The Mothman Prophecies (Special Edition)
by Mark Pellington
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DVD details
Actor: Dan Callahan, David Eigenberg, Nesbitt Blaisdell, Ron Emanuel, Shane CallahanDirector: Mark Pellington
Brand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 119 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-05-27
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures
DVD Reviews of The Mothman Prophecies (Special Edition)
DVD Review: Haunting Mystery with Supernatural Elements -- Reverent, Beautiful, Brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Mothman Prophecies" is one of those rare films where everything magically 'works' resulting in a magnificent piece of cinematic art.
Richard Gere plays John Klein, a journalist for The Washington Post who is trying to come to grips with the sudden death of his wife. He soon finds himself mysteriously translated to the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. He develops a relationship with the sympathetic but skeptical local police sergeant, played by Laura Linney. Klein soon discovers that many of the town's residents have sighted an eerie moth-like entity, similar to the one his wife saw before she died. Deeper investigation causes Klein to have his own creepy encounters with the strange creature; he becomes convinced that the being (or beings) exists on a sphere far beyond humanity's finite comprehension and that it can predict impending calamities. In fact, he comes to realize that this "mothman" is trying to warn the small town of one. Can he decipher what specifically the tragedy will be and when it will occure? Can he save his life and his loved ones before it's too late?
"The Mothman Prophecies" is not a monster movie or a mad-slasher horror flick; it's a creepy supernatural/mystery story with loads of mood & atmosphere. Every element of this motion picture skillfully works -- acting, story, editing, score, cinimatography, locations, effects, etc.
Sensitive viewers will note an undeniable reverent, beautiful quality to the film. The ending is strangely touching.
The notable Amazon reviewer Lawrence Bernabo claims that the mysteries presented in the story are not supposed to be figured out and, indeed, CANNOT be figured out. This is completely untrue. One must understand that this film is brilliantly intricate. Many questions are raised with varying possible answers. Don't think for a second that there are no real answers in this film; they're all there, but you may have to watch it a few times to discover them. I appreciate the fact that the director and writer refused to spell everything out for the viewer, even allowing room for complete misinterpretation. If the viewer wants answers s/he must have "ears to hear" and be willing to work for them.
My initial interpretation was that the mothmen are good spiritual beings that are trying to help humankind by predicting great calamities but can be easily misunderstood because they are so far superior to humans. In a nutshell my interpretation was that the "mothman" brought Gere to Point Pleasant to meet and save the future replacement for his dead wife, who died due to a pre-existing condition that only the mothman knew about. This explanation obviously suggests that the "mothmen" are good in nature.
I've come to see that this translation is false; a brilliantly implemented red herring.
[SPOILER ALERT -- Don't read the following paragraphs unless you want to consider insights into the true nature of the mothmen]
The mothmen are in truth evil spirits, fallen angels or demons (they're synonymous). This is clear when viewing eye-witness drawings of the creatures; these pictures never show beautiful angel-like beings, but rather disturbing, obviously-malevolent winged-creatures.
A mothman (evil spirit) CAUSED the auto accident that injured Debra Messing. Would a GOOD angelic being cause such a tragedy (regardless of the fact that she ultimately dies of a pre-existing problem)?
The bible calls Satan the "prince of the power of the air," hence, his underlings (demons) are spiritual and electro-magnetic in nature. They can thus easily manipulate a traffic light or speak through a phone that's not plugged in. They can even take human form, like the male nurse who insists Debra's drawings are of "angels" and then mysteriously vanishes, or mimic the voices of dead loved ones.
The researcher from Chicago reveals that the mothmen are from hell (the spiritual underworld that underpins the earth) and send out mixed messages to ruin peoples lives. They may seem to be benevolently warning humans but, at the same time, are obvious instigators of human tragedies (the car crash, Gordon's job loss, insanity & ultimate demise and the researcher's loss of his family & a respectable social life, etc.). Also consider the fact that they refuse to reveal their true selves and intentions. They are highly skilled masqueraders.
The reclusive researcher also points out that they have been around for a millenia and therefore see things at least 2 or 3 moves ahead of humans; they naturally use this vantage point to manipulate, deceive and destroy.
At the end, the saved police woman, number "37" (research that number), is still a victim in that her previous views that the mothmen are evil and destructive could now flip-flop into the deception that the they are somehow agents of good. Of course we never find out if this happens because the tale potently ends with Gere and Linney in shock sitting in an ambulance just glad to be alive.
The film powerfully illustrates that humanity is caught in a cosmic war and that there are beings whose sole purpose is to ruin or destroy us. Failure to understand and tactically prepare can be fatal. The only true protection from these evil spiritual beings is reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ's blood shield of atonement (not that the picture ever overtly reveals this, it's simply my addendum).
[END SPOILER ALERT]
"Mothman" is one of those rare films that you just put on to enjoy the cinematic magic, regardless of whether or not you know the ending or how many times you've seen it; it ranks up there with my all-time favorite movies.
Description of The Mothman Prophecies (Special Edition)
A WIDOWED REPORTER IS DRAWN TO A SMALL WEST VIRGINIA TOWN WHERE HE BECOMES OBSESSED WITH A SERIES OF STRANGE EVENTS, INCLUDINGPSYCHIC VISIONS AND THE APPEARANCE OF BIZARRE ENTITIES.Described by director Mark Pellington as "a psychological mystery with naturally surreal overtones," The Mothman Prophecies begins like an ambitious episode of The X-Files. Richard Gere brings adequate torment, portent, and ambiguity to his role as a Washington Post reporter and grieving widower plagued by a mysterious, unseen urban legend known as the Mothman. Pellington develops subtle doom and gloom that's as effective as the paranoid streak he brought to Arlington Road. As the Mothman terrifies a West Virginia town, he remains an enigma, glimpsed almost subliminally. This--along with a magnificently creepy soundtrack--amplifies the movie's surreal overtones while keeping everything else (unsettling phone calls, prophesied disasters, suggestions of the afterlife) completely unexplained. With Laura Linney and Debra Messing in underdeveloped roles, The Mothman Prophecies feels a bit underdeveloped itself (and ends in desperate need of Mulder and Scully). But if you like your weirdness open-ended, this moody thriller's worth a look. --Jeff Shannon
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