"The Sixth Sense" (1999)

Ah, this is a brilliant movie. It’s a shame how everyone seems to know the end though. It was spoiled for me after I watched “50 First Dates”, but even in knowing the big twist, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s definitely without a doubt one of the better horror/thriller movies. Definitely one of my favourites.

Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is a successful child psychiatrist, who throughout the film takes on the task of helping a frightened little boy (Haley Joel Osment) who appears to be plagued with the ability to see ghosts. Their relationship grows, and Malcolm begins to realise some home truths about the ghosts’ little visits.

The construction of the plot is something I like very much. You can watch it again and again and still find something you never noticed the first time round. The writers and editors had their little rules for example, if you look closely, if one of the ghosts is mad or getting angry then it’s cold; you see the temperature dropping in Cole’s (the little boy) apartment, and then you see the breath...but the key factor is that this only happens when the ghost is angry! Another rule they had was the ghost would wear what they were wearing the day they died, not necessarily exactly what they wore the moment they died, but just whatever they had worn throughout that day. If you actually go back and analyse each scene, scene by scene, there are some form of art direction or props included which give some indication of the events to come... I like this because it shows just how much consideration was put into the plot and the little details behind the story. An example of these clues is the colour red. Anything in the real world, any object, which has been tainted by the other world is red. The woman who poisoned her child is wearing red, on the day that Cole gets locked in the dungeon he is wearing red, the door handle that Malcolm can’t seem to open throughout the film to get to his basement is red.

 

Just like the plot, the characters also are also developed and rounded very well. It does focus on the story as opposed to building the tension for the sake of giving audiences a good fright...those parts just seem to come about naturally, which makes it stand out from other horror/thriller films. There are some sad elements too. Even each ghost has their own little background, their own story of how they came to be where they are, and I like that. I like the background details given about the idea of ghosts. You know, they were indeed once people too and are just as important characters as those who are still alive. In a similar way to the movie “Ghost”, we are given a glimpse into what a ghost might think or wonder or feel about their current situation. They might not know they are dead, for example. Or they may know, but do not know why they are still here, or need help in passing on...What if life isn’t just a final blackout that is assumed? These queries or ideas are put forth through this film.

I imagine the writer/director M. Night Shyamalan put a lot of research into the background of this idea of afterlife and the mixed ideas or assumptions various people have. He remarked that during his research the common factor between the people who claimed they could see or talk to spirits were all from broken homes. There was never a death, but always some kind of separation or divorce as such.  I found this interesting that he should say this because that is a common factor with many ghost stories told in films, whether it’s done consciously or not.

I heard about a psychiatrist named C.G. Jung who proposed the idea that the afterlife was not actually some place beyond this universe we live in now, but rather, considered the idea that the two coexisted, and interpenetrated one another, but that ‘the other one’ was at a different frequency to our realm of existence: You can’t see it, but it’s still actually there. William Peter Blatty also remarked on this and said if you consider this penetration the foundation of ghost stories becomes so much more credible...and I’m inclined to agree with him. Certainly, I love a well-told ghost story...those are the best horror films. Well, my three favourites would be The Others, The Orphanage and The Sixth Sense! – all ghost-related. Much better than any kind of slasher horror movie. I don’t like the gore. Just the frights! Which is certainly what you sign up for when you sit down to this, let me tell you...

There are so many moments I just love throughout this film. One in particular is when Cole gets up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and we see him standing at the toilet, then suddenly there’s a huge ‘dun’ from the background music, as a figure sweeps across the screen so quickly. With the right volume, I jump every time. It’s so fun. Granted, the rest of the scene is not very nice, but I just love that moment.

Another one is when Cole and Malcolm are walking down the corridor of his school and Cole suddenly pauses looking nervous and the background music is sort of playing softly. Malcolm asks what’s wrong so Cole points up the staircase and suddenly the image of three figures hanging from the ceiling is shown. I must have jumped a mile high the first time I saw that. I got such a fright I had to pause the film to stop panting. It was brilliant.

Another scene again actually is one where we’re in Cole’s apartment and this boy passes into his room but then emerges again to beckon Cole to go with him so he can show him where he keeps his father’s gun, then when he turns we see a bullet hole in the back of his head. I actually never clocked that this boy wasn’t actually supposed to be there, I took no notice until after he turned, and then suddenly I was like ‘oh crap’ and got another huge fright again.

You know...looking back, this movie was actually so much fun the first time I watched it. I’ve often wondered what it would have been like if I hadn’t known the ending. I definitely wouldn’t have seen it coming, I’d say. The clues are so cleverly written into it. There are so many other moments I could mention as well as these, but I can’t be giving them all away!

All the actors in this movie are great. Bruce Willis is excellent as Malcolm. Haley Joel Osment is brilliant as Cole. The role he plays is not one for a small child to just stand and react when someone else speaks, he has to really act and as I say, he does brilliantly. There's a lot of depth to his character he has to show and I reckon he nearly has the most to say out of all the actors. He has quite a bit of passages of dialogue. I like the relationship that’s built throughout the movie between their two characters. I think they play the development of it so well. The movie received many nominations for awards like Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress...all well deserved.

I would nearly say even if this isn't your genre, watch it anyway. The story is a touching one and you do get plenty of frights, but you get over them too and you enjoy them while you're watching it. Once the credits are over you are able to resume your day without being anxious!! As opposed to some other films, there's actually no "baddy" as such and the intention of the ghosts is not to scare those who come across them, but what taps in is, I suppose, the fear of the unknown and that's what makes it scary I guess! So it depends on the viewer and what mindset you go into it with! I guess...like any movie, you get out of it what you put in! 

So...what more can I say? Without a doubt, this is one to watch!

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