Existentialism

The existentialism sheet that we recieved in class has a lot to compare to the movie Runaway Train. One of the points on the sheet claims that everytime you allow someone else to tell you, what you should think, how you should act, or what you should be, you are allowing them to control your life. This is portrayed in the movie in many different ways. First of all they are locked away in prison where they are constantly being told what to do. Manny rebels by constantly doing his own thing, and then eventually breaking free from the control and supervision of the officers. He is portraying existentialism by not following the orders given to him by anyone else. He is everyone in the jails hero, because he does not care about anyone of the rules, which is a reason why he is in jail in the first place. When he gets out of jail he admits that he'd never be able to find a job because he is so against listening to people that he will never be able to lead a normal life. He knows that because of his beliefs he can not fit into society, or the way that they try to mold him. Manny is a unique figure and many people look up to him because of his independence, and the way that he holds himself. In a way I feel he is admirable because of his persona that shows off his ability to stay true to himself in any given situation. He is not rebelling, he is simply following what he wants to do, and not doing what everyone else does to fit in with the rest of society.

Runaway Train

Runaway Train was a complex movie, yet simple at the same time. The whole message of the movie is that humans are more barbaric than animals. The quote that proves this is:

You are an animal!

No worse! Human.

He's trying to get the point across that humans are more cruel and have more harsh actions than animals do. I think there is more behind this though. Buck is a serial rapist (so we think) and harasses the woman the first time he meets her on the train. He is cruel to woman, but as time goes on they start to bond. When they come to the realization that the train is going to crash, the girl makes Buck cuddle with her saying she doesn't want to die alone. It shows the desperateness of human nature and how when faced with death, reputations don't matter.

Another theme in this movie is the idea of being free. In jail you are obviously confined, but Manny considers himself to be free even when trapped on the train with Rankin. I believe his mind set is that he knows he is dying, so he is being freed from the life he was tragically trapped in. Manny knows he is a bad person with many flaws, and he does not try to hide it or change it. He accepts himself the way he is, and I feel as if that is why he considers himself trapped. He is trapped in his mindset, not in jail, or with Rankin. All he wanted was to be set free from the life he was leading, and finally be at peace.

Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane is an interesting movie because it shows someones life through other people's eyes. Kane never says anything to us besides "rosebud" but we see all about him through stories from other people. Kane himself was a powerful man, but also very powerless. The director helps you see that by shooting different angles where he is shown being powerful and powerless at the same time. He will be giant but confined by the ceiling, showing that his power has limits. He can choose what people read, but he can not help what they think. He can not force people to love him or even like him, and that is his downfall because he believes that he can. I feel bad for him, instead of thinking he is a bad person. I see someone who was unloved his whole life, and just wanted nothing but affection. His power in the business world was not enough to keep him happy, and I think that will stand for any decent human being. It just goes to show that money can't buy you happiness.