Andy and Lana Wachowskis, best known for The Matrix Trilogy, brought David Mitchell’s “unfilmable book” to theaters in 2012. Mitchell’s hesitance of his novel being adapted into film is not surprising, as Cloud Atlas is one of the most complex pieces of literature, likely to leave you with your head spinning. The Wachowskis, along with German film director, Tom Tykwer, have reconstructed the novel, successfully making it come to life on screens. The film consists of six different plots set across a range of 496 years. Cloud Atlas follows six protagonists, with exploration of how their actions impact one another. The film represents multiple genres, and while doing so conveys meaningful themes. When observing the lives of people in the past,
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In each thread there is a “corporate presence,” with characters taking advantage of the power they possess (Mozzafar, paragraph 17). The film explores what will unfold when an individual claims authority over another, and places their own interests above the common good. This concept is expressed in present-day London, featuring the story of an elderly publisher who is intent on escaping from a nursing home (Savlov, paragraph 2). After being deceived by his brother, Timothy Cavendish voluntarily commits himself into the Aurora House, a nursing home that he believes is a hotel (Cloud Atlas). Nurse Noakes is the domineering head nurse of the Aurora House, who finds pleasure in controlling and tormenting those under her “care” (Cloud Atlas). She is consistently shown as a ruthless figure, and goes to extreme measures to taunt Timothy Cavendish (Cloud Atlas). Nurse Noakes authoritative position as the head nurse of the Aurora House allows her impede Cavendish’s escape plan and ultimately take advantage of the elderly residents (Cloud Atlas). The abuse of power is commonly seen in the criminal justice system, as law enforcement officers frequently use their power against citizens. Officer John Ryan of Crash is consistently seen using his authority against people of color (Crash). The officer pulls over an African-American couple, Cameron and Christine Thayer, with no …show more content…
To adapt David Mitchell’s complex novel into film, the directors have used storytelling techniques that vary greatly from classic Hollywood movies. These techniques, such as having the same actors play different roles across time, have assisted in the portrayal of themes. In two hours and fifty-two minutes, Cloud Atlas explores interconnectedness, ripple effects, human nature, dominance, slavery, and freedom. These themes are common in other films such as Crash, which take a multi-perspective approach similar to Cloud Atlas. However, Cloud Atlas best conveys the relevance of these themes by showing them through the lives of six individuals across six differing time
In each thread there is a “corporate presence,” with characters taking advantage of the power they possess (Mozzafar, paragraph 17). The film explores what will unfold when an individual claims authority over another, and places their own interests above the common good. This concept is expressed in present-day London, featuring the story of an elderly publisher who is intent on escaping from a nursing home (Savlov, paragraph 2). After being deceived by his brother, Timothy Cavendish voluntarily commits himself into the Aurora House, a nursing home that he believes is a hotel (Cloud Atlas). Nurse Noakes is the domineering head nurse of the Aurora House, who finds pleasure in controlling and tormenting those under her “care” (Cloud Atlas). She is consistently shown as a ruthless figure, and goes to extreme measures to taunt Timothy Cavendish (Cloud Atlas). Nurse Noakes authoritative position as the head nurse of the Aurora House allows her impede Cavendish’s escape plan and ultimately take advantage of the elderly residents (Cloud Atlas). The abuse of power is commonly seen in the criminal justice system, as law enforcement officers frequently use their power against citizens. Officer John Ryan of Crash is consistently seen using his authority against people of color (Crash). The officer pulls over an African-American couple, Cameron and Christine Thayer, with no …show more content…
To adapt David Mitchell’s complex novel into film, the directors have used storytelling techniques that vary greatly from classic Hollywood movies. These techniques, such as having the same actors play different roles across time, have assisted in the portrayal of themes. In two hours and fifty-two minutes, Cloud Atlas explores interconnectedness, ripple effects, human nature, dominance, slavery, and freedom. These themes are common in other films such as Crash, which take a multi-perspective approach similar to Cloud Atlas. However, Cloud Atlas best conveys the relevance of these themes by showing them through the lives of six individuals across six differing time