MovieChat Forums > Possession (1983) Discussion > weird shirt scene

weird shirt scene

posted 15 years ago by ValerinAmberz
6 replies | jump to latest

Okay instead of trying to analyze the whole thing let's focus on some scenes. There are 2 or 3 scenes where someone pulls a shirt of another. Then you see sam Neill's face studying the body.
In one scene he pulls his sons t-shirt off then he looks at him, then later in the movie he does exactly the same to his wife, then later someone else does it to him on the street outside his home, some mistress or something.

What's with those scenes? anyone?

well since you're naked you might as well f___ a friend of mine. Paul come in here!

[–] thecultofhorror 15 years ago

I noticed that to. I realized it when the second time when he examined his wife. It could be one of those wierd reoccuring, unexplained moments that directors put in films.

Maybe, with his son he was examining how thin he was, with his wife how beautiful she was, and the other guy (I think there was a sublte bisexual tone to his character) was observing him....perhaps with admiration.

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[–] Caractacus23 13 years ago

"and the other guy (I think there was a sublte bisexual tone to his character)"

Heinrich's bisexual overtones were "subtle?" LOL! It was about as subtle as a truckload of bricks.

[–] deanowest 13 years ago

I noticed this too. I assumed when he looked at the boy he had marks, abuse maybe, but then that wasn't followed up. The chest seemed important in the movie. These scenes described above along with Heinrich's chest exposed and to a lesser extent his stabbing in the arm pit.

Like Lynch, this director may have some personal symbols only he knows the meanings of.

Dictated, but not read.

[–] soo_z_g 13 years ago

I was directed to this article on another thread on this board. This reviewer discusses these similar shots in detail (and even has pictures of the shots):

http://www.filmwalrus.com/2007/04/review-of-possession-1981.html

[–] Child_OfThe_Moon 12 years ago

The only thing I noticed that was similar in those scenes aside from the frame was the characters being examined in vulnerable states; Mark's son has been left alone for weeks, Anna has been crying, and Mark was in shock after discovering Margie's corpse. So it could be that the consequences of the whole situation are being realized by Mark and later Anna, in these scenes. When Anna examines Mark though, the camera is aimed from the side rather than facing her directly, as she looks at him possessively rather than in a state of clarity.

[–] cookiela2001 11 years ago

At first the husband seems more bonkers than the wife...and I thought there was some weird, incest-y fascination thing going on when he was with the son that way.

Odd.
.