Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Cloud Atlas


            Cloud Atlas, the movie, is a series of six (with a foreshadowed seventh) interwoven stories from different eras that relate to each in some form or another. In watching this movie after taking this class, the Buddhist influences are clearly visible. One of the first ideas that stood out to me was the concept of samsara, or that idea that everything, while being independent, is still inter-related, or samsara. The rest of the concepts brought implied are more Buddhist based. Another major concept that was included in the movie that we discussed in class was the topic of cause and effect. Within each of the stories, starting from Ewing in California to the tribes in post-apocalyptic Hawaii, the then main character of the particular plot undergoes some form of transformation.
            After being saved from being poisoned, Ewing changes his views on slavery and the anti-African American sentiment; Frobisher realizes that the era that he lives in with never accept him or his music because of his sexual preference and commits suicide; Sonmi-451 broadcasts the true fate of “fabricants” before captured. Similarly, the other three threads of the story are enrapturing. The movie cycles between the threads fairly quickly and it took me possibly the first hour to actually realize what was going on.
            The central thought of the movie I felt, was related to rebirth, karma, and nirvana. Each of the different story lines was like a different section of an orchestra: the 1st violins, 2nd violins, violas, cellos, basses, and piano. All sections were playing something completely different, but yet each section at one point or another, similar to Pachelbel’s Canon, played the same theme. The Cloud Atlas Sextet, composed in the timeline of Frobisher, accounted for the entire movie: 6 different voices all in harmony and disharmony with each other, like samsara. Each rebirth was a different story, and nirvana was attained when one’s purpose was complete and they were content- Sonmi-451.
            Overall, I really enjoyed the movie (when I actually figured out what was going on) and it was a great break after studying for finals.
            

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.