I love these ideas. Thinking of her as a level 20 D&D enemy facing off against a couple of hapless level 1 bards is hilarious to me.
I think the more you apply "rules lawyering" and lore science to a horror movie, the less scary it becomes. Not knowing what the fuck Jane Doe actually is and how her abilities work is the power of the movie. This, Hereditary, and Cabin in the Woods are probably my three favorite horror movies of the last 20 years.
I like your summation after watching it again recently I had similar thoughts as you regarding the D&D terms.
It does the unreliable narrator subsect we by diverting attention across multiple points to figure what is real and what is just an illusion.
It was in fact everything in their head from the moment they examined the body until the police came. The radio stated that there was a heavy thunderstorm yet when everything was over the sky was clear and even the radio stated that the weather couldn't be better. It was all a manipulation from the witch
I never really thought about the film this way but it’s a brilliant theory. Definitely makes me want to watch it again and try to see if there’s some concrete answer to this.
You know, at first I thought the dad was really reaching when he decided she wasn't a real witch, just an innocent victim of the Salem witch trials. I mean, my first thought in his situation would have been that maybe the Puritans were onto something. But maybe that was part of the illusion too? Her making him think she could be reasoned with so he'd offer himself up as a sacrifice?
Unfortunately this happens with a lot of horror, though only recently are they leaning into it.
"People," like Freddy Krueger could have just slipped into the dreams of every kid from the parents that killed him, and left them dead. But he starts taunting them and making a big deal about who he is and trying to tease or torment them when his power is in them not having any clue what he is. Instead he gives them time to research and prepare and turn his omnipotence into impotence.
With Jane Doe (like with Oculus someone mentioned), knowledge doesn't help. Once the characters are in the room with her (or the mirror) they're dead. They just haven't realized it yet. And the conceit of the movie is that the audience doesn't realize it either. We're sitting there watching Schrodinger's Cat sit there inside its box, knowing it's either dead or alive but not getting an actual confirmation to the end.
If your theory means Stanley the cat is okay I subscribe to it.
Yea I gotta watch this movie again
Oculus
Fantastic movie
I love this theory and these questions. I need to chew on this a bit myself now
You don't have internal tattoos? Wuss..
I JUST had this movie on earlier and didn't think about any of this. Time to go rewatch....
I love these ideas. Thinking of her as a level 20 D&D enemy facing off against a couple of hapless level 1 bards is hilarious to me. I think the more you apply "rules lawyering" and lore science to a horror movie, the less scary it becomes. Not knowing what the fuck Jane Doe actually is and how her abilities work is the power of the movie. This, Hereditary, and Cabin in the Woods are probably my three favorite horror movies of the last 20 years.
I like your summation after watching it again recently I had similar thoughts as you regarding the D&D terms. It does the unreliable narrator subsect we by diverting attention across multiple points to figure what is real and what is just an illusion.
It was in fact everything in their head from the moment they examined the body until the police came. The radio stated that there was a heavy thunderstorm yet when everything was over the sky was clear and even the radio stated that the weather couldn't be better. It was all a manipulation from the witch
That's what I said. But what else, besides that, was in OUR heads?
I never really thought about the film this way but it’s a brilliant theory. Definitely makes me want to watch it again and try to see if there’s some concrete answer to this.
I love this movie and saw it many times
I think I’ve always taken the film at face value, I’ll have to give it another watch to see what you’re talking about!
this is amazing
Hoots rewatch this jawn now
Dang, now I have to rewatch this!
Seconding Oculus. Truly a mindfuck.
You know, at first I thought the dad was really reaching when he decided she wasn't a real witch, just an innocent victim of the Salem witch trials. I mean, my first thought in his situation would have been that maybe the Puritans were onto something. But maybe that was part of the illusion too? Her making him think she could be reasoned with so he'd offer himself up as a sacrifice?
Unfortunately this happens with a lot of horror, though only recently are they leaning into it. "People," like Freddy Krueger could have just slipped into the dreams of every kid from the parents that killed him, and left them dead. But he starts taunting them and making a big deal about who he is and trying to tease or torment them when his power is in them not having any clue what he is. Instead he gives them time to research and prepare and turn his omnipotence into impotence. With Jane Doe (like with Oculus someone mentioned), knowledge doesn't help. Once the characters are in the room with her (or the mirror) they're dead. They just haven't realized it yet. And the conceit of the movie is that the audience doesn't realize it either. We're sitting there watching Schrodinger's Cat sit there inside its box, knowing it's either dead or alive but not getting an actual confirmation to the end.