Here are some of M. Night Shyamalan’s underrated strengths, other than his love of plot.
M. Night Shyamalan They sometimes have a bad reputation in Hollywood as one-trick ponies. In fact, many of his films are best known for their late-film twists that recontextualize the rest of the film in unexpected ways. Over time, many moviegoers and critics have become accustomed to expecting some sort of twist in his films. This story is so encoded in the zeitgeist that movie lists can rank Shyamalan films solely on the quality of their plot twists. Not the reason. Beyond his twists, there are a few things that speak to his skill as a director.
he’s a great visual storyteller
M. Night Shyamalan’s standout quality is his ability to tell a story through visuals alone. One of his strengths is his ability to give meaning to a scene in a very subtle way. Shyamalan’s technique is so well crafted that it’s easy to digest without over-humming.
Let’s take an example from his movie Split, This is a spin-off movie from his previous work Unbreakable. There’s a scene where the main character, Casey, is flipping through comic books for information about Beast. The way she does it tells her emotional story without the need for dialogue or facial expressions. Elevate the nature and tie the visuals to the theme of split personalities. Shyamalan’s visual style is highly readable and traditional. He doesn’t think much about subverting the film’s visual presentation. Shyamalan seeks to add visual detail to tell the story and tie the film’s themes together in a relatable way. His films often feature fantasy elements, but his visuals and his style make the films still grounded in realism.
M. Night Shyamalan does not give famous actors notes about their performances in their scenes. He prefers a natural approach, directing the actors to develop their own performances based on his script descriptions. Shyamalan works hard to give actors the tools to explore their performance, and with it builds a high level of credibility.Bruce Willis said he agreed to go on board for Shyamalan sixth sense I got into the movie after reading just a few pages of the script.
he’s an expert on tone and atmosphere
Many critics have praised Shyamalan’s baffling style. He uses scenes to tell stories and set the mood at the same time.in his movie sign, great care has been taken in building atmosphere, even at the expense of plot and characters. His directing style is not overly descriptive, and there are no unnecessary lines of dialogue. Shyamalan’s visual strength in his storytelling shines through to build suspense throughout the film, until the final alien reveal.
Love him or hate him, his movies are completely original
M. Night Shyamalan’s latest project Year It proves that he still has what it takes to top the box office. Even those who got tired of the twists in his movies quickly admit that they often can’t predict what the twist will be or when it will occur. Another reason his films are original is because of his designs for the thematic sets he employs, which are on the level of Tim Burton and James his Cameron. He uses original imagery on sets that are visually interesting and create rich tone and atmosphere.in his movie unbreakablehe uses color to associate heroes with movies, and is a great tool for translating cartoon action into the real world.
he has a good sense of comical timing
M. Night Shyamalan is primarily considered a horror director, but he is also an unassuming master of employing comedy in his films. He has a unique way of setting up weird visuals that can play in both horror and comedy.For example, in his film visit, has a girl character called Becca who is an aspiring filmmaker. She stands in for Shyamalan himself, often instructing other characters to stop breaking the atmosphere and draw attention to the dramatic elements of the film. Deliver with expert timing that doesn’t detract from the overall vibe you’re trying to build.
