MovieChat Forums > Beyond the Black Rainbow (2011) Discussion > Did anyone else notice ... (SPOILERS)

Did anyone else notice ... (SPOILERS)

posted 12 years ago by Unicoooo84
7 replies | jump to latest

I just watched this for the 3rd time, this time in great detail because I'm doing a scene by scene film analysis on it for a graduate screenwriting class.

I did not notice this in previous viewings, but the flashback to 1966 - after Nyle emerges, altered, and kills Anna, Arboria comes in and is holding baby Elena. I put subtitles on this go around too to make sure I caught all the dialogue.

Arboria says that her “mother’s absorption back into the cycle of life has not been for nothing” and that she (Elena) will be the dawning of a new era for the human race and the human soul and a new age of enlightenment.

He then dips her into the same pool of dark liquid from where Nyle emerged; her body disappears and the liquid absorbs the entire screen. So she is essentially baptised in the same pool of liquid from which Nyle gained his supposed powers. Never caught that before!

So this would explain how Elena got her powers (theoretically). Also explains (in some levels) Nyle's strange obsession and connection with her. Before he kills Rosemary, Nyle tells her that he was chosen. But, as other have speculated, I believe Nyle really thrived on ego rather than on supernatural or telepathic/telekinetic powers. Elena was actually the one "chosen" and gifted.

I've seen a lot of people discussing this on the boards. Obviously haven't read through ALL of the threads, but I haven't seen anyone else address that. Probably has already been touched on before, but I thought it was interesting.

[–] dementia_macabre_237 12 years ago

The pool of liquid is symbolic, not literal. I do not believe Dr. Arboria was holding baby Elana when he walked in on Barry after he murdered his wife.

[–] Unicoooo84 12 years ago

Well, that's debatable and only your interpretation. Whether it was literal or symbolic really doesn't alter my observation. Unless you have specific proof, as in an interview with the director in which he specifically states that the pool was symbolic. And even then - doesn't matter because I was just making an observation that the baby is dipped into the pool (symbolic, literal - whatever).

I don't think he was holding the baby after he walked in on Barry either. The scene with baby Elena was obviously meant take place later because Barry's face had been bandaged.

[–] cade1 12 years ago

Unicoo makes a good point. Let's assume, Dementia Macabre, that it's symbolic; Dr. dips baby in 'symbolic' pool - well, pool is symbolic for what Nyle experienced, if that was brought on by some drug or treatment by Arboria, then dipping the baby in the pool symbolically could mean she as a baby was exposed to same thing as Nyle.

Perhaps being exposed as a baby explains her stronger power than Nyle.

[–] citysleeps 12 years ago

The pool of liquid is up to the viewers interpretation. It can be both literal and symbolic - open your mind to other people's perceptions, otherwise you're going to miss a lot in life.

[–] dwjameson78 12 years ago

I think both Barry and Elena had powers. When Barry killed Rosemarry he telepathically told her "I'm going to set you free" and when Barry killed the first random guy at the end, he emitted some kind of telepathic flash to throw off the guy.
But you're right, his ego plays a big part, especially thinking that he's the one who was chosen by something.
Good luck on your film analysis, would be fun to read.

[–] GoodRed 12 years ago

^ I think that kill scene was left vague for a reason though. You see a flash and then Nyle just stabbing the guy. I think Nyle really believes that he has powers when he has little or none. He has to resort to stabbing the guy when Elena could have exploded him like she did the nurse. Then Nyle tries to read the fat guy's mind and says he had sex with Elena, which wasn't true, but he seems so sure of it that it makes me think Nyle is a fake. He thinks he has powers, but really doesn't (or perhaps he had and lost them after decades of medication). The black liquid just mutated him horribly; it worked better for Elena.

[–] PsychoDingo 12 years ago

analyzing a film with maybe a three page screenplay...taking the easy way out, eh?

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