open/close all folders
Unmarked spoilers follow.
Post-Release Theories
The spool of film is of John F. Kennedy.
The whole idea of 'the idea of the man is more important than the man himself' is pretty much spelling it out to be one of the most beloved presidents in history at a time where most his affairs were more hearsay than anything. That the hotel is a honeypot op ran by J. Edgar Hoover himself is even more evidence. And one does not let the biggest possible fly go idly. The film spool is of Martin Luther King Jr.
King, like JFK, was also a beloved public figure who conducted extramarital affairs, and it is now well-known that he was stalked and surveilled by the FBI. His assassination took place only a year prior to the events of the film. The film spool is of Robert F. Kennedy
Miles said the film was made during a "big celebration" the previous year, in 1968. This rules out John F. Kennedy, who was killed 5 years earlier. However, the photos of Marylin Monroe on the wall of the hotel lobby seem to point toward him. Maybe that's an indirect reference to Robert Kennedy, JFK's brother, who was assassinated in 1968. Miles is a subconscious Death Seeker
While Miles keeps telling everyone (Emily and Billy in particular) that he doesn't want to die, his unconscious actions seem to reveal serious self-destructive tendencies. His drug abuse is easy pickings, but more telling are the moments where he neglects to duck for cover while a shotgun is being leveled in his direction and then heedlessly approaches a girl who he was told is a murderous psychopath right after killing her beloved boyfriend. While he seems to be grabbing the Idiot Ball in these moments (especially given his military training), they are actually clues to how much he subconsciously wants to end his tormented existence.He may seek death consciously, however, if his pleas for letting him live only mean that he didn't want to die before confession. His devout Christian nature must also be the reason why he doesn't even consider taking his own life instead.
