Discussion Film / Mother2017

One thing that has been bothering me is that I don't think the film has a Broken Aesop. I would not bet my right arm that Aronofsky is not a climate change denialist, but he did make a huge point of showing that humans are destroying Mother (Nature) in the whole film; so, taking that into account, it carrying a message about how things happen exactly the way they should seems oddly out of place. In the film, Him does not live with one being that is reborn every time; there are three different beings that, while similar-looking, are different characters (with different names, no less), have different ages, and are portrayed by different actresses. Therefore, it makes more sense to think of the film as a pessimistic Green Aesop, for the way humans are destroying Mother Nature on Earth and, after they're finished, will just go on to destroy it in another habitable (i.e., similar-looking) planet.

Removed:

• Shout-Out:
  • A fanatical group of cultists throwing barging into a couple's house and throwing a house party, fawning over the husband while becomes increasingly confused and erratic is very reminiscent of Rosemary's Baby. This comparison is compounded by the cultists obsession with the wife's pregnancy and subsequent child.
  • Some of the film's themes and imagery is reminiscent of Begotten.
  • A basement light bulb filling up with blood alludes to a similar scene in The Evil Dead.
  • The female protagonist burning down the house and killing its inhabitants resembles the climax of Suspiria.
  • The party scene after Him's book is published is a possible reference to the Golden Calf scene in The Ten Commandments, including the houseguests literally raising up the framed manuscript like an idol.

All of these are works with similar aspects of them rather than direct shout-outs.

Since this page will doubtlessly see a lot of activities in the coming days, I suggest we settle on a clear set of names for the characters in order to avoid confusion, as I feel that "Javier Bardem's character" or "Jennifer Lawrence's character" reads as ponderous and awkward. I suggest we go with the names listed on the IMDB page.