This is one of the most thoughtful and insightful reviews on deeper film meanings I think I've ever seen. In keeping with the rebirth symbolism, I would offer the following possibilities. 1) The transport pod symbolizes more of a womb, rather than a gas chamber. 2) The chair may not be an electric chair but rather a means for Ellie to assume a modified fetal position while in the capsule. This would mimic the position of a baby of in a womb prior to its own birth. 3) The wires plugged into Ellie represent an umbilical cord to sustain her, rather than a means to kill her. 4) The periodic updates given by the mission control staff as to the status of the machine (10%, 20%, 30%, etc.) mirror the increasing dilation of women in labor (1 cm dilated, 2cm dilated, 3cm dilated, etc.). 5) The wormhole sequence mirrors the new life traveling through a birth canal. 6) The capsule takes on a liquid form to symbolizes the protective amniotic fluid to keep the new life safe. 7) After Ellie’s “birth”, the first person she sees is her father. 8) This rebirth scene is enhanced by considering Ellie's mother died from complications of childbirth when Ellie was born. This backstory enhances Ellie's natural reluctance to be reborn as her initial birth killed her mother, and permanently altered her life. There’s undeniably imagery of execution and rebirth simultaneously occurring within the same frames! The filmmakers did an outstanding of capturing some very compelling storytelling while inserting remarkable symbolism. I look forward to seeing more reviews from this channel. Thank you!

@wendymclean5490

3 жыл бұрын

I too believe that there is more to analyze here about the rebirth. There's the compass which is a symbol of love in her life, which helps her take the leap from science to having faith in something more; there's going into her eye and therefore into her subconscious, followed by the void where she's in a fetal position. She is being given the gift of knowledge and wisdom and then told to return. All of this also parallels to the Hero's Journey too. Once she's back, there's the obvious question posed to her, something like, "Do you mean we're supposed to take this on on faith?" to which she replies. "yes" and offers that she might have made it all up, but that she can't change her story. She's changed. Anyone else know about the symbolism behind the Vega star.

@lizbbb7326

3 жыл бұрын

Great comment!!

@danielcanas1569

2 жыл бұрын

I had a dream that i was a Hooded Jesus Figure in Black in an ocean Waving to who knows to Join. Me Jesus in the water with the Scene were Her father is Walking towards her but she cannot make it out the watery Silhouette.The dream has the Stars and Everything in it.Cool dream but on to the Symbolism of Vega my Feeling is the Fact the A Star is So many light years away then we see it to our reality Here 3D is a Miracle and Science explains it Simple sort of Right i would say the Vega Symbolism is Earth always Changing right before our very eyes seen and Unseen like the Stars we see but they're millions of Light years already.Everything is Everything has been everything will be mysteries of Creation so to speak We are Stars Too Maybe cause The Swastika and all that there is to attach the Symbol too, But off the bat the movie takes you away from any history of that Swastika symbol.its a Alien movie kinda nobody dwell on it.So the Vega Symbolism or Star rather is to me Saying we are always living immortal like millions of Light years till we see a star.Our being is a Locomotive light-year ba da bing ba da boom 🤯💥....every atom in our bodies was once part of a Star.

@ronsindric4241

Жыл бұрын

This interpretation is biased, silly and potentially dangerous to the growth of Humanity !

@willgamez5555

Жыл бұрын

Clever girl!

_Contact_ - one of my favorite films

One of the best written, best constructed films ever made. Carl Sagan was a genius on so many levels. Jodie Foster is one of the best actors in existence. Those points combined with the true artistry in this film makes it by far one of the richest pieces of cinematographic art ever created. (In my simple opinion)

@Jack-vj6ri

5 жыл бұрын

It's a good movie, but let's be real Hollywood turned an amazing vision into a somewhat disappointing narrative. The design is certainly remarkable though. It's tough to make a good movie after 6 directors and multiple studios get their paws all over every creative decision.

@GuyI9000

4 жыл бұрын

want to know something mind blowing??????? THe movie ends halfway.... the book has more, just finished reading it..... its mindblowing

@julsius

4 жыл бұрын

more levels than most realise

@runegeezy

Жыл бұрын

Jodi Foster's acting was terrible in this movie. I was 12 years old when this movie came out and just watched it for the first time. I loved the movie. Didn't love her acting.

@ianrobson9601

Жыл бұрын

@@runegeezy Yeah , thought the same as well. I could understand and felt her nervous excitement when they first received the signal but 18 months later when she was in front of the selection panel she was still giving exact same performance, all the shaky , nervous mannerisms. I mean come on, the entire world had 18 months to come to terms with it yet she was the only one acting like it had just happened yesterday. Plus the way she was talking to the kids at the end of the film was super cringe.

I love how everything is shaking so violently, and it's shaking HER since she's so strapped into this ridged core structure. but then she just sees her compass gently floating, steady, not shaking like everything else around her, this is literally shaking her current beliefs she's harnessed into, and when she unclasps it's hold on her, she can float gently out into center of this shaking pod while she's stable and untouched. And if she hadn't have gotten out that chair would have snapped with her IN IT and crashed her into the ceiling as well.

@malinko35

2 жыл бұрын

i remember in the movie they mentioned how the plans didn't have a chair, but they added one anyway, because we humans think "well, we need a chair."

@robmausser

2 жыл бұрын

@@malinko35 hubris

@jonmcalister1802

15 күн бұрын

@@malinko35 faith in the alien tech!

8:40 But don't forget before she said "Oh God" she kept repeating a sentence until that sentence became her last, weakest thing she says before being dropped through the tunnel of light: "I'm okay to go..." - dang, goosebumps!

I like how the aliens got humanity to build something that theologists recognize as a biblically accurate angel.

@chrisfrancis9555

Жыл бұрын

Wasn't aliens it was a billionaire who was dying that gave her the blueprint to build that thing

@richtertomatala

Жыл бұрын

Nah. You're forging it.

@Itsunclegabby

9 ай бұрын

:O

@ninepuchar1

6 ай бұрын

Dang, you are right. Those spinnning wheel angels

@jtatsiue

3 ай бұрын

Yeah, Ezekiel’s wheel!

A Masterpiece on many levels.

These videos are so captivating. Some real insight into film and I can't wait to see more.

Pretty cool breakdown on the movie... As a matter of fact, if I remember correctly the chair was added and wasn't part of the design and talked about in the movie too. That's why she didn't slam into the ceiling but the chair did

In the book she went with several other scientists and they all had their own separate experiences meeting the aliens, with their own manifestations of the surrounding environment. I preferred that to the movie, gave it a lot more substance I think.

Out of all the movies I’ve seen, Contact is up there with maybe two others ! A true masterpiece!

@kentA205

Жыл бұрын

What are those other two movies?

@christianmorales3025

Жыл бұрын

I’m curious what other 2 movies do you mean

@jamesK-pf4os

Жыл бұрын

@@christianmorales3025 Interstellar and Inception

@PeterGorrill

Ай бұрын

Arrival! Another brilliant film imo.

Ironically, I always saw Ellie as a Christ-like figure, sacrificing herself/her life for humanity. I also think she had more faith than any character we encountered in the story, she just didn't call it that, because of the negative connotation and stigma traditionally attached to faith.

@kentA205

Жыл бұрын

I see her more as Saul converting to Paul upon hearing Jesus talk to him but blinded in the process...

@tshidi129

Жыл бұрын

@@kentA205 Yes, definitely

@petehuckleberry5068

Жыл бұрын

Faith is negative? Bullshit

@JamesWilliams-ki7im

2 ай бұрын

I’m ‘Ok to go!” reminds me of Jesus willingly going to the cross.

Really good breakdown mate. On an even more esoteric level, at 8:20, she's inside a perfect sphere within a dodecahedron, one of the five Platonic solids that represents the classical element of Spirit. So she's going on a Sprit-ual journey as well as a fun wormhole trip

I love when movies have layers to fillet like this Contact has been one of my All Time favorite movies since I was 14 because of the dialogue and subject matter. As the layers are peeled back you realize how deep the production values go. Some of these metaphorical representations may have just been coincidences, some others may have been very intentional.

Actually... The only reason that Science and Spirituality seem to be at odds with each other is because we have been trying to put Science in a box. If we let it out, we will find that Science and Spirituality are very harmonious and explain one another. Some day, our understanding will merge the two together seamlessly.

@UNSCPILOT

Ай бұрын

In a way I kinda agree, only extremists on both ends try to seperate them, you can definitely still have forms of spirituality mixed with science, the methods of science are exacting, but not incompatible with art, personification, the "humanizing" elements that can go with spirituality, a Synthesis of the two would likely result in a far better future. Solarpunk imagery is certainly something that comes to mind, we can have advanced tech and nature rich environments if we want, we just need to fight past the profit-above-all motives of most big modern companies before the only option is the heat-death of our only home

@jonmcalister1802

15 күн бұрын

I think of myself as a scientific neo-pagan, There's enough magic in flowers and stars for me.

That has been and still is my favourite movie. It’s a shame Carl Sagan wasn’t there to finish it. Spot on analysis of the archetypes and symbols that came to life with Contact’s immaculate industrial design 👌🏻

wow your videos about movies are amazingly deep. Thanks so much for making these!

i've seen this movie billion of time..........;

@AmadeuShinChan

5 ай бұрын

Same here😂

Wow! He completely missed the McGuffin at 9:04, namely the toy compass that links her to her love interest in the movie, played by Matthew McConaughey. Earlier in the film he gives it to her, but then she gives it back, saying, "It might save your life someday." He later scuttles her plans to be on that machine, because he loves her and doesn't want to lose her. This created a rift between them, but the first attempt would've killed her if she had been on it, because of a terrorist. However, Haddon industries built another one McConaughey couldn't do anything about. So, on the eve of her newfound opportunity he gave her that toy compass, and indeed it saved her life.

But she's never angry or rigid in the movie. That chair is put in there by mission planners. It isn't in the alien design and she suggests they leave it out. I agree with the rebirth idea, but the transformative experience Ellie undergoes isn't about scientism. I admit I don't know what it is about though.

Sandra Bullock did a good job with the same symbolism in the movie Gravity - from a person who had completely lost faith, to someone who was able to find it again.

Yes. This movie has so many layers. Both in scientific vs beliefs and the character's battle with other characters who are not on same level and opposite to her own.

Ah, I remember my first joint too.

Very enlightening. Thank you for this video that we can celebrate Contact’s 25th Anniversary with.

The 'higher power intervened' was a wise crack to indicate that Palmer Joust (a religious man) had gotten him in there. I would have thought the glance from Palmer would have made that obvious.

this video definitiely takes my understanding of this film as a mere ''sci-fi" to the next level

Oh my god I love this analysis. Ugh. This is one of my favourite movies. Love love love this detailed analysis of everything. Goddamn.

@123discgolf

2 жыл бұрын

Your very comment here is a microcosm of the movie. You praise God for this analysis and then damn his name. Will you believe and embrace his reality even though there seems to be no proof? or will you deny him and embrace only empirical evidence in the science? Where will your "death journey" take you Leanna Glance?

I'm surprised he compared the gimbal rings to Cracken and never thought of the biblical descriptions of "angels", which mention interlocked rotating wheels, just like in this contraption. This is why I'm always dubious about such symbology analyses - because symbols need context. It's not enough to see similarities and random associations. Reminds me of the fictional lecture Prof. Langdon gave in the "Da Vinci Code" movie about the language of symbols.

I really enjoyed this analysis. It reminded me of folklore and mythology classes I took at UC Berkeley where they would discuss the classical archetypes found in modern film and books. Those classes were super fun.

I don't remember when I subbed to your channel but I am GODDAMN HAPPY THAT I DID. I've seen Contact so many times, and while I feel that I've picked up on more than a few of the design cues embedded throughout, your ability and knowledge to tease these elements from the screen leaves me feeling simultaneously stunned and illuminated. Thank you.

@Joshuajacobson95

4 жыл бұрын

does anyone know what that pod's shape is called

@petehuckleberry5068

Жыл бұрын

Idiot

The whole travel scene is a metaphor for her having to let go of the pain she is feeling from her dad dying. The climax of the scene is her meeting a Vegan basically taking the form of her father. She cries and is able to grieve properly and let go of that pain.

What an amazing crackpot presentation. No mention about it being based on Carl Sagan`s book `Contact`.

@whatsina1

2 жыл бұрын

Yes that was very odd...as if Sagan had nothing to do with it...

@johnnythewalrus

2 ай бұрын

"crackpot"?

@biggstavros5876

2 ай бұрын

@@johnnythewalrus foolish, irrational, crazy etc

fantastic book, fantastic movie, a hint of God hidden in irrational numbers, in the fabric of the universe...Something that could never be done today.

@pjimmbojimmbo1990

3 жыл бұрын

I found the Book quite Boring, far too many pages wasted on Religious Nonsense. I really can't understand why people will reject Science, but readily accept a Figment of their Imagination is Real

@Wolffanghurricane

2 жыл бұрын

@@pjimmbojimmbo1990 People are scared to admit to themselves the universe is an entity that exists separately from them

"Unhealthy scienctific dogma" 😂 That kinda flies in the face of Sagan, and the character of Ellie Arroway tbh.

@JesusLopez-xz3qw

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, hated the use of "dogma" associated with science. It's like, in ORDER to be a scientist, the No.1 step is to ditch dogma...

Thanks for explaining the symbolic imagery. It makes me love the film even more than I already did.

This is my alltime, most watched film. I watch it every year or so. For a 25 years old film, with special effects of the time, it still delivers. Storyline , actors, (sound effects!) ,etc. All top drawer. I sometimes just play the bit where she hears the signal, and I wonder about what that moment would be like. I guess that's why I like the film so much 🤓 I'd never realised the symbology of this scene before, but you have added to my enjoyment of this film even more. Thx 👍

@dreamfall77

Ай бұрын

Crop circles are geometric shapes and the film explicitly states that mathematics is a universal language.

Mike's analysis is spot on...at least to those of us with an ounce of philosophical Big Picture sensitivites.

Brilliant analysis of the design of this film!

This is great, so insightful.

Came here from ingersoll page. 😁

This is one of the best examples of why the internet is a good thing! 🤣 Fantastic Video 🙏

We only get 11 mins? Is there a part 2 of the video?

excellent analysis. My favorite of all films.

I just saw it today for the first time. Beautiful movie, never a dull second

Something I’ve noticed in the dialogue of this film that I have yet to see anyone comment on. Every time someone in the film refers to religion or spirituality as a counter for the scientific argument they always do so by using a personal or directed claim of religion; “MY God”, “YOUR God”. Even during the committee questioning Ellie before she is supposed to go on the first machine one committee member makes a claim about the other 95% of the world believing in some kind of God but there never is a consensus by anyone that there is one true God in the film. This presents a problem with those deciding who goes…must you believe that God exists, and if so who decides which God? If Drumlin was a Christian was it fair to the candidate who was a Hindu? Does the Jewish candidate get to go over the person that practices Islam?

best movie i ever watched

The juxtaposition of Joan D'Arc and Ellie Arroway made me shed a tear.

Great stuff Mike. There's a youtuber called Jonathan Pageau who has been analysing film through the lens of symbology that you might find interesting. His video on Logan is excellent

@jessicaveylan4265

4 жыл бұрын

You have a link to that?

I remember reading in an article or book that some alien abductions might be one reliving one's actual birth experience; floating one is in the womb; moving though structure = through birth canal; bright light = outside of mother; the book or article gave better and more complete description; please respond if one knows of article or book and if agree, disagree or other comments thanks

Just meaning, not "hidden" meaning, just meaning.

So what exactly is the message that the author wants to convey in all of this?

The seat. Has anyone ever considered that the seat broke **because** she got out of it? Her body dramatically changes the resonant frequency of any object, especially an open metallic cantilever structure like the seat was. The change in resonance from her getting out of it put it more in sync with the vibes already there which amplified them and led to the failure of the mount.

@UtterMarcus

15 күн бұрын

also the seat is the only structure that is not in the original scheme but invented by human, maybe this explain the detach from the main structure

@jameshisself9324

15 күн бұрын

@@UtterMarcus Yes of course, if it wasn't there it couldn't detach. I agree with her theory that it should not have been there, and it's presence caused the vibrations. However her getting out of it caused it to fail. But then the aliens just moved it out of the way so no worries.

Sadden by how few have reaction watched this impressive film. Soundtrack now difficult to find and is not cheap. I actually found the patch from the film, and is on a white cap now.

This is the first time I've considered that Ellie's 'dad' on Vega was actually an alien. I've always thought it WAS her dad, who survived in some other dimension and told her a little about time, space, space travel, and other civilizations. I still think it was her real dad. Another possibility I considered was that her dad was an alien to begin with.

Reminds me of walking to the dentist's chair for a root canal....I had that same facial expression!!

They achieved so much in this movie.

I love this movie! So underrated

Well who is that guy talking in the video?! Whoever ujploaded this video why hasn't he/she included the name of him in the title or in the description box?!

Doesn't a fireman or policeman do the same exact thing each day??

This story certainly has its share of Creepy Conmen. The Weasel with the Moustache, who pushes Ellie under the Bus(I was overjoyed when he Perished with the First Machine), and the Snake Oil Bible Thumper, played by Matthew McConaughey

This is the best sci fi film Ever

Anyone else sent here by Ingersoll Lockwood?

This would make an awsome universal studios ride

I sometimes think people read a bit too far into what these scenes mean. Sure it's a leap of faith, but to go to the lengths he does...I don't know.

EXCELLENT PERSPECTIVE

Now, amongst all these different levels of impressive production... ...how much can attributed to our author, Carl Sagan...and how much to those involved in the adaptation..??

There is a hint to astral projection if you can get into that.. Or if you are taking psychedelics

The two technicians are also dressed in black like pallbearers.

Awesome. I just had my first mushroom experience and i couldn't help thinking about this and "arrival" movies when it ended. I feel a little bit like this film is a bit about that as well.

Brilliant

Это увидит такую красоту вокруг себя. Такое красивое небо не описать словами, как это всё красиво, когда об этом говорит, как красиво. Как всё красиво была бы я там, я бы осталась навсегда, всегда она потом на всё это время говорила, если бы можно было, я бы осталась здесь навсегда, как же тут красиво, как красиво произносила эти слова.

Today was the first time I seen this movie.

I don't know this movie, but now it's my second scene that I see today. When her back is plug to the chair it was really credible like in real life!

Well, at least I agree that it's a masterpiece.

"Leave behind her unhealthy scientific dogma..." Is there a different movie called Contact? Because that's not what happened in the movie I saw.

@mightytaiger3000

Жыл бұрын

You did watch a different film then. Even the last 15 minutes of the film reiterate that her stiff materialistic views have changed because of her experience.

Many importan Movies have masseges than tell us in than part in time we are and what's go in am in earth, and something else excelent explain it this codes in contact movie

@ronsindric4241

Жыл бұрын

Long before movies, writers like Lewis Carrol ( ALICE IN WONDER,AND HUNTING THE SNARK ) used complex mathematicallg-based logic to embed second, third and even fourth level "meanings" into their Works. Fatuous interpretation often coloured by religious bias only obscures what the author is trying to say !

Sometimes a cigar, is just a cigar.

Has anyone sent this to Katya?

Your premise is completely wrong. This story was written by Carl Sagan, the famous scientist and atheist. The movie changes many things from the book that Carl wrote. But even in the movie she denies faith several times - as a child, before her trip and AFTER her trip. When asked point blank if people should believe her story about her trip "on faith" - she does NOT say 'yes'. She says only that she knows she was given something special and she has hope the rest of humanity will see it as well. Then we see Ellie continuing to work on her science.

@K1lostream

6 күн бұрын

Well said 👏

🖤🖤🖤🖤 Thanks for this.

In the book the device is for 5 people

Good movie. I rewatch it sometimes. Same class as The Arrival. It would have been fun to have this review continue on to the alien meeting.

She didn't believe in God but called God in that moment.

I think it’s important to acknowledge the fact that the chair wasn’t in the original schematics for the machine, humans added it in because we thought it was safe and then in that scene the chair smacks to the roof of the pod in which could have killed her if she didn’t let go

@mikehilldesignstudio

Жыл бұрын

Good point; the full lecture includes this - kzread.info/dash/bejne/fKNplbKNc9muj7w.html&lc=Ugwn5lo-RZu9xEt1XPB4AaABAg

Люди перепугались там, потому что какой-то яркая вспышка, как-то все ру стёкла то, что там что-то происходит взрывы, какие-то она где-то теряется связь плохо лов, не слышит никто её, только все пуг, что-то происходит вспышки. Яркого света и всё такое ощущение что сейчас раз и всё об этом

Words of wisdom my friend! :)

Interesting..

This is like a guy putting a bunch of rotten pumpkins next to a vineyard and a few years later another guy says that some wine from those vines has 'autumn notes'. 🙄

@mikehilldesignstudio

11 ай бұрын

You put a lot of work into this and it shows

In the scene where Ellie floats down to the beach to me always looked like a fetus or a baby in the womb being born.

Is that blind guy Jackson Browne?

WoW!

Kinda like a dmt trip?

И вот пошло в этот момент капсула падает, она видит какие-то тоннели есть как будто что-то затягивает куда-то и всё, и начинается этот момент, как страшно её, тоннель тянет её, туда, внутрь, какие-то дыры, какие-то чёрные дыры, какие-то чёрные дыры её. Потом тишина, потом опять какие-то тоннели, опять начинается всё заново, как ей тяжело, как тяжело это всё воспроизвести, что она пытается это камеры, всё и ничего не происходит, это вообще очень, очень страшно ей самой было, вот она пыталась писать. Всю, всю суть этого всего, вот и она в тоннеле попадала, то 1 тоннель, то другая тоннель, ну и очень страшно ей было.

great vid. quick crit: Symbolism,,, not Symbology .

I really like these vids like this that give me a whole new insight into a movie....well done sir! HA I never noticed before that she is an atheist and then the first thing she screams is 'oh God'! LOL

ok ingersoll lockwood, ive been noticing the language.

just read the book people. it is obvious this guy didn't.

I believe the sphere she uses to transport in is more of an Egg then a Coffin. It's round as an egg would be , not monolith or coffin shaped. It's rebirth...not death.

Trying out new VR set for VR chat ...so u can meet the knuckles.

Наконец-то она здесь отрывается от земли и попадает в невесомость и такая тишина сразу, и всё потом вокруг, так красиво интересно. И этот сиденье падает, но она, слава Богу, она всё-таки остаётся как будто в невесомости и видит такую красоту неизвестно, где и как она туда попадает тоже очень причина всё это как-то это всё интересное кино. Я верю что она долго отсутствовала другие не верили не верят в это а я верю что она долго отсутство на земле она где то была далеко отсюда