Silent Hill Discussion

[Aetherius]

That's a nice interpretation, ifrit, but What's rose guilty of? Helping the Dark Alessa? Why is that a problem? It seemed to me that all of the other people were guilty of creating the dark Alessa. Why shouldn't she be able to come home? Why is the misty reality even separate from the reality that Christopher lives in? It doesn't seem to be that way in the games.

[ILLiterate]

Why is the misty reality even separate from the reality that Christopher lives in? It doesn't seem to be that way in the games.

To my understanding, it isn't that way in the games, but I believe it helps the movie because if this where the case everyone could enter the true Silent Hill, when Silent Hill only opens its doors to those who it wants inside them

EDIT:

Oh, I finally finally think I understand the ending completely

(Rose is dead, she had been stabbed in the real world, and for that she is dead. As soon as Dark Alissa comes out of her blood they land in the SH world where Alissa has the power to heal Rose and does. THIS is why they cannot leave Misty Silent Hill because they are dead in the real world yet Dark Alissa wants Rose to continue to live somehow with her daughter, the only way would be to keep the Misty world of Silent Hill alive and disgard the Dark Silent Hill as there is no use to it anymore)

[Monobrow]

Just want to say that I'd never put my faith into a movie critic, especially Ebert. The guy gave Rugrats in Paris twice as many stars. He's trite, full of himself, and he doesn't give a shit.

Anyway, I think this movie was better than any other video game movie I've seen, but I think it could have been so much better, honestly. There was just so much potential...And I think Gans made some "bad" choices in what to focus on part of the time. And I think the original cult storyline was much more enthralling. Anyway, I guess my expectations were too high...Then again, at least Konami made some money off of this.

[Zarggg]

Maybe it's because I never played the games, but I actually liked this movie.

[benevolensaurus]

Maybe it's because I never played the games, but I actually liked this movie.

Same.

Some notes, though (SPOILERS):

The nurses' "Thriller" shuffle, haha. Seriously, though, it looked too natural. Like people trying to be monsters, instead of actual monsters. They should have been less fluid, more jerky.

Pyramid Head was pretty awesome. That makes me want to play Silent Hill for real. I thought his inclusion was appropriate enough. If he was being controlled by Dahlia, and she's the mother of Alessa, it makes sense that Dahlia would want revenge as well. Although it doesn't make sense why it attacks Rose and Cybil, then. How do we know it's controlled by Dahlia, though? I don't remember her making any deals with demons, and I didn't see any indications of PH being Dahlia-controlled. It didn't attack her, yeah, but that could be due to Alessa's control as well. When I watched it, I just figured PH was another part of the nightmare reality spawned by Alessa. Oh well, his scenes were still cool.

That organ music at the end. Baaaad. Speaking of which, those tentacle wires weren't the most creative or demonic things ever either.

The puritan-esque cult was kind of cliche, I thought. I'm not familiar with the original SH cult, but it sounds like it was more interesting than what was in this movie. I agree, the movie cult was like that Monty Python scene... only they were trying to be serious.

Overall, I liked it, but moreso before they met the cult than after. There's something about large groups of (relatively) normal people in a horror movie, near the protagonist, which is a big no-no for me. The protagonist needs isolation. It's much scarier when the protagonist is alone. I think it would have been better if they developed the plot more subtly, like with brief documents about the cult and what they did to Alessa. Or maybe just a random cult member here or there, being insane and/or trying to kill something. Certainly not a large group, though. Baaaad.

Nice graphics, too. The music was fitting and quite good, I thought (mostly). Being unfamiliar with the games, I didn't know some of it was from the original SH soundtrack. The fact that I didn't notice any out of place-ness (well, except for... see above) shows that recycling the SH track worked just fine, despite how strange it might seem to people already familiar with it. Also, I didn't mind them reusing the same theme more than once. They do that in lots of movies, games, etc. I know Jeremy Soule always does it. You listen to some of his battle music from games like Dungeon Siege, Neverwinter Nights, Morrowind, etc., and lots of times he throws in the main theme for effect. I think most of us here consider Jeremy Soule to be a pretty accomplished musician. If the music was exactly the same in multiple places (I wasn't paying enough attention to detail to notice whether or not that was the case), I guess that's less excusable, but I see that happen relatively often too (K-Pax comes to mind. Maybe not exactly the same, but very similar pieces of music at various different places throughout the movie. I liked that soundtrack too, by the way).

But yeah, I liked the movie. Good stuff overall. One of the best VG movies I've seen so far.

[Nulion]

Hmm...more or less everything that can be said about the movie has already been said...And yeah, I thought it was great too

Anyway...I found something kinda interesting for Oblivion while snooping around in the forums down there. Apparently, someone is making a mod for Pyramid Head armor. I think I mentioned this before but it was only a weird idea someone threw out, but now the guy has some pictures.

Sure, it doesn't fit Oblivion one bit, but it could be fun running around in PH armor killing everything with that knife!

Pyramid Head Armor and Knife Mod

Not gonna link directly to the pics as it's Imageshack and they have a tendency to always have bandwidth issues...So just go there and look on the first page. Two pics at the first post, and further down there's 4 more or so.

[binster]

Just wanted to chime in with my thoughts.

The film's ace! It has bad bits, but as a complete thing it's wonderfully horrid.

SPOILERS : (How do I do white text?)

I wasn't keen on the nurses role in this film. I think these nurses were modelled on the nurses from SH2 - all sexy and busty. That worked in that game due to the overall themes of lust and that, but here they seemed out of place.

SPOILERS END

Does Christopher Gans have an email address? I want to write to him and thank him for this film. </FANBOY MODE>

[tekkdeath]

It seems this discussion has been going on for sometime lol but I'd like to put my 2 cents in for the movie.

Spilers obviously:

Gamewise I was kind of disappointed in how they adapted the movie. The plot made no sense as they mixed in random things fromSH1, 2, and 3. Pyramid Head (or as my friends like to call him in the movie "triangular prism head") was a completely useless monster. He had been reduced to an ambient silent hill monster and lost all psychological value he had in the 2nd game. I don't know why they changed Dhalia to being a good person when in the games it was her fault for setting Alessa on fire in order to give birth to god. Alessa didn't even exist for the reason she did in the game. The cult wanted to kill her because she had no father when, if I remember correctly, they really wanted to keep her alive to focus her anger and hate to help give birth to god. Even looking away from the game storylines the ending made no sense at all. Silent Hill had no reason to exist anymore and Alessa could die happily after exacting revenge.

Overall it was a decent adaptation of a game to movie. They could have done alot better in my opinion (Pyramid Head's entrance made him look kinda pathetic shuffliny through cockroaches) and maybe make the movie a bit more coherent. None the less I enjoyed it purely because I got to see Pyramid Head (and the crucified miner was pretty cool) and will probably get it on DVD when it comes out purely because I'm a SH fan.

[Razumen]

I wasn't keen on the nurses role in this film. I think these nurses were modelled on the nurses from SH2 - all sexy and busty. That worked in that game due to the overall themes of lust and that, but here they seemed out of place.

I dunno,

They could relate to alessa's stay in the hospital, where a lot of the nurses were good looking young women. After a while she starts to become jealous and even hate them and thus spawns perversions of them in her realm - Who knows, maybe some of them were actual people at one time, like the janitor in the bathroom.

Heh, they really did seem to throw aspects from all the games into the movie.

I don't think Dahlia had direct control over PH, it seemed to me that he only attacked Anna because Alessa would naturally obey her mother.

The cult aspect of the movie, while consistent with the story of the games, conflicts with the general practice of the game, which is to limit the amount of actual human characters interacting at once to a bare minimum to emphasise the isolation. I suppose it was necessary for the movie, but I felt they lingered on too long in the church and the movie ended too quickly afterwords. Such a large gathering of people should be hard to come by and quick to disperse or lose in the Silent Hill realm

[Dj_Qbert]

Loved the movie. Piramyd head was baddass. I also experienced stupid audience members who laughed at every scene. I really had to control myself not to punch them in the heart. There was funny parts though but you can tell when the rest of the theater is laughing. I really liked the part when she runs into the garbadge can, its like the video games and the bad camera angles. I really liked the music beforhand so I dont see how it can become bad in the movie. Im definatly going to go see it agian in theaters. Hopefully there wont be any clowns.

[CE]

Loved the movie. Piramyd head was baddass. I also experienced stupid audience members who laughed at every scene. I really had to control myself not to punch them in the heart. There was funny parts though but you can tell when the rest of the theater is laughing. I really liked the part when she runs into the garbadge can, its like the video games and the bad camera angles. I really liked the music beforhand so I dont see how it can become bad in the movie. Im definatly going to go see it agian in theaters. Hopefully there wont be any clowns.

You have GOT to teach me that move. Does it involve a scalpel?

[BocoDragon]

I told some kids to shut up at my screening

[RamRod]

I told some kids to shut up at my screening

Not here. In fact, this was the first movie in looooooong time where I didn't hear a single cell phone go off or I didn't have to shush somebody. Or throw something at somebody for not being quiet.

[Kiyosuki]

Alrighty, its been a while since I touched this thread.

Prepare for a long post because I have a lot to say.

First of all....I think if you go into this trying to compare it to the games it won't make too much sense. You have to think of this as its own thing. I know its hard...but if you think of it on its own it does actually make sense.

My take on what happens.

SPOILER!

I think "foggy" Silent Hill is literally limbo in the movie. The place between the world of the living and the afterlife where spirits with unfinished business go.

Remember when Gucci says that staying in Silent Hill for too long would kill someone because of the fumes? I believe this was said for a reason, a lot of people forgot about it. I think personally...Rose and Sharon died in the car. Cybil died on the motorcycle...thats why Rose looks at it with this sort of realizing look at the end.

What I think happened is that they spent too much time unconscious and the fumes killed them. Remember when Rose points out that Cybil had a nasty looking injury on her head? Cybil looked surprised...like she didn't notice. I think Cybil's soul was in limbo because she didn't realize she was dead. Later on...she stays in limbo until her unfortunate fate because of her sense of duty to protect the innocent...Rose and her daughter here namely. Thats why Gucci makes this big deal about how Cybil stayed with the boy throughout the night, she's a rare officer dedicated to her duty. Thats her sole reason for being there.

Here's what I believe is going on in the town. Whoever the "other girl" is...I think its either Samael or maybe even Death incarnate itself. I'll get into that later...but anyways, the other girl lured Rose and Sharon to Silent Hill so they could die...and their souls be stuck in limbo so she/it could execute its plans. Remember...all the cult members are dead...its said so in the very dialogue. This is a huge hint to whats happening. I think what happened is that they all died in the fire...but their pious...zealous refusal to admit that they are both dead and damned has allowed them to avoid going to hell (or whatever fate awaits after limbo) because they refuse to admit their sins. Only Dahlia admits hers...but Alessa doesn't want Dahlia judged because she's "god" to her no matter how wraithful Alessa is.

The mysterious being comes to Alessa as she's dying because it knows that these souls who tortured her are avoiding their judgement (judgement is said throughout the film) and together with Alessa...the being twists the limbo Silent Hill into a constantly dark place full of monsters in order to slowly pick at them. But no matter what they can never get into the church...the cult's place of protection against their damned fate. So the being sends out a living embodyment of all thats good in Alessa...all thats left of her goodness and its adopted by Rose. Its all part of the being's plan to get to the cult's souls.

Once Rose is there, Alessa and the being guide her through all her perils without her knowing until everything worked out the way it did. They got Rose into the Church because she could go in there...and all Rose had to do was lay just one single little thread of doubt in all the cultists and the being and Alessa were free to let loose their wraith on the cultists. Perhaps for the being...it was so he could simply clean out limbo. I think death doesn't like the idea of souls cheating their judgement.

Think about it, it all makes sense. Thats why Rose is treated like a haunting to Christopher both when he's in town and at the end. Now one thing someone will probably say to challenge this is that they didn't find the bodies of the three girls in the car/motorcycle. But remember..Chris says so himself, "your hiding something". Notice how Gucci is so desperate to get Chris out of the area? What if its a cover up and they did find them...? But because of the spooky events of long ago the police and people of Brahams covered up the whole thing so no mention of the cult could escape. The way Gucci exits his role in the film is so abrupt...it almost feels like he was rushing Chris out of there so he wouldn't find out. I mean...his wife and daughter are missing yet Gucci sort of treats that like a second-fiddle. What if he cared more about protecting the cover up than the lives of the two girls and his very own officer? What if the cult's notorious exploits were that prolific?

In the end...when Rose's purpose is done...I think the ending could be one of two things.

1.) Rose doesn't realize she's dead, and she's stuck in limbo because of that. She suspects it...hense her defeated look in the end...but she's stuck there. Maybe on a dark note...because the being is bored. We have to remember that while Sharon is one body, she has a fragmented soul. If they were in limbo...perhaps fragments of Sharon, Alessa, and the being combined into one hense her disturbing look in the end.

2.) This is my personal favorite explanation. What if Rose didn't realize she was dead...but the sight of the bike and a few other hints sparked the realization...but in the end Rose's only unfinished business was to make it home with Sharon. Maybe the little girl in the car was Sharon, Alessa and the being combined into one as stated in the previous theory. As sort of a morbid gratitude for helping it, the being helps guide Rose home so she can be complete. In the end...when she sits on the couch and the girl leaves...her job finished...she just looks outside...then we go to Christopher looking around the house. What if...Rose exited limbo then and went to the afterlife? Her job was technically done.

When Cybil is burned earlier, she exits limbo that way so in a way she gets off good if this is the explanation. Thats why she says the cult's in their own hell...she maybe realizes then whats going on and just accepts it. It doesn't even matter.

Thats my take on what happened in the film.

Not hiding this but MORE SPOILERS

Now on the film itself...it is by far the best game adaptation yet although it still suffered from some problems. First of all...I while Gans did the game great justice in the film as far as atmosphere goes...he still suffered from the problem so many directors who do game movies suffer...they treat it too much like a "video game movie" rather than just a "movie". Its based on something, you have to take some liberties in order to successfully translate it over to film. Now at first...he did this in an exceptional way...even the recreated legendary scene in the first part where Rose is assaulted by the little demons, thats taken straight out of SH1 was done quite well. As you guys said though...when we got to the cult the pacing got awkward. The film lost that isolated feel that the games are so well known for. Thats sort of rectified in the end by the possible explanation of the plot though...but I think another problem is that the monster's are treated too much like events.

Like the nurses for example. Why stuff them all into one single little corridor for one scene? I think it would of been much more effective to have some build up...like Rose walking down a dark corridor then suddenlly...just out of random there's one of those horrid things. The monster in the closet trick, its what makes Silent Hill so unforgetable in terror. Gans should of used that to greater extent.

Now as for the Pyramid Head...I have an explantion for that. I think it may offer some new light onto the story of the games. Maybe...the Pyramid Head is wandering judgement in limbo. It may take the same ugly form...but it comes at people in different ways depending on their shame. Thats why it is the way it is to James...and her it hunts down souls ready for judgement. Now why it was attacking Cybil and Rose I can't say...maybe it just doesn't differentiate. Its blind justice.

One thing though...is that I think when the bed with Alessa comes out at the end in the Church, am I not the only one that thinks that would of been the PERFECT time for a small army of Pyramid Heads to come out from hell and "judge" the cult? That would of been far more prolific and horrific than the barbed wires. It would of cemented their role as limbo's judgement...used by death (or Samael) itself as weapons against the damned.

I know her death is prolific, but I think Cybil's death was a bit unecessary. Maybe its my small bit of bias...but I kind of wish Cybil was allowed to exit the film on a more dignified note than being burned at the stake (and in such a graphic way too). I think if they all are really dead, keeping Cybil around...to eventually finish her business in limbo then leave would of been much more of a punch to the face for the viewer...realizing they're all dead. Imagine...Rose thanking Cybil afterwards for helping...whom says some cryptic line about finishing up... then speeds off on her bike. Then later on...Rose passing the empty crashed bike like it was always there. Would that have not been an awsome scene?

Then all the gratuitous amounts of gore in the end...I think it was totally over the top. The games were never about horrific gore although it certainly packed a punch. This seemed more...mindless though. It was Gans' big no no of the film I thought. If he was to show the grusomeness of the damned punishment...I think using Pyramid Head would of been far more effective even with gore.

All and all...it was a great film but the ending tried to wrap itself up too fast. I think if any of the above were done it would of wrapped up in a more clean...and errilly beautiful way more accessable for the audience. But I hope this is a benchmark for future game adaptations...the sub-genre's gotta escape from its menial fate sometime with at least one film.

[danny B]

I want my 9 dollars back.

[The Instrument of GAWD]

Now as for the Pyramid Head...I have an explantion for that. I think it may offer some new light onto the story of the games. Maybe...the Pyramid Head is wandering judgement in limbo. It may take the same ugly form...but it comes at people in different ways depending on their shame. Thats why it is the way it is to James...and her it hunts down souls ready for judgement. Now why it was attacking Cybil and Rose I can't say...maybe it just doesn't differentiate. Its blind justice.

I got to see the movie again and I thought about PH's exsistance in this.

Spoilers:

I believe that the monsters are instruments of Alessa's revenege. PH fit's in perfect, he's the resemblance of an executioner, executioners execute criminals, what the people did to Alessa was a crime.

Living in Silent Hill, she more than likely knew about the executioners of the old days and modeled a monster after them and used it to kill those that sinned against her.

The monsters were attacking everyone in Silent Hill except Dahilia. My guess as to why they were attacking Rose and Cybil was because the monsters didn't know that weren't of the cult yet... either that or it was somekind of trail.

As for when PH appeared when Dahilia gave Anna the 'horns', I'm betting it's because Dahilia knew Anna was going to be punished for what she did (throwing stones at her and such) but had nothing to do with PH showing up.

I think I had more to this but I can't remember.

[Aetherius]

Blah blah blah they're all dead.

You fail at silent hill. If your theory's true, Gans didn't understand the game at all.

[Raenok]

I only saw the beginning and end of the movie (Went to see Scary Movie 4). The church scene? Bad-ass. That's what they get for shunning a child who only wanted to be accepted.

Then again, I'm not sure Alyssa was eveil to begin with...

[Kiyosuki]

Blah blah blah they're all dead.

You fail at silent hill. If your theory's true, Gans didn't understand the game at all.

I fail at Silent Hill? Mmmm...ok.

The fact is, is that since the series is so interpretive...if any of us made a movie half of SH's fanbase wouldn't like it because its "not in line with the games". As I said...you have to sort of look at it as its own thing. You can't expect everyone to look at it the way you yourself do.

[Ezio]

On another note, Silent Hill made the most money this weekend, earning $20.2 million.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/04/23/boxoffice.ap/index.html

[Bahamut]

On another note, Silent Hill made the most money this weekend.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/04/23/boxoffice.ap/index.html

Strange, there was like no one in the theater when I saw it earlier today.

[Calpis]

I was surprised. I went to see the movie again today and the theater was packed once the movie started. That's saying a lot for a movie based on a videogame in Utah on Sunday afternoon.

[Kiyosuki]

On another note, Silent Hill made the most money this weekend.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/04/23/boxoffice.ap/index.html

Strange, there was like no one in the theater when I saw it earlier today.

Mmmm, my theatre was packed to capacity believe it or not. People were sitting in the ailways.

When a friend of mine saw it, he said his was very crowded too.

Ohhh...it could be a moderate financial success.

[Aetherius]

I was surprised. I went to see the movie again today and the theater was packed once the movie started. That's saying a lot for a movie based on a videogame in Utah on Sunday afternoon.

Mormons love puritan cults, rape and gore, didn't you know?

[Navi]

edit: oh, yeah, what was that one industrial/hiphop sounding track that came on somewhere near the end...i think it was when the cult was leading rose to the elevator...