The Sixth Sense
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Colette, Donnie Wahlberg
Release Date: Summer 1999
Tagline: I see dead people
Info and synopsis : In his third film, 28-year-old director/writer M. Night Shyamalan exhibits profound mastery of the difficult and subtle art of weaving complex psychological, theological, and spiritual themes into a powerful, transcendent story. At its heart, it is a ghost story. Crowe, the main character, agrees to help a young child, Cole, with a psychological "problem". Cole sees dead people.
Themes:
Trust in others
Loss of sanity/madness
Appearance vs. Reality
Repercussions of imposing "our" reality on others
Isolation and fear
Understanding in faith
Symbols:
The Church
The color red
Shots:
Zoom
Reflection (seeing actor in reflection of something)
360 shots
Close-ups
This film uses lighting and camera angles to create mood and atmosphere. It's about the uncanny occurring in a mundane and typical environment.
Devices used to move plot: foreshadowing, symbolism and motif
Name Significance:
Dr. Malcolm Crowe
Cole Sear
Vincent Grey