There are obviously a few differences between the play and the movie. I think they are relatively minor for the most part. There were slight differences in the dialogue and some scenes were off. In my opinion there are two major differences in the plot.
The first one is when Dr. Miranda knocks on the door in the middle of the night. In the play, Paulina just knocks out Dr. Miranda and ties him up after he was already asleep, deciding to stay over. In the movie she blatantly steals his car no more than ten minutes after he walks in the house. She then comes back after disposing of the car and proceeds to knockout Dr. Miranda.
The second, and most obvious, is the ending. In the play the ending is left more open than it was in the movie. In the play, the curtain falls as Paulina is holding Dr. Miranda at gunpoint in the living room. In the movie Paulina just walks away from him at the cliff. The play, you are not sure whether or not she kills him. If she doesn't kill him, does she just let him walk out of the house? We can not tell if when she sees him at the theater, if he is a figment of her imagination or not. Whereas, in the movie you clearly see that he was not killed and at the theater is shown peering down at her.
I have somewhat of an issue with what we talked about in class. I have no problem with the conversation at all. I have an issue saying that the United States should follow the path of places like Norway in terms of our punishments. Why should we be less harsh on criminals? In Norway they study the prisoner while they are in a psychiatric hospital, with certain luxury items like television. As far as I am concerned when you commit a ruthless criminal act such as rape, you lose your privileges. They should not be afforded comfort and luxury. They should be as uncomfortable as possible for such a heinous act.
I completely agree that criminals who commit a heinous act should not be afforded any luxuries. However, I think what Norway does is a great thing. A lot of times, people who commit serial crimes have some underlying psychological issue (not always of course, but more often than not). I think those people should be getting help. I do agree however, that they do not really need television. I also think that every prisoner should be psychologically examined. As I said, since not EVERY criminal has an unhealthy mental state, it should be known who does. Prisons were originally meant to be for rehabilitation. Throwing people in who might have a mental problem with the possibility of them being released and committing those crimes again I feel defeats the purpose. Norway is doing something good by getting sick people the help they need so that they do not continue to victimize the world.
ReplyDeleteYour list of the differences between the play and the movie are accurate but I have to disagree with your thought that they are minor. As you said the play left the audience able to guess if Paulina imagines seeing Miranda at the end of the play, while in the movie he looms over her. He is enjoying the music with his wife and, more importantly, his SONS. The fact that he is pictured with his two boys in a position of power of Paulina is very compelling. His sons are younger versions of himself. He will teach his sons what he knows, how to torture, how to rape. They are the future and the future is in the hands of a man the film depicted as a sadist.
ReplyDelete