Brad Anderson: "The Machinist" - A Film Review

Research Paper (undergraduate) , 2010 , 4 Pages , Grade: 2

English Language and Literature Studies - Other

Brad Anderson, an American director and scriptwriter, proves with his fifth film “The Machinist” that neither a big budget nor the financial supports of a glamorous Hollywood studio have got to be essential conditions for producing a fine piece of art. After he had finished his work on the screenplay, he presented it all the usual Hollywood studios, in the hope that he could find a financially strong sponsor for his ambitious project. Even though his scriptwriter Scott Kosar did a great job, no studio or producer wants to finance or support the film because of its overwhelming dark mood and twisted plot. After they had searched for several years and were turned down by every approached studio, they decided to shot the entire film on locations in Barcelona, Spain. Even though those financial problems led to an austerity budget, nothing could hold them back to produce this masterpiece of narration work.
Trevor Reznick (Christian Bale) is captured in a nightmare from which he can’t escape: He hasn’t slept in a year, without knowing the cause of his sleeplessness. Due to his insomnia he had lost one third of his original weight and is nothing but skin and bone. His only attachment figures are the prostitute Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and the waitress Marie (Aitana Sánchez-Gijòn), who works in an airport cafe. He works as a mechanist in a dirty factory under the lead of a misanthropic assistant foreman. Because of his appearance and his strange behaviour he has lost all amicable contact to his workmates. But then he meets Ivan (John Sharian) who claims to be the new worker on the welding bench. During a routine maintenance Trevor is distracted by Ivan and causes a horrible accident whereby his mate Miller (Michael Ironside) loses his left arm. He tries to explain his carelessness but nobody has ever heard of Ivan. After that, a sequence of strange calamities progresses and Trevor thinks that everyone has conspired against him.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Film Review
• The Making of "The Machinist"
• Trevor Reznick: A Sleepless Mechanist
• Christian Bale: A Masterful Performance
• The Narrative Technique
• Symbols, Signs, and Allusions
• The Influence of Great Authors
• Stylistic Elements and Atmosphere
• Christian Bale: A Role of a Lifetime
• Conclusion: A Teaching Play About Guilt and Atonement

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This film review aims to analyze and appreciate "The Machinist," a psychological thriller directed by Brad Anderson. The film explores the complexities of a troubled protagonist, Trevor Reznick, battling insomnia and a haunting past.

• The Power of Psychological Realism
• The Role of Guilt and Atonement
• The Impact of Sleeplessness and Mental Distress
• The Nature of Reality and Perception
• The Influence of Literature and Film on Filmmaking

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Film Review: This section introduces the film "The Machinist" and highlights its unique production process, focusing on the challenges faced by director Brad Anderson and screenwriter Scott Kosar.
• The Making of "The Machinist": This section discusses the film's production challenges, including the difficulties in securing funding due to the film's dark mood and twisted plot.
• Trevor Reznick: A Sleepless Mechanist: This section introduces the protagonist, Trevor Reznick, and his struggle with chronic insomnia, which has driven him to a state of physical and mental deterioration. His relationships with others, his work as a machinist, and the strange events that begin to unfold are presented.
• Christian Bale: A Masterful Performance: This section focuses on Christian Bale's performance as Trevor Reznick, highlighting his commitment to the role and the lengths he went to achieve a realistic depiction of the character's physical and mental state. It emphasizes the power of Bale's portrayal.
• The Narrative Technique: This section examines the film's narrative structure, noting its unusual starting point in media res and its linear progression. It discusses how the narrative draws the audience into Trevor's subjective reality, immersing them in his surreal and disturbing world.
• Symbols, Signs, and Allusions: This section explores the film's use of symbolism, signs, and allusions to create a complex and layered interpretation. The film's lack of typical blockbuster elements encourages viewers to engage with these elements and decode their deeper meanings.
• The Influence of Great Authors: This section highlights the influence of authors like Fyodor Dostoevsky and Franz Kafka on the film's themes and atmosphere. The film's "Kafkaesque" atmosphere and its references to Dostoevsky's works are examined.
• Stylistic Elements and Atmosphere: This section discusses the film's stylistic elements, including its color palette, which creates a cold and unsettling atmosphere. It emphasizes the use of a blue filter to emphasize the film's oppressive and surreal quality.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This film review examines key concepts such as psychological realism, insomnia, guilt, atonement, perception, reality, literary influence, and cinematic style. These themes are explored through the lens of "The Machinist," a film that exemplifies the power of cinematic storytelling in portraying complex psychological states and exploring profound human experiences.

• College: University of Siegen
• Course: Text Production
• Grade: 2
• Author: Sebastian Taugerbeck (Author)
• Publication Year: 2010
• Pages: 4
• Catalog Number: V144875
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640565399
• Language: English
• Tags: Anglistik, Review, Film, Books, The Mechanist, Text Production, Linguistik