G.A.H: A Quiet Place- Thoughts and Wonderings
Girl About the House: A Quiet Place - Thoughts and Wonderings
A story that gets me thinking and asking questions has me excited and entranced in equal measure. Stories are a huge part of my day; whether I'm reading, watching a film or listening to a friends tale I soak up every story and many of them (if not all) stay with me for a very long time.
A Quiet Place is a film that has the viewer equally as silent as the characters. I watched it for the first time in the comfort of home, but I can imagine the atmosphere at the cinema would be an experience in itself.
At home, when anyone made a loud noise it would make me spring to life and whip my head round to the noise. To say I was on edge would be an understatement. Snacks stayed untouched beside me for the entire film- I wasn't going to be the one to reveal us.
I'm not typically a fan of thrillers but where A Quiet Place looks at a scenario with effects so simple (i.e. not being able to make a sound) and trepidation so strong, I felt intrigue and allegiance to the family to stick with them and find out what would happen next.
I personally feel that the thriller aspect, coming from the creatures, isn't so much the main part of the story, but rather the deeper themes of family and protection are.
Before I continue down this road, these are my thoughts and wonderings whilst watching the film...
The following includes spoilers
- Are the creatures blind? It would make sense with the sound being heightened, as goes in real life when sight is taken away.
- You couldn't make each other jump- because then you would scream and make a loud noise. But that being said, to not jump you would have to feel calm- in a very tense situation where it's impossible.
- The family show settlement somewhat by spreading themselves apart; e.g. the young boy playing in the car, the young girl sleeping in the crops, all whilst the mum prepares dinner in the kitchen and the dad attempts to fix the hearing aid in the basement. At the beginning, they would've kept together in fear. Spreading out suggests a level of comfort in the situation, hence they've been experiencing the same day each day for a long time- or perhaps not even a long time but days so long in comparison to what they were used to.
- The Waterfall. By the standards of a loud continuous sound covering small noises, I feel like it wouldn't be too much of a leap to find a way of creating another continuous noise, thereby living semi normally in the space where they can take a breath away from their new normal. Initially, the creatures would be attracted to the noise but just like the waterfall, it would be something they got used to as long as the noise is forever continuous. For example, It couldn't be a wooden spoon hooked up to a mechanical system where it rhythmically hits a metal pan base. Because this way there's a stop where the sound is paused. Whether the creatures move around the world or just this one location, they'll be drawn into the noise again and again. Unlike the waterfall where it's continuous and the ear becomes used to it. This is like a framed picture on the wall of your parent's house- you're so used to it being there that you no longer notice it.
Quite clearly, the waterfall is a noise the creatures can't control. They are angered by noise, wanting to kill it to silence, and therefore don't return to the waterfall where they can't kill it.
- Do the creatures have a name?
- I wonder why shoes aren't allowed? Surely they don't make too much of a noise? Flip flops most definitely aren't the right thing to wear.
-The scenario in the movie is similar to the current Coronavirus lockdown situation we're all in now. I mean this whereby the outside world looks the same but there's a big change that we all have to adjust our behaviour too.
- The film is set in 2020 which is even more trippy with the thought given above. Thank goodness these creatures don't exist.
- Creatures weakness: Sound. The smallest of sounds seem to magnify within the creatures head making them angry and wanting to attack. They act on emotion as a child would: responding to emotions with actions before learning how to deal with the situation. By this account, they are new to life and finding their way- rather aggressively at that.
- I wonder what the creatures do to the person? What is there aim? If not taking away the whole body then what are they after?
They seem so angered by sounds that they want to kill it to silence. This backs up my point about them being new to life and not knowing what to do to their anger.
- Birth. Goodness me...intense pain and not being able to release the pressure with sound is unimaginable. The only way I can relate is when you're feeling angry or annoyed about something and you go to shut the cupboard door harder than normal. It's the sound that gives you the reassurance of the anger in your hands. With birth, my guess is that screaming or letting out a noise connects you to what's happening by giving you some control when you're body is doing its thing. As well as this, it's a release of the intense physical pressure you feel.
This was a really strong scene that gives the viewer a connection to the story, bringing it to life. How would you deal with giving birth/feeling pain and not being able to make a sound?
- How are others coping? Are there many others?
- Family is a strong centre in this film. One topic that pops into mind is to do with choosing to have a baby in these times. It's a question of life continuing on and keeping that presence of joy when all else is taken, or slowly seeing all life fade out.
Do you have children, which is a source of love and living, all the while knowing that they'll be at risk of danger every moment of every day?
Or do you slowly cease to exist? Do you let the creatures take over and win the fight?
Moreover, Lee Abbott who is the dad played by John Krasinski (I had to google the character names as I don't remember them being said) makes the ultimate sacrifice for his children when he lures the creature to take his life over his children's. Love, health and happiness are, to me, the biggest things in life. In this film, health and happiness are swaying whilst love stands as a strong core with the family unit- even when it's doubted by the eldest child.
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The biggest question I have is how did the creatures come to exist and how did they become to take over? Was it a slow existence or did they plummet to earth?
I am very much looking forward to watching A Quiet Place II (whenever the UK get the all-clear) and getting some more answers.
As ever, Thank you for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts on A Quiet Place and if you have any answers to my thoughts and wonderings.
You can email me at buddysummercreates@gmail.com or using the links below.
Love,
Buddy xx
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These photographs are not my own. Source: IMDb
