoilers and Possible Silent Hill Spoilers I think that you are confusing the information given by Roger Avary in an interview with IGN with the idea that TriStar was responsible for executive decisions like that. Avary was the writer who included the character Christopher DeSilva (played by Sean Bean) as a way to relieve the burden of explaining the history of Silent Hill (as presented in the film) from Rose's character, who's main objective is to find Sharon. In other words, Avary split up Harry's character into two personas, one as Christopher (who will retain Harry's inquisitive and pensive characteristics [as well as his masculinity]), while the other as Rose (who will embody Harry's emotive and emotional characteristics [including those that drive his parental instincts]). By adding this change, he was able to retain Gans' original vision while allowing the audience to follow the film a little better from a cognitive standpoint. Avary felt that this was the only major aspect of the story that needed to be revised. Also, according to people who were able to obtain copies of the script beforehand (no thanks to Don Carmody, producer for Silent Hill and Davis Films, who blabbed to everyone about the film's script), Christopher DeSilva is a very close embodiment of Harry Mason. That part of the film appears to be occuring in the section that takes place in Nowhere (in the game), this could imply a variety of explanations, one of which could involve the mysterious fourth persona of the Alessa character. Gans has alluded to it in a few interviews, but has not revealed much information other than that one of Alessa's persona's is evil, suggesting a demonic presense. The quote might not be coming from Sharon or Alessa or even Sharon/Alessa, but from the awakened incubus within Sharon/Alessa. Another theory might be that it is a memory of Alessa arguing with a person from the same memory much like those from the game, where Harry sees the memories of the past replayed as ghostly images. Granted that this is not likely the case since there is a distortion in the audio and that Sharon/Alessa does not have a ghostly appearance. Still, it's not beyond plausibility. From reading the text of the Ushinawareta Kioku (Lost Memories) (I like to use this name to distinguish it from the book in the games), it implied that the Red Pyramid Thing was a being intrinsic to the religion of Silent Hill (not the town, though some people associate the two together). It seems that the text saying that the Red Pyramid Thing was "only" a manifeastation of James' delusion is only that the form seen by James is exclusive to him, not that the being was exclusive to James himself. You also have to consider that the context of the quote is within a question of what Walter Sullivan saw, not within the context of the entirety of the Silent Hill series. Other parts of the Ushinawareta Kioku and the Silent Hill Fugue suggest that the Red Pyramid Thing is a being that was created as part of an invocation of Vatiel, the angel of god. The appearance of heavenly beings when another being is invoked is reminisant of the invocation of the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit from Christian beliefs, particularly Catholism. In some stories, God would send down the Holy Spirit (in an earthly form) to those who prayed to him in place of God himself and the Holy Spirit would act on behalf of God. In the context of the Silent Hill series, the guide book strongly implies that the same thing occurred with the Red Pyramid Thing, being that Vatiel was sent in the form of an executioner to act on god's behalf. However, it also implies that Vatiel is not the RPT and that they are separate entities. I cannot say with certainty which is correct, but it seems to me that the RPT is very closely connected to Vatiel as either a form of Vatiel or as an agent of Vatiel. Anyway, as such, I have to ask myself now, why the Red Pyramid from the film, if a manifeastation of the female perspective, appears the way it does. But, I'll leave my thoughts on that subject for another day. It's widely considered that the couple did visit the Silent Hill Historical Society, but it is unknown as to whether or not James really absorbed anything from his visit. Some people, who consider the theory that everything James sees and experiences takes place within his mind, consider that the history that James learns while in Silent Hill the second time is just parts of what he heard and saw on the first visit emerged from his subconscious. This is fine to consider, but would put a strain on anyone's mind to have to recall that much information. It's likely that James did learn a little bit on his first visit and that the rest he genuinely picks up while exploring the town. However, in actuality, it cannot be stated with certainty what James knew about Silent Hill's past. I'm glad someone else finally sees that observation. I've tried to make that point before, but many people rejected the notion because it made Maria's character appear diminished as a person; it made her appear as a monster and not a character, which she is for the most part. But, I believe Maria to be a manifeastation uniquely characteristic to Silent Hill, being that it is the place where people can see the spirits of the dead, as well as the living. (I'm using the word "spirits" very loosely since Native American beliefs don't view spirits the same way that people of Judeo-Christian faiths do.) But, Maria is always a touchy subject with a lot of people. Maria is a mysterious character who knows a lot more than she leads people to believe. Maria's discussion about fate with Ernest Baldwin plays a major role in my theory, but since so much has to be implied from that conversation that it makes the subject hard to explain to other people.

Just because he says it doesn't mean it will be, or if it is, will be to your (and people like you) liking. I've made theories about how I view things and why certain events are pausible or not, but I don't determine my overall opinion based on whether or not a certain thing exactly follows logic or not. I'm not one of those people who criticize a work just for critism's sake. If I point certain inconsistencies out, it's because I have reason to believe that it will effect the logic raised by the work. The resulting discussion will hopefully bring other people to look at the issue in a different light or to help them look closer at something that might be overlooked. I definitely allow more in my train of thought for poetic license on the creators' part and don't let little things like the fact that the Red Pyramid is shown holding two Great Knives in certain scenes or the fact that Cybil's hair is matted down in the game as opposed to the film. Debating, or even commenting, on such trivial matters is ignorant, beyond the focus of what's important and just plain pointless, especially when the work is a reprise of an already established publication. However, if the role of a certain character becomes fundementally compremised than the role that is presented in the original piece, I don't feel that it is completely beyond reason to open up discussion as to why such a change was included, do you? Way to go out of your way to be an immature and self-righteous prick about the discussion. I know you take pride in your deep knowledge about the games, but acting like you're some sort of benevolent god? Get over yourself Nah, I prefer the term guru. Of course, that name was not self-annointed. Internet= serious business $40 billion industries tend to be. Now, enjoy this little piece of non-sequitorism. EDIT: I completely forgot to mention this, but I just bought myself a ticket to go see PLAY! A Video Game Symphony. I know that one or two other people have done the same, so in case anyone wants to do an OCR/SH meetup in Chicago before the show, I'd be happy to help set things up. I'll try to see if Peacer (of Silent Hill: No Escape) wants to hook-up too, since he lives in a suburb of Chicago. Also, if anyone wants to me to ask Akira Yamaoka anything during the meet-and-greet, make your suggestions.

The "general public" doesn't care about the theories. The "general public" plays Silent Hill games because they think they're scary, they like the story and gameplay, or some combination of the above. If you expect the filmmakers to find a way to explain some of the most obscure details in the series' to appease hardcore fans (which are fewer in comparison to the "general public") and to somehow make the movie fit in line with the game storyline, then I'm willing to bet you're going to be sorely disappointed. I'm sure everyone will enjoy it in their own way, I just think that people who make Silent Hill details their life will never have the movie live up to their expectations, because let's face it, the movie has to appeal to most, if not all, cinema-goers who plunk down the money to see the film, and the diehard, minutiae-oriented fans can't expect the film to cater to them on such a hardcore level. You seem to be confusing Silent Hill fans, particularly those who frequent this thread, with normal video game fanatics. Silent Hill has always had a cult status (no pun intended) within the video game community, because of its incredibly artistic influences. Any person who has taken a good look at that virtual world can see that. And art is a substantially subjective thing to discuss. Yet, for those who understand the principles of true artistic flair, good art is reasonably obvious. Also, artists, in particular the creators of this series, tend to be very protective of whom they allow to handle their works. So, in order for anyone to earn the trust of the creators to adapt a film for Silent Hill, they have to prove it. Gans apparently was able to because he was able to show Konami that he was a "hardcore fan," based on the thirty minute audition video he sent to the executives at Konami. So, if Gans is one of those people who makes the details of the games his life, is it completely unreasonable to expect the film to contain some merit of faithfulness to the series? Honestly, it sounds like you've not been reading over the press materials surrounding the film and judging for yourself the depth of the film director's thought processes. (I apologize for the tone of that statement, but my impression seems to be that you are not informed well enough to support your argument. And in this arena, accurate support is critical to presenting claims.) Gans has stated numerous times that he understands the intrecacies of the Silent Hill series and had worked over the last five years to develop a tightly constructed adaptation to the original game. Visually, that point was made clear at first glimpse; fans are simply waiting for the opening release to see not IF it adheres to the series, but how far so, as that can determine how much it furthers the discussion on the subject of Silent Hill's mythology. I say this because you can't even discuss the subject of Silent Hill without having to theorize even a little. So, if you feel the need to counter a claim, provide one of your own to help further the discussion. Anyway, as a thank you to all of those who worked to continue the discussion on the subject, I'm PM-ing them a copy to an exclusive "Making Of" video for the film, something I'm sure "hardcore gamers" would appreciate. I'll also direct them to a contest where they can win a free official limited-edition T-shirt from the film. (It's good to be hardcore.) For the rest of you, I suggest you catch up on your reading in another... Silent Hill Film Update: Essential Silent Hill Links: On the Silent Hill Forum, member Kodaemon has compiled a list of essential links of press and promotional materials for the upcoming film (opening in US theaters on April 21, 2006). This list includes many important links, such as the official film site, theatrical trailer, promotional teaser, press interviews, set visits, convention videos, and a whole lot more. For those who want to catch up on everything related to the film, this is your one-stop-shop. Silent Hill Forum - "Essential links" Silent Hill Television Spots: I'm sure by now many of you have begun seeing the television spots for the upcoming film (one which was shown this past Sunday during rerun of "Family Guy"). I've seen spots shown also on Comedy Central, MTV, Fox, and Spike TV, but some of you may have noticed that there are some variations. Well, you are correct. So far, there have been four officially released tv spots for the "Silent Hill" film. I've compiled links to all four spots (which have not been added to the essential links just yet). So without further delay, here they are. Silent Hill Television Spot #1 - [MegaUpload Mirror] [.mov file / 3.41MB] Silent Hill Television Spot #2 - [YouTube Stream] (Stream-only) Silent Hill Television Spot #3 - [saveFile Mirror] [.mpg file / 22.2MB] Silent Hill Television Spot #4 - [saveFile Mirror] [.mpg file / 22.0MB] Smaller video files are available for spots #3 & #4, but I wanted to offer you guys the higher quality video files. Also, if anyone can find a downloadable version of spot #2, please post a link here. Official Film Website Update: This might be old news to some (probably many), but a new character downloads page has been added to the official flash site with downloadable media of the exclusive images posted on many online magazines and publications. The media includes posters, PSP wallpapers, PC wallpapers, IPod Skins, and AIM icons of the monsters and characters from the film. The list includes "The Miners," "The Red Pyramid," "The Nurses" (who premiered on MTV.com a few weeks ago), "The Grey Child" aka (Mumblers), Dahlia, and two variations of "The Janitor" (a monster adaptation of the body strung up throughout the first game). Check out the page to download all the media. Sony Pictures - Silent Hill - Character Downloads In addition to the new downloads, a new entry has been added to the filmmaker's blog. The blog reiterates what Gans has said before, that the official theatrical release of the film will be the director's cut of the film and that the DVD will be produced at a later time. As said earlier, the film will run at 125 minutes in length, much longer than was the expected 90-100 minutes. So, "put here to feel joy" over knowing that you'll be able to enjoy the film as it was intended to be shown on opening night. Sony Pictures - Silent Hill - Filmmaker's Blog Promoting the Crap Out of the Film: In addition to the new television spots, internet banners, ads, pop-ups, website, online word-of-mouth and comic-book convention appearances, producers for the film have also created some unusual items to help promote the film. First of course is the newspaper, which, yes, was made available online after their distribution as items at the Wondercon event, Fangoria Convention and the recent Big Apple Convention in New York. While I wouldn't pay money for one at a comic-book store, might be willing to spend a few dollars for some autographed editions (that was their main purpose) from the actors and executive producers. But, please make sure to check their authenticity before haggling, because nothing sucks like finding out something is a fake. Second, Sony Studios in Culver City, California have erected a billboard in front of their filming lots for the film. This billboard helps to welcome people to that special place where you can "relax to get away from it all." You can read more about it on joystiq.com JoyStiq - Silent Hill billboard welcomes you to... Culver City Third, in case anyone was interested in seeing what was available at the comic cons over the last couple of months, check out this post by Amazonagent from the Silent Hill Forum, who took a photo of the awesome stuff that he got while at the Big Apple Convention. Lastly, even other films have begun adding promotions in for Silent Hill (at least the series anyway), as was recently seen in the film Stay Alive (according to many, it was very poor, at best). shows a discussion between two of the main characters talking about the glitch used to kill the final boss in Silent Hill (SH1), while throwing in a gab about Silent Hill 4: The Room. (Spoiler for those who may not know: If you enter the last boss battle without any ammunition, then the boss will die on its own. However, this glitch does not work when you have unlocked the hyper blaster [which the two guys in Stay Alive refer to] as it has unlimited ammunition and cannot be dropped.) Some people get lost during that conversation, so unless you're a hardcore fan, this reference will likely just go over your head. (Take that, n00bs!)The Silent Hill Experience Update: SHE Released! and New Silent Hill Website on Konami Digital Entertainment of America: Konami Digitial Entertainment of America (KDEA; formerly Konami Computer Entertainment of America) has launched a new website for the Silent Hill series featuring a new site for the upcoming PSP UMD title "The Silent Hill Experience." The site functions as the official site for the title revealing new details about the interactive media disc as well as a link to purchase the item, which was official released today! So go out and purchase your copy today. In addition to the already mentioned interactive comics, music, trailers, film interviews and images, the UMD will include a new chapter of the Silent Hill: Dying Inside series called "The Hunger." I can't say how it will fit into the series, but like the other comics featured on the disc, it will be interactive. In the meantime, feel free to check out the screenshots and wallpapers available on the site's media page. Konami Digital Entertainment of America - Silent Hill - Main Page Konami Digital Entertainment of America - The Silent Hill Experience - Official Flash Site Konami Digital Entertainment of America - The Silent Hill Experience - Game Information Page As a secret for those who visited the page while it was under construction, the original page featured FMV sequences from the first game, remastered and edited with better flow, on a broken television with the traditional derelict background hiding some words and numbers. As the construction was continuing, the television featured the next game in the series with remastered FMVs looped from the game. A real treat for the fans, that without the hardcores would have been fated to become another lost memory. (Yea! for the hardcores!) Now the real task for the hardcores will be to find copies of the remastered videos for the n00bs to download. I'd offer the .swf files, but Phthisis put me in a bad mood.

Being that you made the point to differentiate the separation of the history of the town from the religion of the town, I don't feel that you've made the point clear about the distinction between the Red Pyramid Thing (monster), the executioners of Toluca Prison, and the clothing worn by Jimmy Stone (a priest of the cult of Silent Hill). Therefore, I'll try to elaborate and clarify these distinctions. Let's look at this chronologically. First, in the 1860's at the Toluca prison camp and later prison, those executed in the prison were done so by men dressed with an executioner's hood, which historically (Western civilization), looks triangular/conic though is often black in color. No documentation was made as to the exact description of the executioner's clothing at the Toluca Prison Camp, but it was assumed to be particularly distinct from those of tradition. This is not to say that the clothing looked like that of the Red Pyramid Thing, but that the clothing was different enough from what is traditionally worn for the artist to make note of it in his painting: Misty day, remains of the Judgement. (Please note that the painting reflects the image of the Red Pyramid Thing as it appears in the game, not within the history of the town. It is speculated that the image could have been either an artist interpretation, an extention of James' delusion, or a distortion of reality caused by the power of the town.) The red color of the hood associated by the cult and by players may have been due to blood covering the executioners. From the information written on the "Blood Swamp" monument, it is stated that large quantities of blood were emptied into the swamp from the executioners' cleaning themselves and their tools, suggesting that there was enough to stain the water red. This may imply that their clothing was also covered with blood, escpecially when one considers the methods of execution. As such, the mythos of the executioners wearing red hoods and dirty aprons extends from a distorted view of what they looked like before washing themselves off. This appearance would have been important to the followers of the religion of Silent Hill as many of those executed were practitioners. Second, as a result of the witch hunts in the 17th century, yet re-emphasized after the Civil War, the religion of Silent Hill entered another quiet period in its history, where the followers practised in secret and developed their faith around Christian beliefs as to assimilate within normal society. During this period, the cult of Silent Hill is created, where the beliefs of old religion (which was poly-lithic, believing in multiple gods and spirits) were merged with Christianity (a monolithic faith, believing in a single onmipotent being). The cult thus created new forms for the older gods and spirits as angels and heavenly beings governed under a single god. The cult replaced many of its rituals (many containing blood rites such as blood-letting and human sacrifice) with prayers and ceremonies, but continued to maintain the important ones which involve the three traditional ceremonial items: obsidian goblet, white chism/oil, and the cult's bible. Because of this assimilation of Christian beliefs, many of the blood rites used in the ceremonies of the previous religion fell out of practice, but were still documented to remind the followers of the blood-stained past. In this era, the robes worn by the cult of Silent Hill (those aprons seen in SH1) were created as part of the new system of faith. Their appearance was not to be considered hostile or demonic, though their origins suggest so. As such the aprons were meant to hold holy significance within the cult and be representative of status among its members. As such, the appearance of many angels and heavenly beings are shown to wear such robes, i.e. Vatiel (SH3), the hung bodies (SH1), the Red Pyramid Thing (SH2), etc. Third, after Dahlia's attempt to bring god into the world, many of the previously un/under-used blood rituals were reintroduced to the cult because of their extremely powerful ability to bring about results. It is assumed that this helped to spur stories and rumors about the cult that inspired fear among the citizens of Silent Hill and passing tourists. These stories and rumors also helped to spark new interest in the town's history among tourists, which included the attrocities of the Toluca Prison and Prison Camp, though its documentation had been kept since the 1910's. It's likely that the image of a priest of the cult of Silent Hill (wearing the traditional apron and purely ceremonial red hood with a cross) performing a blood ritual, like human sacrifice, was juxtaposed with the historical recants of the Toluca Prison's staff resulting in a distortion of its original appearance. This distortion is probably the source of James' manifeastation of his personal executioner. So, please note that the ceremonial robes of the priests of the cult of Silent Hill do contain references to the executioners of Toluca Prison, but that their relevence within the cult and the history of Silent Hill reflect a nature of holiness and spirituality, not vengence or a sense of judgement against the wicked. In other words, the priests of the cult of Silent Hill do not assume roles as executioners (while wearing their robes) meant to strike down the wicked, but as people who hold a spirituality within them trying to become further holy, despite the fact that the means include performing blood rites with other people. It's a very fine and subtle distinction to make, but if you exclude the use of human blood as part of the ceremonies, the differences become profound. Having explained my point, I feel a need to extend my discussion to consider the appearance of the Red Pyramid Thing (officially titled "Red Pyramid" for the film) if whether or not its presence contradicts the representation within the mythos of the games, or if it considers the subject thoughtfully. The presense of the Red Pyramid in the film based on presence alone is not contradictive to the storyline from the games if one considers that its form represents that of the priests of the cult of Silent Hill or of angels of god. Because the clothing worn by the priests of the cult is a symbol of their devotion to their faith, the Red Pyramid should represent a being of divine intervention. However, if Alessa were to fear the priests of the cult or the agents of god, then the Red Pyramid would hold no greater presence within the world than any other monster; I'd consider it on par with a puppet doctor or puppet nurse. Yet, according to certain theories about the RP based on the WonderCon footage, it is speculated that it plays a bigger role in the film and acts as an agent under Dahlia's command. This form does contradict the mythos of the series, because it gives a person without possession of the town's power the ability to control "heavenly" beings. As such, assuming that the writers knew this, the RP cannot act under Dahlia's control, but Alessa's. Therefore, Alessa is likely to be using the agent of god to obtain some sort of goal; my guess being that the Red Pyramid acts as the physical manifeastation of the "Mark of Samael" or "Seal of Metatron." The Red Pyramid thus would appear at various points in the film to complete one section of the ceremony. Though I am assuming that the Seal of Metatron is used to escape from Dahlia, I cannot adhere to such a theory unless it is explained in the film. As such, the Red Pyramid's violent actions would have to be tied to the blood rites of the religion of Silent Hill, being that it is a part of the ceremony for the "Seal of Metatron." To assume that the Red Pyramid continues to represent an executioner in this context would, beyond all shadow of a doubt, contradict the mythos of the series. Realizing this, I understand now what will make or break the success of the film's story, which when considered seems fairly obvious: the role of the Red Pyramid in the film. To be represented as an executioner and Id-like figure would be a direct contradiction to the series and hamper the rest of the story's development as a film. Silent Hill Film Update: Silent Hill Television Promotions: Although I am not aware of the official first running of the television promotion for the film, as of 12:49am on Thusrday, March 30, 2006, I witnessed the appearance of the Silent Hill trailer on television on MTV. The television promotion showed the official theatrical trailer almost in its entirety, only to allot for time between commercials. The beginning was editted to quickly explain the backstory within 30 secs, and proceeded to return to normal pace after Rose's entry to the "other side." Considering that the commercial ran for almost two minutes, it was very risky and likely very costly to due so. Still, the point is that television promotions for the film are now underway, indicating that the opening is not too far away. (w00t!)

The images you posted are truly exclusives and not fake items created by avid fans, so to add some credibility to your post, I'm going to put up the sites to the original images and articles. Enjoy. Ain't It Cool News - "AICN Exclusive creepy SILENT HILL image!!!" Ain't It Cool News was the first site (by all measurable standards) to post an article claiming to have recieved an exclusive image from the film from Sony Pictures, at 4:50am CST (Central Standard Time) on Wednesday March 8, 2006. Their image is one of the monster that has its legs stretched around behind its back. According to rumors on the internet, in a recent interview with Christophe Gans (soon to be published), he refers to a monster called the "Janitor," which many people believe to be this monster. Although this is not yet official, many people are beginning to stick with the nominclature, just like "Patient Demon" (Lying Figure), "Doorman" (Abstract Daddy) and "Pyramid Head" (Red Pyramid Thing), which for some reason are the only names misused and from SH2. The article can be found below. Ain't It Cool News - "AICN Exclusive creepy SILENT HILL image!!!" CHUD.com - "Exclusive: Silent Hill Pic!" The CHUD.com (Cinema Happenings Under Development) also posted an article featuring an exclusive picture of another monster from the film. Although not specified in the article, this monster is believed to be the altered design of the Mumblers from SH1 according to internet rumors. The article also talks a little about the press and promotion of the film along with the expectations that fans have for the film, while remarking on the critics' as well. CHUD.com - "Exclusive: Silent Hill Pic!" ComingSoon.net - "Exclusive: Creepy Image From Silent Hill!" The article on ComingSoon.net is the third in the series of exclusive images from the film. Aside from the synopsis posted on the official site, the article just includes the new image. This image is one of the miner-inspired monsters that have appeared in numerous downloads from the offical site (wallpapers, IM icons, trailers, etc.). So, appropriately, people have dubbed these monsters "The Miners," though again this name is not yet official. ComingSoon.net - "Exclusive Creepy Image From Silent Hill!" Fangoria - Upcoming Issue: Lastly, Fangoria (who recently held their Fangoria Convention) will publish in their next issue (#252 available in stores on March 21, 2006) two articles featuring Silent Hill. The first will discuss the revival of game-to-film creation, though mostly through Konami titles (Konami being the most artistic videogame publisher around) including Castlevania, Silent Hill and regretably DOOM. The second article will discuss the film specifically by itself, but does not disclose exactly what information it will include, whether it be an interview, exclusive tour, recap of promotional events, etc. Fangoria - Upcoming Issue EDIT: This sound also appears in the PS2 version, but is much more faint than in the X-Box version. I believe it might be something to do with the 3-D sound design program introduced in SH2 that differs for the X-Box than the PS2. If you'd like to download a copy of the sound (seeing as that you own the game), visit Silent Hill Media (operated by DUST, formerly "Dustfungus") and go to the SH2 Sounds section to get the sound archive. (Unfortunately, DUST lost all the sound files from the original site, which were completely organized and recorded at optimum quality, so you'll have to search through each file manually to find the correct one. Or if you are too lazy to do that, I have the original copies of the sound archive from the first time. PM or IM me if you are interested.) Coincidence? I think not. Yes, Angela specifically says James' name toward the end of the game in the stairwell. She says: Angela: That's what I thought. [pause] Angela: James, give me back that knife. James: No, I... I won't. Listen for it for yourself on Silent Hill Media in the SH2 Voice section. I was looking at that a while ago, and at first, I consciously dismissed it because of it's obvious synthetic texture, but for some reason I think it stuck with me subconsciously because I actually went back a couple of times to look at it again. And on repeated viewings, I came to appreciate the image in being a good piece of fanart. The synthetic texture in the manner that is presented suggests an organic design, but the fact that it isn't organic makes me feel uneasy about what I should think (which is good). I almost get the sensation that the blood is going to move or crawl if I turn away from it. I think this happens because one doesn't know how to expect synthetic blood to move if it could, as opposed to how one would expect real blood to move on a wall. So, Nice Work. Granted I'm no expert in poetry, I have to agree that I feel that this piece was a little poor by most standards. This might be due to the repetition of words used in the poem, especially the rhyming ones, particularly "salt" and "guilt." This repetition hinders the way the poem flows when read or spoken, being that it sounds like it speeds and slows in the wrong places. It may be a matter of taste (no pun intended), but the word choice for the poem needs to be improved. Perhaps you should include more complex words that incorporate the ideas in the poem so that the flow is easier on the tongue, or if you prefer to have the flow of the poem difficult to read, you could have imagery of the words appear just as choppy as the flow. However, from my general impression of the poem, it felt as if you were striving to create a post-twentieth century interpretation of romanticized poetry. In other words, a creepy, disturbed version of love from a series of perverse actions. Being so, you really should work on making the flow and word choices reflect romantic (the period, not the emotion) styles, using flowery words and emotive sentence structure. So, work on revising the poem in that direction. Otherwise, as is, it only continues to fuel fire to the stereotype that SH fans are emos. Don't propetuate this stereotype.

WARNING: Silent Hill Film Spoilers You guys really need to check out this week's... Silent Hill Film Update: Silent Hill at Chicago's Fangoria Convention 2006: As a continued part by both Sony Pictures and Davis Films promotion for the film, the Silent Hill film was previewed at this year's Fangoria Convention, held on Saturday, March 4, 2006 - Sunday, March 5, 2006. (For those that are unaware, Fangoria is a monthly magazine publication that centers around the horror genre in the multimedia arts: films, novels, video games, comics, sculptures & figurines, etc.) Much like the WonderCon event in San Fransico, CA, the promotional presentation included a screening of a scene from the upcoming film (uneditted for maximum exclusivity) followed by a panel discussion on the film (which was scheduled at WonderCon, but did not actually happen). Unlike the WonderCon event, the full-length trailer was shown as well and fans (holding Gold Ticket status) were also allowed to have a meet-&-greet with the panel. Fans with general admission to the convention were scheduled to partake in the meet-&-greet, but time constraints on the actors prevented them from doing so. The panel included the cast members: Laurie Holden (Cybil Bennett), Deborah Kara Unger (Dahlia Gillespie), and Alice Krige (Christabella [confirmed recently on the official site, though presumably sharing a connection to the comics by name alone]). The panel also included producer Andrew Mason who was able to disclose some more behind-the-scenes information about the film than the actors. Though the convention itself was fairly small in comparison to the WonderCon event, this sense of intimacy allowed fans the time to ask the questions that were on their minds and for the actors to answer appropriately without feeling overwhelmed with repetious remarks. One such fan to enjoy the full benefit of the presentation was Savral, staff member for the forums at Silent Hill Forum and Silent Hill Heaven, who very logically planned out his trip to the convention so that he could return to the forums with footage of the event and presentation. However, like all great plans of mice and men, this one went awry. Still, his quick thinking and disregard for convention edicate, allowed him to come away with enough footage of the event to make fans happy. So check out the links below to see pictures of the panel discussion and panel members as well as video of the exclusive preview to Silent Hill. Please note that the end of the preview was deliberately not recorded by Savral for personal reasons, and also to develop a sense of a cliffhanger to entice fans to see the full scene for themselves in theaters once the film is released. Also, due to lack of video film space on his camera, Savral was only able to record on low resolution and week lighting was not much help either, but you can still see the images well enough. In addition, due to webspace constrictions and frequency of dial-up users, the poster uploaded smaller clips in addition to the full length of film of the presentation, listed below. Silent Hill Forum - "My day at Fangoria Con" - Original Post (Part 1/2) Silent Hill Forum - "My day at Fangoria Con" - Original Post (Part 2/2) Fangoria Convention 2006 - Silent Hill Preview Clip (Uncompressed) [MegaUploads Mirror] [.avi file / 227.36 MB] Fangoria Convention 2006 - Silent Hill Preview Clip (Compressed) [.wmv file / 13.10 MB] Fangoria Convention 2006 - Silent Hill Panel Discussion Clip [.avi file / 10.26 MB] Fangoria Convention 2006 - Silent Hill Presentation Photos [MegaUploads Mirror] [.zip / .jpg files / 1.54 MB] EDIT: A higher quality, smaller download version of the Silent Hill preview clip is also available for download off RapidShare, care of Stike. Fangoria Convention 2006 - Silent Hill Preview Clip (Compressed) [RapidShare Mirror] [.mov file / 17.9 MB] (Requires QuickTime 7 or higher) For those looking for a transcription of the dialogue in the scene to aid in understanding of what is being said, I'll re-post the one on the Silent Hill Forum contributed by Comrade Snarky, Bogus and KrwlngNMeSkin below. Spoilers marked, of course. Electronic Gaming Monthly's Silent Hill Movie Interview: Director's Cut: For those that picked up this month's issue (#201) of Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), you were able to read the interview conducted with both Christophe Gans (director [as if you didn't know by now]) and Akira Yamaoka (executive producer & sound composer for the film). However, the published interview was an editted version of the complete interview. Fortunately, Shane Bettenhausen, who conducted the interview, has released the uncut piece on 1-up.com for your reading pleasure. Although the piece doesn't go into any newer details than what was revealed in the published version, it does go deeper into Gans' thinking behind his approach to creating the film, which can give you a greater appreciation for all the hard work it took to bring the film to this point. I suggest that the hardcore fans read this to gain a better perspective of things, since as of the time of the interview, the film had not been fully completed yet. 1-UP.com - Silent Hill Movie Interview: Director's Cut Silent Hill Production Diary Update: A new entry has been added to the official Silent Hill Production Diary: "Silent Hill - Notes from the Director Christophe Gans" entitled "On Harry Mason, the WonderCon Footage, and Capturing the Horror of the Game." The Production Diary will be used to answer questions from fans across the internet about the film and its production. Questions can be submitted online and a subscription to the diary can be made through any XML feeder. Read the diary for more details. Sony Pictures - "Silent Hill: On Harry Mason, the WonderCon Footage, and Capturing the Horror of the Game"

I don't have much time, so I'm going to just make a quick... Silent Hill Film Update: Silent Hill Poster Contest Concluded; Winner Announced: On February 27, 2006, the website announced the official winner of the Silent Hill Poster Contest. So, congratulations to Chuck Waite of El Cerrito, CA for his entry (listed as Poster #4). He'll receive the allotted first place prize of $2500, 25 tickets to the premiere of the film, a limited edition copy of his poster as produced by TriStar Pictures, special Silent Hill merchandise and bragging rights over all others for creating the official film poster. The other contestants will receive runner-up prizes and enjoy a free seat to the premiere of the film, so congrats to them as well. Sony Pictures - Silent Hill Movie Poster Contest Zap 2 It - "'Silent Hill' Poster Contest Winner Unveiled - Pea Soup Never Looked So Creepy" Yahoo News - "'Silent Hill' Poster Contest Winner Unveiled" Official Silent Hill Website Major Update: In addition to the announcement of the winner for the poster contest, the webmasters for the Sony Pictures Silent Hill Website released all new updates to the site. The features included are a close-up view of the Silent Hill newspaper released for promotional use for the film, the Cast and Crew page opening listing the main cast and major crew members responsible for creating the film, a filmmaker's blog and last, but not least, hidden easter eggs. As much as I'd like to discuss the Cast & Crew page or the Filmmaker's Blog, the real attraction here is the addition of new easter eggs and hidden links within the site. Each of the flash site's five major pages includes a hidden easter egg. I'll post how you can find them below, but I suggest you try locating them for yourself, as it's more fun to do so. The page is compatible with both Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher and with Foxfire 2.0 or higher. If you are having trouble viewing the site's flash page, please make sure that you have installed Flash Player 8.0 or higher. Also, clear your cookies and cache to prevent previous information from interfering with the new design, as it is based on the previous design. Lastly, if you are still having trouble viewing the page, right-click the page and select Play on the menu as sometimes the auto-play feature doesn't run on start. Enjoy. Sony Pictures - Silent Hill Official Film Website (www.welcometosilenthill.com)

PresidentEvil won't know what hit him, since this guide isn't going to be you're standard collection of ideas presented in text form alone. They'll be a few surprises along the way. Right now the working title is "Sairento Hiro: Hi Esuke^pu Pa^fekuto Guide." Just to give you a clue about what it is. P.S. If you want to, you can download the promotional videos for The Silent Hill Experience here.

Warning - Silent Hill: Dying Inside Spoilers Oh, man! I completely forgot to update the thread this past Friday. I was going to make a post about the recent Wondercon event held in San Fransico where the Silent Hill film got a special presentation, featuring a performance of the Red Pyramid Thing and special appearance by Deborah Kerr Unger, who held a brief Q&A session about her work in the upcoming film. I was all set to get you guys pumped up but I completely forgot about it. Well, maybe I can justify my absense by informing you guys about a recent update on the No Escape website. It's official, I've confirmed that I will be creating the official film guide for Silent Hill: No Escape which will be featured as a Bonus Feature for the release of the DVD. I'm not going to say very much about it right now, but I can assure you that it will not disappoint you guys. So, keep your eyes peeled for the update on the official fan site. Let's see, what else has been going in the Silent Hill communities recently? Briefly, new film stills have been added to www.welcometosilenthill.com which can be downloaded from Silent Hill Fever. Electronic Gaming Monthly's latest magazine issue is featuring an interview with both Akira Yamaoka and Christophe Gans, which is on newsstands already. Hot Topic has released their first merchandise to promote the film, a Robbie T-shirt. A relatively new fan project has released a demo of an adaptation of Silent Hill for an SNES-style game called Heinsen Hill (www.heinsenhill.de.vu). The poster contest ends Friday, so make sure to keep voting every day for your poster pick. (I think #3 works best to use for appearing in theaters; enough to peak people's interest and inform them that this is a horror film, without being too cheesey or vague.) And lastly, Silent Hill: Dead Alive will be releasing Issue #3 pretty soon. Issues #1 and #2 have already hit stores with 5 variant covers for Issue #1 and two for #2. For those who have forgotten, Silent Hill: Dead Alive is the second series of comics to be released by IDW Publishing. The new series is a direct sequel to Silent Hill: Dying Inside as it begins a short time after Issue #5. Lauryn has regained control of power in Silent Hill and has revived the ghost-town to her liking, which angers Christabella who is forced to see out her existance as the little sister Lauryn once had. Until, one day when Christabella wakes up to find everything returned to the way it was before. But, this time, her body has reverted to its mortal form. This series still sucks and Ceincin's language hasn't cleaned up since the first series, but if you really care, the series is supposed to take place during the seven-year period between the fire and the events of the first game, which only serves to further diminish the games as it would seem that the comics make references to things that have yet to happen in the timeline. Also, apparently all the comics are connected to the SH:DI storyline, making things make even less sense. Anyway, avoid the SH comics for now and make sure to keep your eyes open for lots of updates from various sources about all things Silent Hill. Hmm... I'm wondering if I should do another Silent Hill Remixes post.

Silent Hill Fanworks: Films Since we're sharing Silent Hill-related videos, here are a couple more that you might want to check out. El Despues (The Aftermath): "El Despues" is a fan-created, short film inspired by "Jacob's Ladder" and the Silent Hill games, as well as a little known Chinese film called "The Eye." (The premise of "The Eye" is about a blind woman who, after receiving a cornea transplant, begins to see paranormal phenomena. However, she is without any visual memory so she is unware that it is paranormal. This leads to a series of plot twists and revelations.) Anyway, this fan film shows the audience what happens in the wake of a suicide. The film is clearly inspired by the Silent Hill series, most particularly by Silent Hill 3, but in the most unexplainable way, since there are no obvious symbols or characteristics in the short film. Still, this is really one of the better live action films to be created in the name of "Silent Hill" (*shutters at the mention of "Silent Horror"*) as it captures that tale-tell "feel" in the games without actually incorporating any of the trademarks of the series (i.e. the alternate world, strange monsters, wheelchairs, nurses or obvious religious motifs). Instead, the film utilizes the cinematic aspect of the games and creates a narrative through camera angles and facial expressions, so pay special attention to these things. In addition to this, there is no dialogue (with exception to the introduction), which further places emphasis on actions and emotions. Tres cool. Since this is a fan-made film, there are some inevitable trademarks of being a fan-made film. Specifically, the lighting in the film is made to be very dark in certain places and intensely bright in others, which is intentional. However, when viewing this on Google's video page, the plain white background adds a contrast that makes the film appear darker and obstructing what you can see. To remedy this, I suggest you download the film first and view it on the player of your choice such that the background does not create said contrast. Also, whether due to Google's resolution limitations or by fault of the creators, the picture clarity is rather poor, only allowing you to see mostly pixels at times. In any case, this is an impressive and fun fan film that captures the Silent Hill motif without using it's trademarks, which makes the connection back to the series much more intangible. So, enjoy. (I know I'll never look at christmas lawn ornaments the same way again.) El Despues (by Andes Ciambotti) Nevermore: "Nevermore" is short film that retells the classic poem created by everyone's favorite American alcoholic poet: "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe. However, it retells the story in a modern setting using modern filming techniques, mostly inspired by Japanese horror games and films, of which includes the Silent Hill series. Like "El Despues," "Nevermore" creates a narrative using simply actions and expressions without dialogue as the method of execution. One need not be familiar with Poe's most noted work to appreciate the film, but it offers a closer insight into what the symbols and metaphors mean when taken into context. The premise of this short film revolves around a young school teacher who in the solitude of the afternoon begins to question his sanity as strange things happen in the classroom. Again, similar to "El Despues," the film emulates the essence of "Silent Hill" without using it's trademarks, but invokes the vibe from Silent Hill 4: The Room than from the others in the series. This is most noticable seeing as though the teacher is capable of leaving the classroom, yet he feels compelled to remain there. It's coupled also by the recasting of the raven as a student. This is just a great fan film that makes you think just as much as it makes you creeped out. It reminds me most of the series "Boogiepop Phantom" in terms of visuals and character development, but it could be also said of any Japanese genre film. My only wish would be for the director to have taken better advantage of the musical score in this one, as the short feels too silent (if ever there was such a thing). Still, I highly recommend this one. Nevermore (by Mark Lee) EDIT: In an strange twist of events ala six degrees, I managed to stumble across RazorOutlaw's myspace page after following links from the director of "Nevermore." I was reading some posts made by this presumed "Josh" and thinking to myself, "Wow, this guy is pretty sharp. I wonder who he is?" Then, I see that's it him. That explained it all.[/non sequitur] Anyway, I hope you come out okay after dealing with the reprocussions of Personal Victory Day, Razor. (I work in retail as well, so you've earned at least 20 respect points from me.)

Two words: Space Ghost.

DC++ EDIT: Well, look at that. Post #666.

The remix album that I am refering to is "Robbie Tracks," which was a three track mini-CD that remixed the music from the promotional "Robbie" video originally available on www.sh2004.com (the old flash version).

Likely the reason that there is a difference between Akira Yamaoka's work for Silent Hill and his other gaming compositions are based on the type of sound he desires and the influences that he uses to construct the music. Although he cites no particular artist in general, he does mention being influenced by certain genres and subgenres. For example, when composing "You're not Here," he was looking to create a rock piece that had pop overtones in order to reflect the type of music a teenager such as Heather would listen to. For the "Robbie Tracks" remix album, he was looking for a definite/characteristically European techno sound. Thus, for the Bemani titles, he tries to create high energy pieces that reflect various dance club vibes and often his work displays again a European influence. The more I listen to his music (and to others' music), it becomes easier and easier to hear various genre influences in his work while still managing to avoid sounding like any particular artist. According to various interviews, Akira Yamaoka likes Bristol sounds (Punk/Rock), German techno and electronica, airy New Age music (usually originating from Central Europe as interpretations of traditional Asian folk songs) and American Jazz and Blues. I find that his specific tastes in music help him to know what distinguishes one sound from another, which is probably why his style is so unique. (Personally, I like his work on the Shin Contra [Contra: Shattered Soldier] album because it was the only time where he was trying to make a soundtrack sound like "video game music;" though he has stated that he wishes that he could have made it more "video-gamey.")

Konami Gamer's Day Update: The Silent Hill Experience: Although Konami kept the time and location of their annual Gamer's Day Press Event, it was held today in a local SOMA club called the Mezzanine in downtown San Fransico, CA. The press event featured highly anticipated information on games and additional media to be released this year. Among this plethera of gaming delights was no mention of the next sequel in the Silent Hill series. In it's place, however, is a UMD encoded (PlayStation Portable [PSP]) equivalent to The Art of Silent Hill or Lost Memories: Art and Music of Silent Hill called "The Silent Hill Experience," which will focus on all things Silent Hill released outside of the video game world (i.e. the Silent Hill comics, film, etc.). To focus on these outside works, the UMD disk will contain 6 animated sequences of the Silent Hill: Dying Inside series (possibly including one tale from the Three Tales comics released after SH:DI), interviews and behind-the-scenes photage of Silent Hill (film), and a collection of "Akira's Picks" of music from the games. For Silent Hill fans, this is your reason to buy a PSP. IGN - "Silent Hill Experience" GameSpot - "Konami takes new tack in 2006" GameSpot - "Silent Hill gets Experienced" Trailer - The Silent Hill Experience (.mov format) [MegaUpload Mirror] Trailer - The Silent Hill Experience (.wmv format) [MegaUpload Mirror] EDIT: Damn! I was too late.[/reference] Looks like Nulion beat me to the punch. Uploading those mirrors took longer than I thought. It's Hard Being Green: Although somewhat off-topic, I thought this article was very cool. Vixx, a long-time member of the Silent Hill online community & staff member for Silent Hill Heaven, received a package the other day as a thank you from Akira Yamaoka for some work she did on his initial website. I just can't help feeling envious that she recieved an autographed poster for Heather and a free copy of iFUTURELIST. I really need to check out that album. Furious Angel - "The Day I Had a Surprise Package

iFUTUR3LIST Update: Terror in the Depths of the Blog: I was looking through Konami of Japan's website again and came across Akira Yamaoka's blog relating to his recently released album iFUTURELIST. Although completely written in Japanese, I found multiple mentions on Silent Hill within what little text I could translate. In addition to this, he seems to have been very active this month in filling his blog, which, to me, suggests that something important is happening in Yamaoka-san's life/career. Some photos show him giving some sort of presentation, while others seem to be unrelated to anything outside of iFUTURELIST. Although, I suspect that this recent peak in blog activity is due simply to the release of the fourth volume of the iFUTURELIST collection, but complete translation may reveal additional information regarding Akira's involvement in either Silent Hill (the film) or with Silent Hill 5. I report more after I've translated the complete texts. Akira Yamaoka Official Blog - iFUTURELIST

Silent Hill Film Update: Forget waiting, the full-length theatrical trailer is online NOW! Go check it out now on Yahoo'>http://movies.yahoo.com]Yahoo Movies. The trailer is exactly as described earlier and is indeed a brand-new collection of scenes. The trailer runs at a length of 2 minutes and 30 seconds (2:30) and sets up the beginning of the entire film and possibly up to the middle. Scenes and moments from the original Silent Hill are abound as the trailer tries to recreate the experience of playing the game. Images of the monsters shown in the teaser are shown a little more clearly, due to the fact that they removed the grain filter from the film itself. You may also find that the monsters feel even creepier than before given how Rose interacts with some of them. However, the trailer does treat us to a small treat, new music. The music featured in the trailer features classic pieces from the Silent Hill soundtracks, but also contains some new ambient works containing that trademark Yamaoka flair. Personally, I was hoping to hear some new melodic pieces or even an arranged version of the theme, "Silent Hill," for film score. Warning: Possible Film Spoilers Yahoo Movies - Silent Hill Theatrical Trailer Now, that you've viewed the trailer, you may not feel as confident about the film as before. (Personally, I was just a little unsatisfied.) It seems as though the film is just a watered-down version of the first game, and find that the quotes refering to "hell" and "the dark one" to be too forward and ackward to be a part of the Silent Hill series, which makes it sound somewhat clique' of horror films. I think that the producers and director are underestimating the intelligence of the Silent Hill fan and, in my opinion, the viewing public. If people don't come out of the theater, the way gamers got up from their consoles, going "What the hell was that all about?," then I feel that Davis Films didn't fulfill the expectations of a Silent Hill work. This is something that I feared from the beginning, but have come to expect as the likely outcome. In any case, I still feel excited about the film, because despite any personal feelings I have toward seeing this trailer, it still looks better than any videogame-to-film movie I've ever seen. I love the look of the crawling walls and the nurses that don't move.

Not really. The top 50 posters were sent directly to the Sony/TriStar Marketing Team, who will narrow the choices down to the top 5 from those 50. They began reviewing posters yesterday and will continue until tomorrow. The finalists' posters will be posted for public viewing on the 20th. (This was explained earlier.) It just seems that the people running the contest decided not to post the results of the preliminary voting round, so we don't know who the top 50 posters are. It's possible that after the contest is completely over, they'll post the complete results of the contest and you'll be able to see where you placed. Granted that will be a long time, but you'll know whether or not you made it into the top 5 by Friday afternoon. Warning: Silent Hill 2 Spoilers I don't feel that there is any need for discussion on this because it has a very easy answer, which can be found in the very first paragraph of Mary's (complete) Letter. She writes: In my restless dreams, I see that town. Silent Hill. You promised you'd take me there again someday, but you never did. Well, I'm alone there now, in our special place, waiting for you. Waiting for you to come to see me, but you do... Coupled with the story that Laura gives about obtaining Mary's Letters suggests that Mary wrote both letters before she left to go "home." These things suggest that Mary and Laura were hospitalized outside of Silent Hill/South Vale. In addition, if she had written those letters before she supposedly went to Brookhaven, then the context of the diary written in Brookhaven doesn't make complete sense. In Mary's letter to James, she wishes him to lead his own life again after she's gone. She makes peace between herself and her illness, her fate to die. Although she is sad that her life is ending, she is happy that she shared it with her someone special. The diary in Brookhaven on the other hand gives a sense that the person writing the diary has given up on life rather than accepting the inevitability that they will die. Although these two comments seem similar, they are very different when you consider a person's emotional state. Giving up on life is a response when you feel that there is no hope in life to continue to live. Accepting that you will die means that you value life and the purpose of living, but that you know that it is part of the nature of things, that life begins and life ends. However, I'm not going to totally refute what the Adversary wrote, because there are some doubts placed within the game that could be interpretted such that Mary did go back to Silent Hill. However, one major problem with that is that it opens the door again to the idea that the main character in the game is actually running around a populated city killing innocent people because he/she thinks they're monsters. It is not something that can be taken lightly and causes huge reprocussions when you consider the story. I think that people should also consider Maria's interpretation of things as well. Although born from James' wish to see Mary again, is she susceptable to James' delutions as well, that the town is not really abandoned and crawling with monsters? In short, this is an interesting theory that plays on the emotions of the player and casts a different light on the things you experience in the game, but when you consider the concept as a whole, it is probably not the case. Anyway, as someone in that thread said earlier, definitely food for thought. EDIT: Silent Hill Film Update Silent Hill Film Trailer Confirmed: According to Bloody-Disgusting.com, the trailer for Silent Hill is definitely being featured along with certain prints of Underworld: Evolution. The report comes from an email sent by a fan, fragilen1n, who was treated to an early screening of Sony's sequel to Underworld. In addition to the confirmation of the trailer's presence with the film, it is reported that it is indeed a brand-spankin'-new full-length trailer and not simply the teaser (featured on the Silent Hill website) converted to big-screen format. So definitely keep you eyes peeled for the trailer to appear online tomorrow or, better yet, go see Underworld: Evolution for the ultimate trailer experience. (However, rumors suggest that only half of the printings of U:E have the trailer attached. The rest of the printings will feature the trailer for Ultraviolet in its place.) Warning: Possible Film Spoilers & Definite Trailer Spoilers Bloody-Disgusting - "The Trailer Park: See 'Silent Hill' Tomorrow!!" Silent Hill Forum - Additional Confirmation (Thanks to LifetoLifeless) Silent Hill Forum - Detailed Trailer Description (Thanks to Bogus)

Warning: Silent Hill 4: The Room and Silent Hill Spoilers Was wondering about that just as I read it, but maybe it's possible that Walter created his own world, and in his own world he scattered ammo around to help himself out? The ammo may have never been meant for Henry to use, but for Walter. Evidence for that might be that the only firearms in the game are pistols...and Walter himself uses pistols. So he'd keep ammo around to keep himself armed. But then I suppose that theory would eventually fall apart, right? He hides ammo in a lot of places where you never see him. Not to mention, why would he hide a gun in Henry's apartment? I don't imagine it was to give Henry a sporting chance to keep himself alive. But... If Walter didn't put the ammo there for himself, then it would have had to have been for Henry - maybe because Walter wanted Henry to make it all the way to the end, where he could complete the 21 Sacraments? Guess I'm rambling There is one thing that people forget about sometimes in Silent Hill 4, the assistance by Joseph Schreiber (aka Victim 15). You can debate whether or not Joseph is actually helping Henry out or if he is simply another lost soul working towards the fulfillment of the Sacraments for the Decent of the Holy Mother, but either way, Joseph is intent on providing Henry with what he needs to reach the Ultimate Truth. There are certain clues left behind in the game that suggest this. For instance, Jasper refers to someone called "that real nosey guy" who seems to be searching for information and clues about Wish House, the cult of Silent Hill, etc. It's uncertain as to when Jasper met the "nosey guy," but it seems clear that it wasn't too long ago. Some people infer that he is Walter Sullivan who is wandering around the world, preparing to kill his victims, but I doubt that, since Jasper refers to his killer as "the Devil." (Which I can only assume is Walter.) From the way that Jasper refers to the "nosey guy," I believe that it is (or was) Joseph Schreiber who spoke to Jasper, was collecting information, and gave him the trowel (Blood-Inscribed Spade). Later, when Henry speaks to him in Room 302 of the Past, Joseph's speech leads Henry to find the Pickaxe of Hope, the tool necessary for him to uncover Walter's body, obtain the Keys of Liberation and enter the Chamber of Ten Hearts (all of which are essential for Henry's final confrontation with Walter). Joseph even offers advise on a way to destroy Walter's body and collapse his world by informing Henry of the words in the Crimson Tome (an item that I'm still a little unsure about in its purpose in the series as a whole). So, it is a possible explanation that Joseph is responsible for placing the majority of helpful items in the game. Joseph does also give Henry other important items placed under his door that help him at certain dead-ends, such as the Key to Room 303 (well, he really only helps Henry find the key), the Succubus Talisman, the Small Key (used to open the gate in the elevator shaft of Hospital World) and, not to mention, the Red Diary. However, something else got me to thinking that it isn't Walter leaving these items around, because the one item that you clearly see Walter leave behind for Henry causes his apartment to be cursed, the Shabby Doll. The item itself didn't necessarily hold any malice towards Henry (since it doesn't really hold any meaning for him) and Walter didn't particularly hate the item (since it was a gift from Eileen and a reminder of the happiness shared by mother and child), so I am making the assumption that if Walter had left any items behind for Henry (or himself) to use later, they would have cursed Henry's apartment as well had he stored them in the trunk. It seems a little outlandish that Walter was so dangerous that even the items he touched would cause them to be cursed (or maybe he actually "purifies" them?), but it still seems plausible. That depends on your theory about SH1 in general. Personally, I believe that Alessa's world was created in order to distance herself from Dahlia and the "real world." (How much more distance can you place between yourself and another person than an entire world? But, for a 14-year-old girl, I guess the town was her entire world.) I believe that the person who was placing the items around Alessa's world was Dahlia, since she needed Harry to find Cheryl/Alessa (something he couldn't do entirely on his own) and since Alessa didn't have a complete grasp* on her "world." *Mentioned in an earlier theory about the internal struggle between Alessa, Cheryl and the god.

Warning: Silent Hill 4 Spoilers From the diary entry, it's somewhat unclear as to whether Dahlia was addressing Walter directly or whether it was just something that she said while meeting with the Holy Mother sect. Either way, Walter misinterpretted the message. I don't think that Dahlia was refering to Walter's actual or perceived mother, but likely to the Holy Mother. I mean, how could she know the location of this particular orphan's birth parents immediately on their first meeting? From Walter's diary, Walter over-reacts at the mention of this and wants to see his mother in order to find solice in someone meant to love him unconditionally as an escape from the treatment he was receiving under the care of Wish House. I don't believe that it's a coincidence that the mention of Dahlia and her visit are listed after Walter's recants about his life at Wish House. It isn't until Walter actually gets to Ashfield and is unable to locate his mother that he begins thinking that his mother is in Room 302 of South Ashfield Heights Apartments (and then ultimately that the room itself is his mother). Walter's search is entirely out of his own desire to see his mother, not by suggestion that he see her by Dahlia or anyone else. Also, she mentions Ashfield, not specifically South Ashfield, where Walter spends the majority of the time searching. In fact, the diary even suggests that Walter was advised not to go to South Ashfield, because it is a "scary place." felixmcli.org - Silent Hill 4 The Room - Notes (Red Writings) (Specifically, entries Oct. 16th & Oct. 17th)

I saw the link, I'm more excited about Siren 2, than I am about the Siren film, which will probably turn out like a lot of the Japanese genre films, such as Parasite Eve, Boogiepop & Others or Tomei (a true Silent Hill influence for those in the know). I take it that you didn't get a chance to check out Nursery Cryme while it was still open. A pity' date=' really. Fortunately, Silent Hill Tears has kept a candlelight vigil for the site, by hosting a copy of the timeline originally on Nursery Cryme and maintaining many of the references seen in the first game. References made in the second game will be included at a later date. I suggest everyone brush up on their SH references, since this is starting to get out of hand. EDIT: P.S. DJ Skratch 'n' Sniff, please refrain from making double posts. If you need to include an additional thought or continue an idea in your post, please use the "EDIT" button located at the top, right-hand corner of your posts (). Session 9, like many psychological thrillers, requires that you emerse yourself in the atmosphere developed by the film and have an active imagination. If your mind isn't wondering what lies around the next corner or what'll show up next, the experience probably won't be very enjoyable. Session 9 isn't cult-acclaimed because of the story or it's ability to scare you outright, but for it's genuinely creepy atmosphere which is pretty unique in terms of cinematagraphy (sp?). Most people have to experience the film in an isolated setting in order to appreciate this aspect of the film's character; otherwise, distractions pull you away from the experience and prevent you from absorbing the full view.

Warning: Silent Hill 1, 3 & 4 Spoilers Alessa doesn't have any influence on Walter, because the cult of Silent Hill ("4S" for those who like to use acronyms) used the ceremonies tied to Vatiel to begin the Sacraments for the Descent of the Holy Mother ("21 Sacraments" for those who like use short names). According to the supplemental information provided by Translated Memories, the Vatiel sect headed by Jimmy Stone was responsible for placing the influence of Vatiel into Walter's subconscious. As you may know, the Vatiel sect was separate from the Holy Mother sect and the Saint Ladies sect, one of which was headed by Dahlia Gillespie (it is presumed that Dahlia headed the Saint Ladies sect, since the Holy Mother sect was responsible for the operation and maintainence of Wish House, something where the day-to-day duties did not involve Dahlia, as indicated by Walter's diary). Considering all this information, many people recognize that the actions by Walter and the influences by Alessa are two separate entities, though possibly aimed toward the same goal. One possible answer to your question maybe shown after Henry uses the "Keys of Liberation" on his front door. You are meant to realize that from the beginning of the game (although not the beginning of the five days when Henry became trapped in his room) Henry was in Walter's alternate world (Walternate world, sorry I just saw that as I was typing) the whole time. This suggests many different things. One, that the holes in Henry's room were not portals to an alternate world, but portals to different places within Walter's world, which is entirely interconnected (as you learn by escorting Eileen through the 2nd Visits). Two, the things Henry saw through his front door peephole where not entirely of the "real world." This means that some images that Henry saw through his windows, peephole and other views may have been layered, if not entirely within Walter's world. Obviously, the bloody handprints are an indication of this, since noone else seems to notice them on the wall. Back to the point, the bad and good endings suggest that Walter's intention was to create a connection between the "real world" and his world through Room 302 of South Ashfield Heights Apartments. When Henry looked through his windows, Henry was able to see things that could only appear from within Walter's world, including Walter himself. One theory that I am considering is that everything that Henry sees through his windows and peepholes are the confluence of the things he saw over the last five days. Walter's world simply built the outside world (outside Rm. 302) from the memory that Henry obtained over the last five days. This means that everything seen in Silent Hill 4: The Room is part of Walter's world, created from the memories of those who inhabit that world. Henry's reactions to the things he sees outside are just his reactions to memories, images which cannot act back towards him. Whether you believe that the world Henry sees is reality mixing with the alternate world or an extention of the alternate world entirely, you can agree that what Henry is seeing is not the true reality. P.S. To answer your question specifically about Superintendent Frank, the diary entry gives a little ambiguity to the idea that Frank dreamed that he saw Walter entering Room 302 with a blood-dripped bag ten years ago, rather than seeing it with his own eyes. What I find hard to believe about the diary entry is that Frank wouldn't have noticed an entire room missing from the apartment (the secret store-room). That you'll have to figure out for yourself. The idea that the two worlds are influenced by each other requires one little detail to hold together: they must be connected. In Silent Hill 4: The Room' date=' the "real" world and the alternate world are not connected, that is why Walter is performing the Sacraments for the Decent of the Holy Mother. His attempt to purify "her" (Room 302) means that he wants to bring his [i']mother into his "purified" world (the alternate world) away from the things that he felt corrupted "her" (i.e. tenants). In other words, he needs to connect his world to the "real" world, which is accomplished as part of the Sacraments for the Decent of the Holy Mother ("21 Sacraments"). The image of the Greedy Worm as a symbol for an umbilical cord is used to mean a connection between parent and child. This metaphor can be extended to other various themes present in the game: Walter's connection (or lack of) to his mother (Room 302), the relationship between various parents and children displayed throughout the game, or the relationship that the "real" world provides the memories to build the alternate world from. This is Walter's intentions in completing the Sacraments for the Decent of the Holy Mother, to connect his world (or consciousness) to his mother the way a mother is connected to a child in the womb. But, you may be asking, "aren't the two worlds already connected?" Not entirely. The metaphor itself suggests this as the Greedy Worm is shown with a loose end. The Greedy Worm is not even shown connected at both ends, suggesting that the two worlds are not connected to each other. Alessa is seen in Misty Silent Hill. Cybil sees the girl in both Silent Hill and the Silent Hill Play Novel. However, Misty Silent Hill is not considered to be the "real" world either. In the game it was a mystical artefact used for sealing power. Dahlia gave it to you knowing that sooner or later you'd run into Alessa' date=' which would cause the Flauros to activate, thus weakening Alessa and allowing Dahlia to take her to Nowhere.[/quote']Dahlia doesn't really take Alessa to Nowhere. Nowhere is Alessa's world (memories) collasped upon itself. Nowhere would have been located at the center of the Lakeside Amusement Park, where Alessa fell, which is why the chapel was later built at the same spot. The cult of Silent Hill believes that place to be a holy site. Haven't we been through all of this before?