the power of the numinous

A friend was watching The Sixth Sense, and said that it still creeps her out even though she knows what happens and she's watching it in the middle of the day. Sixth Sense is great in this way, because (at least in this movie) Shyamalan understands the power of the numinous. So many moviemakers make the horrible mistake of making supernatural creatures dangerous. If a ghost with knives for fingers is chasing you so he can cut you up with them, then that's not much different from anyone chasing you with a knife.

On the other hand, when you have a ghost just standing there being a ghost, that's what makes our skins crawl and our spines tingle.
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Jasony said…
That movie still scares the crap out of me. The first time I watched it was alone on the bottom floor of a converted barn/apartment next to a big picture window looking out into a swamp in the middle of the night. I kept telling myself "I AM AN ADULT AND THIS IS JUST A MOVIE" but it didn't really make any difference.

yikes.

Jason
10/5/10, 6:20 PM
barrybrake said…
Haha!!

Ahhh, but there's nothing "just" about a really good movie.
10/5/10, 8:31 PM
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