Stephanie Rothrock: Class Film: 3: K-Pax

I really, really, really love this movie! I was so happy that we watched it! It gave the class a great end and was very enjoyable! I must confess that I had come to dread some of the films. Bare in mind that this is nothing against the class. The topics that we deal with are deeply symbolic and such emotional films are cathartic. They can simply be a bit emotional for me....fyi I was the one sobbing during Big Fish, if that better conveys my position.

This is a beautiful movie that falls in line with the innocent category. Films in this category are usually aliens, genetic children, clones, etc. who for whatever reason are either from a different world or have just begun to live their life. Whatever the background they all have one inherent similarity. They all depict a character who is completely innocent to the ways of the world and must learn the ebb and flow of humanity.

Prot was a delightful character. I especially loved how he ate fruit. He displayed remarkable intelligence and as the case with other films in this category, his innocence allowed him the ability to convey great insights that we humans normally overlook.

A scene that really resonated with me occurred near the end. Just before Prot disappears, the Doctor is sleeping in his office. He has a graphic dream of a rocky landscape. It is dark and vibrant. I believe that we are meant to believe that this is K-Pax. I wonder then what this means. Was it proof that the planet existed? Was it a signal from his subconscious meant to wake him up, a reminder to him that Prot was leaving? I think it is interesting that he had mentioned to Prot, wanting to see K-Pax or wondering what it looked like and here a short while later he was seeing it directly. Could this be Prot's doing? We established that he had a high degree of intelligence and that his people had mastered technologies that humans had not. Perhaps he was able to implant the images into the Doctor's mind.

I really liked that he chose Bess to bring. He effectively saved her. She had no home and he delivered her to the place he most felt resembled one. He gave her a new start in a better world.

The film ended on a wonderful note. I was very pleased by Prot's final message. He mentions that the universe will expand and collapse several times throughout existence and that each time would be a new start. Essentially, we all live our lives again and again. As a result, we make the same mistakes repeatedly and so this was used as justification to live right the first time. This was a powerful message with a good metaphor. I appreciated that the doctor took it to heart, picking up his son and strengthening their estranged relationship. I hope he did the same with the rest of his family. He had grown quite distant with his wife and children as a result of his job.