MovieChat Forums > Vanilla Sky (2001) Discussion > I don't think David made it through the ...

I don't think David made it through the car accident...

posted 7 years ago by kellycallie (728)
14 replies | jump to latest

I saw this movie in 2002 and I originally bought the frozen-to-the-future ending but watching it again all these years later I'm not convinced.

I believe the day of the accident was the day David died and the rest of the movie is either a vivid death dream or some type of transitional purgatory. I notice the particular shot of the car going off the bridge smashing into the wall so graphically was meant to give us a clue that this was nothing anyone could survive.

[–] samoanjoes (56640) 7 years ago

Essentially, he is dead but he's being "kept alive" frozen and he is lucid dreaming. The scene where he is talking to Tilda Swinton is him coming to the realization that he is dead. I think that's why he was shouting "tech support", almost like he wasn't supposed to know but he started figuring it out.

[–] gcarras (2770) 6 years ago

One NOT frozen, ironic in two ways, given his wish/public myth abouty it and his company's l;ater film with the title (alreayd guessede), is Walt Disney. He's cremated.

[–] SoZi (103) 6 years ago

...and that scene right after it. In the park with Sofia. That's the only scene I just cannot place in anywhere in the movie.

[–] kellycallie (728) 5 years ago

Yes. The entire film is about the process of an entitled person dying suddenly. He doesn't want to let go of earth.

[–] SoZi (103) 5 years ago

Oh, wow! I like that idea.

[–] LiquidOcelot (2399) 5 years ago

Such a pretentious analysis. Looks like you're writing your own script there buddy. It's quite obvious that he survived and after the nightclub scene onward it was a dream until the final act.

[–] jasonmovieguy (182) 4 years ago

No he didn't survive that crash. Explain the DREAM scene after it with Sophia in the park. That was so obviously fake. And why did She act so cruel to him at the club?? Come on. He was DEAD.

[–] Seperatrix (1213) 2 years ago

The film begins with David already in the midst of a LUCID dream gone bad. He is telling his story to McCabe. David begins talking over that scene after his dialogue ends with Sophia. He is speaking to McCabe, lending more credence that he is reflecting on how his dreams mock him, clearly indicating that that scene is a dream he is remembering and sharing with McCabe.

Just as the opening scene of the film is a dream he had had and was relating to McCabe.

[–] furiousstyles (4391) 4 years ago

He made it through the car accident but then killed himself due to all the headaches and pain he was in losing Sofia, he then signed up to Life Extension and will be put into a Lucid Dream until his injuries can be treated and fixed, which is in the future.

He then has a choce to make at the end, to continue with the Lucid dream where he and Sofia are together, or wake up in reality which is years after the accident.

[–] LoveCatsHateDogs (1935) 2 months ago

"[He] killed himself" "he then signed up to Life Extension"

OK so the plan was:

1) Kill self
2) Do stuff?

[–] 123Guy (7259) 2 months ago

he was hurting from lost love I think was the idea behind that.

he's rich, go to sleep, wake up when she is gone and future science can fix his face, thus, life.

[–] furiousstyles (4391) 2 months ago

essentially yes, the loss of Sofia and the constant headaches, he couldn't function properly and couldn't handle the pain so took his own life , fast forward and he is ready to wake up but before he does though he has a choice to continue the dream or wake up , he choses to wake up.

[–] Sidha108 (2671) 2 months ago

You could also read it that the seven dwarves were successful at convincing him to jump off the building at the end

[–] Seperatrix (1213) 2 months ago

These kind of films are fun because they allow for a range of interpretations and fun discussions.

Personally, I am satisfied with the info dump by Ventura (the tech support guy) on the elevator ride at the end of the film.

Same with the info dump at the end of Memento, even Angel Heart. I think these films are intended to keep us guessing until we get the explanation provided at the very end. As happens with most films of this type.

Now with a film like Mulholland Drive, it's a bit different, but pay close attention at the end and throw in a little bardo and even that film has a payoff. Same with Ozon's film Swimming Pool.

And on and on . . .