paradigm’s
end
breaking away from the darkness of ignorance alex ebbe
there is something magical to the moment when a paradigm collapses and a new reality is set. it begins with the first doubts, when we begin to see some irregularities and unexplainable discrepancies. these eventually lead to the breakthrough, in consciousness and reality. at last the horizon is expanded and the true dimension of the world is revealed. at least until the next shift. i began to think about this when i saw the last scene of the truman show. truman reaches the end of the dome, opens the door in the sky and disappears on the other side. i think it’s a very poetic and surrealistic picture, just beautiful. i dare say, that this moment is inspired by the picture that first appears in flammarion’s book: “l’atmosphère: météorologie populaire” and since became the classic image concerning paradigm shifts. so i spent an afternoon, checking my film library to find some similar scenes, mostly in the science fiction pictures. i never realized how many movies deal with this theme or use it in their plot’s. very few show in such an artistic way as peter weir in truman show, but i still collected some interesting images. this collection shows how this moment of revelation and transition is visualized in some of my favorite movies.
the thirteenth floor
the end of the known reality
the moment of truth
the real world
joseph rusnak, 1999
2001: a space odyssey
the moment of transition
the confrontation with the doppelg채ger
a new reality made up by his own memories
stanley kubrick, 1968
dark city
breaking down the last wall
the sight through the hole in the paradigm: empty space
the real city
alex proyas, 1998
equilibrium
recognizing the first signs of emotion in himself
emotional breaktrough, clearing the window
the city, seen in the ight of his emotions
kurt wimmer, 2002
matrix
the choice between paradigms
the awakening
the real matrix
the real world
andy & lana wachowsky, 1999
the truman show
the end of the world
walking the horizon
leaving the paradigm
peter weir, 1998
of course there are loads of other movies that deal with this thematic, for example pan’s labyrinth, the island, thx 1138, 12 monkeys, avalon... just to name some of my favorite. but few also accentuate the visual component of this transitions. the best are surely the truman show and dark city, where there is no camera cut between the to paradigms but a flowing transition. the real world is always in reach, but if there are no reasons to look for it will remain invisible. when the protagonist is mentally ready he takes the decisive step and breaks down the wall to finally recognize the true reality.
20100615 monoelemento