Louisa Andrusko: Blog #7 3/24/11: Northfork

Northfork was a very beautiful and philosophical movie. Themes of death, religion, and transcendence continually appeared in the film, making even the most simple scene burst with symbolism. The relationship between nature and religion was at the core of this film, leading audiences to see nature as a sacred place. This intermingling of the profane and sacred played out in the film, especially through the cinematography. The film techniques used in this film not only captured the awe and wonderment of nature, but also the mysteriousness of it. By using wide shots of mountains, streams, and land, the audience is able to see how spectacular nature is, especially in comparison to the mundane. Nature seemed to collide with death in the film, especially when the coffins were removed from the ground. The townspeople and evacuation team are forced to confront the idea of death constantly throughout the film, causing many of them to revert back to their faith. The ark and references to the flood in the Bible demonstrates the tendency people have to seek out God when they’re afraid. The older man who feels he sinned against his wife begs God and his wife for forgiveness before taking her coffin away. The scene in which the coffin is tied on top of the car was extremely symbolic as it represented the transition from the mundane (the car) to the sacred (the mountains or heaven). Further, the possibility of death looms over those who decide to stay as well as the little sick boy. Interestingly enough, both the boy and stubborn townspeople do not fear death; they almost feel immune to it. The connection the townspeople feel with their land grants them the courage to stay, while the boy’s belief that he is an angel frees him from the burden of such a devastating disease. All in all I was very impressed with the cinematography of the film. Its ability to capture the greatness of nature allowed audiences to see the relationship between nature and religion.