What is happiness? What is freedom? And are they interconnected? Can you have one but not the other... Can you have happiness as a lab mouse trapped in an endless maze? Can you be free to roam the world and do anything your heart desires, but not content?
To me, the two are a team. An unbreakable bond. Impossible, I say, impossible.. to be completely self-satisfied in this world without freedom. The people that can be ruled under strict laws and obey them without a second thought, I feel numerous emotions towards them. First of all, admiration... for they are capable of living under the law oblivious to the taste of freedom and independence. Second of all, pity... for the same exact reason. And third of all, confusion... because in my short existence, I have come to realize that without the capability of being an individual, your own person... there is no point to life.
Similarly, how delicious can freedom be if it leaves a bitter aftertaste? Independence without happiness... is the same as happiness without independence. But, alas, isn't that what Manny proved to himself? To be locked up in a cell like an animal with no rights and no liberal freedoms was not worth living, thus he took the opportunity - no matter how dangerous- to runaway. To run far from the power of the warden, the "власть" of the prison and the tight grip of the government in search of this feeling... a feeling of sovereignty, of self-power, something we all secretly search for throughout life. And he finds it. On a fast moving train heading straight for collision, on a path to his inevitable death... he finds "свобода." Because, in reality, his freedom is ephemeral and he understands this... because in reality, he has tasted the sweetness of autonomy and he knows turning back and "living" would only force him into the bitterness of captivation in a tiny dark cell.
Runaway Train, an absolutely wonderful film, thank you Mr. Bennett. Jon Voight, as an actor, is phenomenal. His craft of acting is exactly what I discussed in a previous post, extremely diverse and profitiently well-played.
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Julia, I don’t think the film is about freedom and independence, Manny's character could have been a police officer, or a postman, and it wouldn’t have made much difference. In reality, he's not looking for happiness and independence; if he was looking for those things he wouldn’t be in prison. He would be a free man like most of us. I think that he lived believing that life was very Nihilistic, then on the train he had a epiphany, in which he finally realized that Nihilism isn't the correct way to look at things, he found Existanlism, by risking his own life for the protection of the girl and the retard, he was able to find real meaning in life. Therefore his life had meaning bc it had a direct benefit on someone else’s life, unlike all our crappy existences, where we work, go to school and don't do shit. His life actually accomplished something. That's the reason why he died happy. He saved not only those two on the train, but he also saved some of the convicts at the prison by killing Ranken, but that secondary.
ReplyDeleteThat's just my view though...
okay i wrote this whole thing but i wasn't logged in and it vanished anyway Ilyas i really disagree with you. I don't think the great thing about the movie was how manny saves other people because after all he was a murderer and he did kill ranken, we can't forget that because who cares if he was a "bad" person, he was still a person. I think if anything it has more to do with freedom than what you said. there was always a constant issue with authority and if anything it was about personal freedom.
ReplyDeleteWith a film like this, I hesitate to say that anyone is "wrong." If the film speaks to you in some elemental way, then it is always "right." So, rather than give answers, perhaps we can just ask the right questions, for example,
ReplyDeleteIs anyone free? The film is about a true prison, but it alludes to the kinds of prisons that we create around ourselves.
Why does Manny say, "I am free Ranken" as they hurtle toward certain death?
One of you above writes about Manny making a choice. Does any character in this film really enjoy the option of choice? Aren't they all driven by forces beyond their control?
Oh, and thank you, Julia, for a very fine essay on Freedome and happiness. You certainly point the right direction for a thoughtful discussion of the film. And I'm glad you enjoyed the film. It's a bit rough in spots.
ReplyDeleteVery nice and overly thoughtful Julia! You sound like a philosopher on your posts alot of times. And interesting use of Russian words to make your point, and I think that it is a good point, or at least raises very good questions which should be part of our discussion on this extraordinary film. I only wish that I could be half as articulate or thoughtful as you in terms of the philosophy of the film, whereas I look more at the elements of the film. Very nice but certainly difficult to answer questions. Do you have any answers to them?
ReplyDeleteWell, to attempt to answer Mr. Bennett's questions..
ReplyDeleteIs anyone free? Depends in what sense. In reality, no we are because we are limited by the bindings of government. And then if not government, our own morals that prohibit us from running wild and living likes savages. And then if not the first two, society and its standards. Most people are afraid to step outside their comfort zone because they understand they will be questioned and criticized... But, if we understand that we are free in terms of taking control of our life and taking it in the direction of what we deem as goals, or even simply, what we love.. then yes. We are free. I admire the people who are capable of outrunning society's boundaries, taking a chance and living and I mean LIVING in the sense that makes them complete. Money. No. We live in a society that is obsessed with work and money, but seriously, for what purpose? To fuel our economy? To remain part of a super nation? No. I mean, if that's what makes you happy, then yes, carry on. But that was not a life option for Manny.
2. He IS free. More free than he was ever going to be. For the past three years, he had been locked up in a cell just waiting for the chance to escape. His life had one purpose, to get out. To win this game he had going on with the warden. And he did. He got exactly what he had worked for, don't you see? There was nothing else in the world he wanted. Here he was, out of prison, with the warden in his possession, ahh how sweet is revenge, but simultaneously, at that moment he was in control of his life, his destiny, his fate. It was in his hands. And that, my fellow friends, is freedom.
3. Options... hmm. I think all the characters had options. Absolutely all of them. Everyone has options, it just depends on morals and whether they're ready to step outside their shelter zone to take the other option.
Thoughts?