Quick note: While I’ve taken care to not directly spoil any big Shyamalan twists in this video (technically, even the famous one in The Sixth Sense is only implied here), there are minor plot details of various films in his catalogue stated or referenced throughout. Aside from The Sixth Sense, the most noticeable “lesser spoiler” of that nature in this video is for Lady in the Water, and comes toward the end of the ‘Themes and Characters’ section; folks who wish to avoid that can skip to the ‘Acting and Structure’ section just after they reach the 6-minute mark.

I have seen basically all of Shyamalan's movies (for better or worse) and 100% agree with this entire video. Excellent analysis! He is such a weird director. I have no clue how he could make the Sixth Sense and The Last Airbender and be the same human...

I went into the movie knowing the twist, and it did not hinder the experience at all, it had me marveling at how considered and affecting the relationship between Crowe and Anna was, it really hit hard.

@stevenponte6655

Жыл бұрын

I had the total opposite experience. i happened to be on holidays in the US the week it came out. Me and my cousin watched it in a tiny theatre in Chicago, know absolutely nothing about it, I think the movie we wanted to watch was sold out, and it was so hot we needed some a/c!! We were blown away. And after the movie finished we both decided to go back in and watch it again!! those were the days!! :)

My view on M Night has always been he's a competent artist who struggles with more complex themes and plot density. Sixth Sense is a story about fear (of death, of ends, of disappointment) which is a simple and relatable premise. Anyone can hit gold once or twice, but I commend him for not letting his failures (whether he views them as such or not) keep him away from his craft.

I skipped The Village when it came out, so seeing Lady In The Water in theaters was one of the biggest disappointments I ever had with a movie.

@xBINARYGODx

Жыл бұрын

No, it still would have, The Village is perfecting fine and in no way a preparation for Lady in the Water.

@DavidADII

Жыл бұрын

I'm in the minority, but I actually really enjoyed the lady in the water - though the whole messiah subplot kind of annoyed me. To me it was a fun little fairytale story like I used to watch as a kid, and it was just long enough it didn't overstay it's welcome. if anything I think bad marketing ruined that movie's chances of being liked or successful because of how hard the studio tried to push it as a horror movie. it's an object really bad horror movie but it's a pretty good young to mid teen fairy tale fantasy thing

I figure its the George Lucas effect. M Night has a lot of interesting ideas, but the more control he got over the movies the worse they turned out.

@TheGemsbok

Жыл бұрын

Ha, nice thought. That's a very tempting theory, but I do see two problems with it: (1) the movie he directed before The Sixth Sense, Wide Awake, is pretty bad, and (2) Split and Glass are great and good respectively, and both were made very far into his career.

Actually can't decide if I prefer Sixth Sense or Split. Great video btw.

lol "WHAAAT? NO!" the classic

@cokeMONSTERps3

Жыл бұрын

>someone just accused you of wanting and willing to murder them. "Whaaaat? Psssh... silly willy..."

One phenomenon I've been fascinated for some time now are occurrences when the author (or authors) make something amazing, but don't really understand what makes their work amazing. They either focus on the wrong aspects of it, or they just blundered upon the right mix of elements that produced greatness. So they subsequently miss the mark in a hilarious way...

@stevenponte6655

Жыл бұрын

it reminds me of that quote where Harper Lee was asked why she wrote nothing else after To Kill A Mockingbird, and she said Well I had nothing more to say. I guess seeing this is a business, they dont have have that luxury any more.

Great video! Love me some Gemsbok analysis.

@TheGemsbok

Жыл бұрын

Always glad to receive the support of an Astoran. Thanks!

I'll admit to having a negative bias towards popular movies that are known for big twists. It is likely due in large part to Shyamalan (directly or indirectly). It's definitely an issue because I likely wouldn't have watched this if I hadn't when I was younger. I didn't watch Fight Club for the same reason (and the rest of its reputation). It's a pleasant surprise when the surprise isn't the only pleasant thing about the movie. Loved the video!

The only movie that scares me 😱

"The dog has died." "But it was only just alive." .....I don't even know what to say to that. It's like Shyamalan has a degenerative brain disease that specifically targets his ability to write coherent exchanges between people. How...HOW is it only getting worse over time? I feel like Split only worked because it allowed that weakness to become the movie's strength.

YO YO GBOK - you missed the two most important factors in this analysis. M should’ve put HALEY JOEL in all of his films, instead of leaving him out to dry in the abomination of TUSK. NEVER FORGIVE. Very glad Haley Joel found greenday. Also bald willis would improve most things. Bald Willis is the missing ingredient to all of his later films. BALD WILLIS IS THE SECRET SAUCE.

@meadahagain

Жыл бұрын

Well you’re a treat 😂😂😂

I might be the only the only person who likes Lady in the Water. It seemed to me to be silly on purpose, which fit with his awkward character directing. Granted, I don't own a copy, so I haven't seen it since it was available to rent. I'm not in a rush to see it again, so maybe it wouldn't have the same effect on me as it did back then.

Always enjoy your videos, but can't shake the feeling that they'd be massively improved if you could make your script reading sound a bit more naturalistic. As it is, I feel it comes off like you're loudly reading a script rather than trying to express your thoughts.

@TheGemsbok

Жыл бұрын

Ha, I appreciate the feedback, but I don't think you know what you're asking for. If you want to hear how I would naturally deliver the material in one of my scripts, pay a visit to one of the first couple videos uploaded to this channel . . .

@Duad

Жыл бұрын

@@TheGemsbok Fair enough, the more energized direction you've taken it in is definitely an improvement.

@TheGemsbok

Жыл бұрын

That said, part of the 'loudness' issue you noticed may be a quirk of some issues with my current recording equipment. So that at least might still improve.

I gotta say, I think The Visit is way better than you're giving it credit for. Yeah, the film quality doesn't really work with the found footage aspect of it, nor does the fact that it inexplicably has an accompanying score, but I thought some of it was funny and it had a couple of genuinely affecting moments to it and I honestly didn't see the twist coming, whereas it's kinda obvious in The Sixth Sense. The Visit was Shyamalan's true comeback film, and that's a hill I'm willing to die on.

@TheGemsbok

Жыл бұрын

I suppose I could understand someone enjoying The Visit if they're a big fan of cringe humor, but for me the only redeeming aspect of that film is the excellent performance by Kathryn Hahn.

@xBINARYGODx

Жыл бұрын

"whereas it's kinda obvious in The Sixth Sense" if you mean after the fact, sure - but that is not something that makes a twist worse. If even afterward you could not see it coming, that's a sort of cheating, in terms of writing and story telling.

@TH3F4LC0Nx

Жыл бұрын

@@TheGemsbok Not all the humor was cringe though; it had a couple of good jokes I thought. I'm not saying it was a laff riot, but I chuckled a couple times. But for me it was the best twist Shyamalan had done in a long time and that saved it for me.

@TH3F4LC0Nx

Жыл бұрын

@@xBINARYGODx It wasn't after the fact though. The twist only works through exorbitant misdirection. If you consciously keep in mind the fact that the dude gets shot in the opening and then actually take note of the fact that he never really interacts with any other characters except the one kid who we know "sees dead people" then it's pretty glaring.

@TheGemsbok

Жыл бұрын

Like Shyamalan himself, I don't see the predictability of a film's twist ending as a good metric for the quality of a film. But with that being said, just as a counterpoint, I should say that my experience with the horror genre did make the twist in The Visit very easy to see coming. To the eventual annoyance of my wife, I called the exact ending fairly early on (during the scene where the kids are on a drive into town with the old man).

yeah no. there is zero chance that if the twist in Sixth Sense wasn't there and it was something revealed earlier in the movie that the movie would be even remotely as memorable or applauded. NONE. The twist is everything.

@journeration1

Жыл бұрын

Tell that to the 98% of people who saw it after the twist was universally spoiled. Still awesome. He's right that the acting carries it.

@mayorjimmy

Жыл бұрын

@@journeration1 GTFO of here 98%. this was back in 99. This was pre social media.

@journeration1

Жыл бұрын

@@mayorjimmy Hahaha. In 99? Yah maybe only 90%. Between release and now? 98% is a low guess.

@meadahagain

Жыл бұрын

Right, but it didn’t solely contribute to why it was such a great film. The acting, writing, and directing kept you going and then BAM💥 a fuckin great reveal

Y2LK was never projected to be that - there is a difference between propaganda that is a call to action and the truth, and there can also a difference between public perception and the truth. Please attempt to say fewer stupid things in the future - stuff like that gives people an even more warped view of the past, especially when it comes up randomly in different media.

@TheGemsbok

Жыл бұрын

That line in the video is intended to come across as purposefully exaggerated and somewhat sardonic. In actuality, it is of course true that only fringe conspiracy theorists thought civilization could collapse due a software compatibility issue. But as someone who personally lived through the transition in question, I may have unduly taken it for granted that everyone would understand that.