THE MACHINIST (a movie)

I saw it the other night.

I liked it as a type of movie that needed to be discussed with friends afterwards over some coffee (to help get that insomnia started). We wanted to try and understand what/why/how the lead machinist went through and if it was even remotely possible. How much sleep deprivation could a person handle? How are the prisoners in Git-mo handling the sleep deprivation/torture?

I didn't like it as a "who done it" thriller movie. I thought the director gave too much away and was fairly predictable. Not predictable to the very end, but he gave enough clues away so that I wasn't very surprised by anything that happened. It was as if Hitchcock directed it after a sleepless night and hungover.

The movie did leave me with an uneasy, gritty feeling afterwards and I'm glad I went to see it with a machinist friend rather than with my wife. Thinking more about the movie now, I'm getting that "haunting" feeling again that you're experiencing.

I am a tad perturbed about the title. It could have been called The Sanitation Worker, The Editor, The Accountant, The Plumber... the fact that he was a machinist was not really important. The character could have been anybody and certain situations (like arm ripping in a machine) could have easily been changed to suit the profession. The theme had nothing to do with his occupation. So while I saw the movie because it was about a machinist rather than a plumber, I felt a little misled by the title.

Overall, I give it a thumbs up and would recommend it to most people. I wouldn't take queasy people.

I haven't seen the movie , but I know what sleep deprivation can do. After about a week you become delusional where vivid dreams become instant reality when closing your eyes. Like watching the real world and slowly blinking and then seeing say horses running wild and then right back to the real world when you open them. You start seeing the world kind of like the movie the matrix where solid objects become particles of energy. Like grout joints racing with energy in different colors. After 10 days it becomes almost indescribable with long time repercussions kind of like post traumatic syndrome. Don't ask why I know this and it has nothing to do with drugs , but I would assume that they most likely compound the delusions where you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between real and dreams.

How much sleep deprivation could a person

Sounds more or less like how the writers got sourced for the movie. Schizophrenia, paranoia, delusional.

Skuke Reverse the domain name to send email

HEY! I'm glad someone's seen it! You're right.... It's definitely a movie that provokes discussion.

I didn't take the movie too much as a 'who done it', but I know what you mean. The funny (skillful?) thing the director did was to give away much, but really NOT give away, except in hindsight.... maybe that's the 'haunting' part.

My wife HATES 'scary' movies, and while I thought this movie was going to go down that old path, I think it did and INCREDIBLE job of walking along that cliff, but not going there....

There was ONE scene though... ironically (or iconically) with the translucent shower door where you could see a shadow, and I instantly thought of Hitchcock. I think it was the director tipping his hat to the master.

Not really important, but there's a dirty, gritty, greasy and very industrial feel to the label "machinist" that 'plumber' and 'garbage man don't accomplish.

Oh, I don't know.... I can't think of any other workplace condition that can be quite as menacing FEELING as a huge-ass machine shop... The machines themselves are scary looking, especially the older ones.

He was a machinist, what's to be misled about? :-)

I think even the most queasy person would enjoy (if that's what you can call it) this movie.

An observation and comment: Did you stay for the credits? Did you notice that the entire movie was filmed in SPAIN, with a nearly all Spanish crew? I wonder why they made that choice...

I read something yesterday... the color in the movie was a bit dark and eerie. To get that color, all the actors actually wore white makeup for the filming, then, in the film processing, they color-corrected to normal skin tones.

James, Seattle (saw it at The Grand Cinema in Tacoma)

BTW, I was wondering how you made the conclusion that RCM readers probably wouldn't like to see an independant, "artsy-fartsy" movie? Rather prejudicial, and presumptuous don't ya think?

I think the reason most have not seen the movie is because of it's limited theater engagement. I, for one, had to wait months before it came to town. ...and I live in San Jose, CA. not exactly a little community

Yeah, "who done it" is not the correct description. It is a mystery thriller though.

The funny (skillful?) thing the director did was to give

Perhaps, but while I was watching, I thought he gave away too much, not in hindsight. I really think he wanted to make a movie ala Hitchcock. As you pointed out, there are tributes to the master.

Again, I felt he got close. He wanted you to imagine the horrors of long term insomnia rather than "have a monster jump out". I just slightly missed the scaryness because of the predictabilty.

I think what makes these type of movies scary is that they ARE predictable, too a point. You are forced to sit there in anticipation, waiting for the inevitable. It's the ability of the director to carry you along that makes for the frightening thoughts. You think you know what will happen and are made to wait. Then, every now and again, you're thrown for a loop. You're kept on your toes. Now, you're not sure what to expect next time. That is where I think the director failed.

The Porta Potty Cleaner?

Oil rig, miner, IRS office :-)

Maybe not misled, but slightly cheated. (same thing?) I wanted more about the trade in general. The machinist/shop was merely the backdrop.

My wife wouldn't.

Yes, always.

Did you notice that the entire movie

I knew before seeing the movie that it was filmed in Spain. It was a fairly low budget independant film so I'd think cost was a major decision to film in Spain. Also, maybe some of the principals live there?

That's interesting. I noticed the dark and bluish cast over the film and felt that was part of the gritty, unease feeling I got. I saw it at a Century theater (as opposed to a small "indy" theater) but it was an older one. At first, I actually thought the projector bulb was getting old or there was a horrible layer of dirt on the projector lens/glass/bulb! It didn't take long though for me to realize the darkness of the film was by intent.

I enjoyed it, but many (including the better half) would not have. The ending was perhaps a bit *too* neat, but it was generally worth the reduced Tuesday entry fee (and free parking on Bloor for the 10pm show at the Cumberland). I don't go out to the movies that often (maybe a few times a year) and the concession prices always amaze me ($15 for two cokes and popcorns?). Anyway, sort of along the lines of Hitchcock, Night Gallery and Twilight Zone.

You go insane after about 10 days totally without sleep, so the one year claim was not credible, but people often *say* things like that. Bales certainly made himself look anorexic and demented- I hope he didn't cause himself serious physical harm with that severe weight loss.

The occupation was relevant only in that they wanted a grimy and dangerous blue-collar male-only work environment for part of the story. Reminds me of another book/movie where someone loses their hand on a car assembly line-- one of Hailey's ones? 'Wheels' perhaps. And another where someone is murdered in a paint room (filmed in the old Checker Motors factory in Kalamazoo MI) "Blue Collar". The machines didn't look like what they said they were to me, and that sort of took away from the whole thing rather than enhancing it.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Yes, it was a bit; I'm sorry to those I offend by the comment, but I've known hundreds of machinists and welders and pipe-fitters over the years and the subjects of independant films, art, and imported beers are RARELY discussed.

Even now... it's just you and me, skuke. :-)

This is a good point, but even so, I think there are probably 100 or so movies on many people's lists of movies they want to see before 'The Machinist' turns up....

James, Seattle (actually Port Orchard, a place where The Machinist will NEVER show up... even on DVD)

You've just been working in the wrong shops. Back when I worked in a job shop, when we took our brie-and-chardonnay breaks, the conversation frequently turned to the auteur theory, the early works of Jean-Luc Godard, film noire, and so on, when we weren't discussing our staple subjects of post-modernism and Roland Barthes.

You just have to pick the right shop.

Ed Huntress

SPOILER below, do not read if you don't want part of the movie ruined!!!

-sorry, couldn't put it in the subject cuz my reader creates a new topic.

Yes, kinda sad really. Maybe some others saw it and just don't want to comment.

BTW James, do you have any thoughts about his obsessive habit of washing his hands with bleach and lye? I realize the easy answer is to clean his soul/conscious, but I was hoping for another answer.

In some shops I worked, we didn't get paid enough to afford brie and chardonnay! However, beers that came *available* in a twist off top were almost always forbidden.