MovieChat Forums > The Village (2004) Discussion > How Much Longer Would The Village Last?

How Much Longer Would The Village Last?

posted 10 years ago by izzy520i
40 replies | jump to latest

Just watched this movie again last night after a few years not watched.

Just wonder how long this village community would last, especially after all the elders i.e. those who knew the outside world, had died. They had lived for something like 30 years in that state, but I’m sure in due time, the following possibilities are likely:

- there would have been some intrepid adventurer amongst them who just couldn’t be contained
- one of them got really sick/ wounded whereby the elders (if still any) knew was treatable outside
- major disease outbreak
- someone from outside would get in and expose the community to the real world
- crime/ physical altercation to major extent
- the community got too big and they had to expand

Whilst I like do the movie, the premise is just too questionable (this was discussed elsewhere), and the elders were selfish without thinking of their offspring. Like it or not, you cannot escape violence, and sooner or later, the situation in which they ran away from, will crop up in that community.

As shown, Noah did resort to violence and attempted murder. In fact, one can even argue that Noah is the product of the society living in the past, as he could have been treated in the outside world.

[–] Nriks 10 years ago

Not long. They wouldn't be able to keep the secret under wraps in current age of the internet. I would have given it until 2009, 2010 at the most.

After YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, everybody with HD video cameras built into their cellphones, streetview and Google earth, it would just be impossible to keep it a secret.

Anyone with any kind of long standing curiosity would be sharing information online until it became a meme. Then you'd get people wanting to see for themselves.

[–] izzy520i 10 years ago

That's right thanks I've not even ventured deep into some individual with today's curiosity and technology finding out about this and sharing this with everyone.

[–] davidmrenton 9 years ago

no one found the secret village in Central Park yet and that's in Manhatten, true story.

[–] Ilyathe2nd (169) 2 years ago

Seneca village? Since you're prob. not here anymore, that was demolished in 1857 to make Central Park. There are remains hidden under the topsoil in there.

[–] Lester_Burnham_Risen 9 years ago

After YouTube, Facebook, Twitter,

---

Yes that is what DID happen.

Night has mimicked "Island America" after 9/11 by way of his Village and shows just how easy it was for Rumsfeld & Co to pull off his gig of "Unknown Unknowns".

Looking as Night and Kevin do from OUTSIDE of this Stockholm Syndrome example some 14 years later I would say facebook etc has simply INCREASED the induced terror in J Doe, as Night shows with the Village situation with the "All Along the Watchtowers" etc.

I don't give Rumsfeld credit for that - it just happened.

So how long before america comes out? - not in my lifetime for sure

http://www.kindleflippages.com/ablog/

[–] nupoet 9 years ago

Planes were unable to fly over the area if you caught the end of the movie, M Night explains as the head park ranger.

The rug really tied the room together.

[–] Flabulous 9 years ago

These are great points.

[–] dngynbdy 9 years ago

I totally agree with these points. And human curiosity cannot be contained no matter how thick those walls are or how many guards you have. Oh, and those cute little things called drones? In this day and age with privately acquired drones, Wi-Fi and Youtube, there's no way the village would be able to remain a secret for long. I definitely think some curious people will breach the wall someway and find out about it.

What I'd like to see is how Edward will explain to his daughters that their lives were all a massive deception and see how Ivy takes this. I think she'll try to forgive him but will walk out on his "cult." I also think Lucius would walk out too.

[–] Flabulous 9 years ago

Internet censorship is a massive thing today. Many ideas that you and I are exposed to are hidden from many round the world. I get what you mean, but mass cult entrapment is still a thing.

[–] willpostbond 9 years ago

Not very long, the only reasons walker's plan worked to begin with was that there happened to be a blind person who was in love with the person who was seriously injured. Plus the guy who created the injury was in love with the girl who he was attempting to kill the other guy for. If that scenario happened once every generation, then maybe it would hold for a while, but yeah somebody would've been curious about the preserve and sent a drone over it at some point. Plus, do you really not think that guy who found the girl would just keep that to himself? nah... he would've shared it with his closest friends/family and they would've shared it with their closest people and so on and so forth, until everyone knew.

Honestly this isn't a horrible idea, why can't people willingly subject themselves to an age period, then subject their next of kin to this way of life? it's kind of messed up, because they are forcing their children to something that is a lie, but at the same time, it could be an amazing psychological experiment that could give us a window into the past that history books can't give us.

[–] izzy520i 9 years ago

Valid point. I think everyone agrees that to hide this, especially in today's world, is probably a bit too difficult, especially for a number of years. Why not try to use this as a documentation experiment, perhaps ala Truman Show.

Again though, the subject of selfishness of the elders towards their offsprings, who would not know this was all a lie and an experimental study, comes up.

[–] JR541 8 years ago

Let's not forget that Ivy's experience with Park Ranger Kevin was a very pleasant one. The "kindness" in his voice was such that she was compelled to tell him that she did not expect it. She had ideas in her head that everyone she would meet from the towns would be mean to her. She no doubt would tell Lucius about her trip which could plant the seed his his head to risk making such a trip himself. This despite the Elders drudging up fear of "Those We Don't Speak Of" by telling the young ones that a creature killed him.

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] fyfytj 9 years ago

- there would have been some intrepid adventurer amongst them who just couldn’t be contained
- one of them got really sick/ wounded whereby the elders (if still any) knew was treatable outside
- major disease outbreak
- someone from outside would get in and expose the community to the real world
- crime/ physical altercation to major extent
- the community got too big and they had to expand

The highlighted one is the most likely I think. As the Elders aged and began nearing death, I'm guessing they would select a small group of younger villagers (Lucius and Ivy probably amongst them) to reveal the big secret to, so that the secret would continue to be perpetuated by the next generation. Problem solved on that front.

The myth of the creatures obviously keeps most villagers from venturing out, but I imagine the few who do would be chased around the woods by a "creature" and terrorized before being knocked unconscious or something (I don't see the Elders being capable of murder, even to keep their secret from exposure), then taken back to their house and either told the incident was a dream or tell them they were attacked, scaring them from becoming adventurous again.

As for disease/injury situations, the Elders all swore not to leave the village under any circumstances (even though any of them would be the best choice, being familiar with the outside world and able to keep their own secret). If they were truly committed to this rule, then I guess they would just have to let that sick/injured person die if necessary. Though this wouldn't end the village unless it was a major disease outbreak.

There's no need to commit most crimes in the village, being that there's no money to steal, nor power to seize, etc. They could have violent crime, but the tight-knit nature of the small village would make it easy to catch the perpetrator. Besides, the fear of being banished and at the mercy of the creatures probably deterred most from crime.

Finally, if they needed to expand the size of the village they could do so by cutting down enough trees to make room for houses. I think they established that the creatures mainly stay within the boundary of the trees, so by removing some trees they would be pushing back the boundary that the creatures usually stay behind while expanding the village. Although I imagine they could only do this so much before attracting the attention of the government.

So most likely it would be exposure by an outside discoverer or overexpansion (and subsequent exposure) that would be the end of the village.

[–] makeupbyomar 9 years ago

The same reason why both Group A and Group B failed in Wayward Pines... People eventually became curious about what's outside the wall, thus the community failed due to the Big Reveal or lie.

Despite the best intentions of isolation, people are curious by nature and push boundaries outwards to see what's beyond them.

[–] cpoet 9 years ago

Agree with ^^^.

I think the difficulty of maintaining privacy in the world today would be an unavoidable dealbreaker, but all that notwithstanding, "nature abhors a vacuum."

Even the Scientologists lose a kid to the outside world now and then.

[–] doctorcrimedog 8 years ago

I'm guessing they would select a small group of younger villagers (Lucius and Ivy probably amongst them) to reveal the big secret to, so that the secret would continue to be perpetuated by the next generation. Problem solved on that front.

That's not necessarily a solution. Some of the next generation would certainly balk at being expected to perpetuate a lie to their community. The original group conceived the idea together and thus were all willing participants, but their kids had this way of life forced on them, and no doubt some would resent it and decline to continue the deception.

-There is no such word as "alot."

[–] fyfytj 8 years ago

That's not necessarily a solution. Some of the next generation would certainly balk at being expected to perpetuate a lie to their community. The original group conceived the idea together and thus were all willing participants, but their kids had this way of life forced on them, and no doubt some would resent it and decline to continue the deception.

It may not necessarily be a good solution, but it is a solution nevertheless. I don't see any other way for the Elders to keep the secret of the village alive for another generation. Certain members of the younger generation may be unwilling to keep the lie going for the next generation, but that's a risk the Elders would simply be forced to take for any chance of keeping the illusion of the village going into the future; reveal the secret to the inheriting generation and a) they accept the responsibility of the secret and the village is maintained for at least another generation, or b) some people (probably not all) reject it personally, but probably begrudgingly keep quiet out of fear of being banished into the modern society that they aren't used to.

Hell, even if most of the younger generation does refuse to keep the secret going, they would probably maintain the village while acknowledging the modern society surrounding it, becoming something like an Amish community that's on the outside world's radar rather than a contrived set-up devised for no real reason other than for the payoff of a pointless twist ending.😊

[–] fyfytj 8 years ago

That's not necessarily a solution. Some of the next generation would certainly balk at being expected to perpetuate a lie to their community. The original group conceived the idea together and thus were all willing participants, but their kids had this way of life forced on them, and no doubt some would resent it and decline to continue the deception.

It may not necessarily be a good solution, but it is a solution nevertheless, and I don't see any other way for the Elders to keep the secret of the village alive for another generation. Certain members of the younger generation may be unwilling to keep the lie going for the next generation, but that's a risk the Elders would simply be forced to take for any chance of keeping the illusion of the village going into the future; reveal the secret to the inheriting generation and a) they accept the responsibility of the secret and the village is maintained for at least another generation, or b) some people (probably not all) reject it personally, but probably begrudgingly keep quiet out of fear of being banished into the modern society that they have no idea how to function in.

Hell, even if most of the younger generation does refuse to keep the secret going, they would probably maintain the village while acknowledging the modern society surrounding it, becoming something like an Amish community that's on the outside world's radar rather than a contrived set-up devised for no real reason other than for the payoff of a pointless twist ending.

[–] johnston.scot 9 years ago

an island, maybe off the coast of Washington or the Carolinas

Well, there are no islands of any appreciable size off the coast of Washington, which kind of interferes with that idea. The islands in the Carolinas (and Georgia, and Northern Florida) are pretty much barrier islands, not separated from the mainland by much.

Vancouver Island would be a good choice. Perhaps some more remote part of Canada, though those tend to be awfully cold.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] johnston.scot 9 years ago

The San Juan Islands are not off the coast of Washington. The coast is a good hundred miles west of them. They also wouldn't remotely work for "the Village," as there are people on them all the time and lots of boat traffic and the like. If they did manage to assemble a parcel of land there, they'd have to convince the kids that real estate agents are monsters or they'd wind up knowing more about financing options than farming. Maybe a more likely location than Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket, but not by much.

The "cold" comment was aimed at Canadian locations more remote than Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island isn't particularly cold, and the San Juan Islands aren't either.

The Village in the movie was in Pennsylvania, incidentally.

[–] mel2000 8 years ago

Vancouver Island would be a good choice. Perhaps some more remote part of Canada, though those tend to be awfully cold.

Cold isolated islands are not self-sustainable. They always get imports from the outside.

[–] crypticanomaly73 9 years ago

Depending on their financial resources I think they would have moved the village underground somehow or to an island. I don't think it would have lasted in it's current state and also you would have to wonder about the security guards talking about it as well.

At best they would have ended up like the Amish, together, but separate.

Sometimes a movie or tv show plot is so stupid that only the stupid can understand it.

[–] chas437 9 years ago

The event's surrounding Ivy's journey would only strengthen 'the Village'. It was an 'Odyssey' of sorts, therefore it created a mythology which the would unify the citizens around a shared experience.

The creation of mythology was an important step in the evolution of any culture/society.

[–] Mattfinbell 9 years ago

Not long but with the outside worlds help very long

Look at the amish

at one point I do think the village would have changed.

Again look at Levi Johnson

Amish confidental

He talks about how his amish and how the amish have changed and there culture

davidmrenton
no one found the secret village in Central Park yet and that's in Manhatten, true story.

but the village isnt there anymore meaning the people

dngynbdy
I totally agree with these points. And human curiosity cannot be contained no matter how thick those walls are or how many guards you have. Oh, and those cute little things called drones? In this day and age with privately acquired drones, Wi-Fi and Youtube, there's no way the village would be able to remain a secret for long. I definitely think some curious people will breach the wall someway and find out about it.

What I'd like to see is how Edward will explain to his daughters that their lives were all a massive deception and see how Ivy takes this. I think she'll try to forgive him but will walk out on his "cult." I also think Lucius would walk out too

NOT if they have the sense of community

a lot of amish stay within the community. I do think Lucius and Ivy would have broken a little bit away from them

willpostbond
Honestly this isn't a horrible idea, why can't people willingly subject themselves to an age period, then subject their next of kin to this way of life? it's kind of messed up, because they are forcing their children to something that is a lie, but at the same time, it could be an amazing psychological experiment that could give us a window into the past that history books can't give us.

How is it a window into the past
the elders know of there past not the past of there ancestors

fyfytj
Finally, if they needed to expand the size of the village they could do so by cutting down enough trees to make room for houses. I think they established that the creatures mainly stay within the boundary of the trees, so by removing some trees they would be pushing back the boundary that the creatures usually stay behind while expanding the village. Although I imagine they could only do this so much before attracting the attention of the government.

So most likely it would be exposure by an outside discoverer or overexpansion (and subsequent exposure) that would be the end of the village.

not necessarily if it was done correctly

the bonds of marriage would be great in the Village the elders would have to break the news to the next generation though at one point

I think it could have worked if and only if they tell select people and they educate them to be the elders at one point

makeupbyomar
The same reason why both Group A and Group B failed in Wayward Pines... People eventually became curious about what's outside the wall, thus the community failed due to the Big Reveal or lie.

Despite the best intentions of isolation, people are curious by nature and push boundaries outwards to see what's beyond them.

So why are the amish and other religouos groups still going strong?

i would say the amish are still very very much amish

the other religous groups I would say are even stronger

but that is an occult

tdescombes
I've thought about this question as well...I'd imagine an island, maybe off the coast of Washington or the Carolinas, would have been a better choice.

but some would still want to see whats beyond the ocean

chas437
The event's surrounding Ivy's journey would only strengthen 'the Village'. It was an 'Odyssey' of sorts, therefore it created a mythology which the would unify the citizens around a shared experience.

The creation of mythology was an important step in the evolution of any culture/society.

but ivy has been changed by events

plus there would be people who would want to go beyond the walls or forest

Look like Tarzan talk like Jane! HAHA