The psychological thriller “Shutter Island” movie was directed by Martin Scorsese and released in 2010. The film was set to be shot during the period of 1950s. The lead characters are Leonardo Dicaprio as Teddy Daniels and Mark Ruffalo as Chuck Aule to investigate a missing patient and how architecture has played with the scenes on the human brain contributes to the entire plot and twist of the movie.
Introduction:
Boston Harbor Islands 1954. A ship enters from the foggy sea into the clear side of the shutter island. The isolation of the island integration, with the gray weather and the turbulent water, has an intense psychological manipulation impact on the human brain of difficulty to escape and fear of isolation. The word shutter signifies the lockdown and symbolizes no jump-offs, creating an atmosphere of confusion, trapped, and mysterious tension.
Hospital:
Ashecliffe Hospital was designed in a “Gothic Architectural” style to bring the 19th-century mental institutes and planned with the layout of Ward A for males, Ward B for females, Ward C with a gray structure, and Ward Four of the most dangerous patients in the hospital, with an electrified perimeter for no chance of any escape, the buildings are built with red bricks, and the landscape around is created around in which with the patients work on them. The gate has spark spikes painted with black on the metal. From Shutter Island, eleven miles to the nearest island. The human brain of a mentally struggling person metaphor for the Ashecliffe Hospital, with the dark and secretive corridors symbolizing the trauma the mind goes through every day and night in the dark and ominous lighting.
Glass Blocks in the play area encourage freedom within the trap to ease the mind of the mental stress every patient goes through and to counter-play by the long and narrow hallway with dim lighting creates an unsettling environment. The domain has planned to create disoriented architecture to shoot the scene acted by the characters for a confinement experience and feel the same by the audience as per the situation of the movie.
Ward C:
This structure is different from the other three blocks. The building is made of gray stones stacked on top of each other with green landscaping on the roof. Ward C is the one closest to the water body with only one entry and exit showcasing a prison environment. This block has no windows and only iron bars everywhere to be secretive to the outside world, to not let them know what is happening within the high walls. The leads get to enter ward C for the first time after the hurricane from the previous night to restrain the mentally dangerous patients. Water leaking from everywhere in the tunnel with no sunlight and the artificial dim light not lit as usual impacts the thriller effect of the place, with the metal staircase in between focusing on the rustic situation of the scene between two characters on an argument enhancing the tension in the mid of the movie, making us sit the edge of the seat.
The cave:
To reach the mysterious cave surrounded by rocky cliffs, rats all over, and the waves hitting them forcefully every time. The scene has been created to focus on the characters having one serious conversation. The fire in between the characters was the only light in the whole cave emphasizing the depth of the situation, the cave played a great role in uplifting the scene.
The Lighthouse:
The path to the lighthouse is tediously difficult through the water and the rocks. It has fencing around the structure and has elegant white stones blending with a few grey. Opening a single wooden shutter door has the metal spiral staircase. The lead taking the spiral staircase also brings the scene to how the lead has been going in circles throughout the entire movie. The first two levels with small empty rooms and a single window, reaching the third level has a bigger room compared to the other two. The room implies the confession area, enhancing the conclusion on a not-so-bright room and coming out for an answer environment.
Conclusion:
The island is the main highlight of the movie as the shutter islands play the role of all the highs and lows of the scenes in the film to create an intense impact of the storyline physiologically of uneasiness to the audience through the direction of acting in the architectural surrounding. The lead character, Teddy Daniels reveals the mysterious island and his unconscious mind running in circles. The conclusion is the justification made to the movie with two main subjects, psychology blending with architecture of suspense through the process of acting and filming to understand the humankind struggling in their minds as the authentic plot of the movie conveying to the audience.
The only way out of the island is the ferry, and the authorities control it!
Sources:
Shutter Island. (2010). [Film]. Directed by Martin Scorsese. United States of America: Phoenix Pictures, Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Sikelia Productions.
