rxn paper on secret window

TOLENTINO, Jim Austin M.
ABCO2 - A

Reaction Paper on the Movie "Secret Window" (David Koepp)

The movie features a case of Dissociative Identity Disorder, occuring under the influence of liquor (Jack Daniels in the movie). Mort Rainey is a short story writer suffering from a mental block who got visited by a man named Shooter claiming to have been plagiarized by him in the story "Secret Window," bringing his own manuscript. In his struggle to prove his innocence against the plagiarism complain and at the same time trying to know more about Shooter whom he believes is out of his mind, he finds his private investigator and neighbor (who is a witness to the existence of Shooter) murdered before their meeting about Shooter. He disposes of the bodies into the river nearby, afraid that these murders would be labeled his.

Furthermore, Rainey believes that Shooter is sent by his ex-wife Amy's lover Ted to terrorize him and sign the divorce papers. Amy's house burns to the ground, and Rainey relates to authorities Shooter's harrassment so they have an arson suspect.

The magazine into which Rainey's version of the story arrives via UPS, and he realizes that the pages with "Secret Window" in it had been torn. Later, he realizes that Shooter is a make-believe persona trapped within him and is released with the help of alcohol. He also remembers everything he did unconsiously like killing the neighbor and the investigator and burning Amy's house. Amy goes over to his house and Rainey kills her and Ted who follows after Amy. He buries them as said in the last part of "Secret Window," plants a corn garden on it, and eats of the grain to slowly eradicate evidence. He gets back to normal, and the local sheriff comes over and tells him that he is aware of Rainey's doings, only without enough proofs. He just relates to the sheriff about the ending of the "Secret Window."

Technicals

Being a Stephen King adaptation movie, the setting would more likely be filled with mist and murky river waters, not with poor lighting, but the use of the woods in an upstate location, with all the effects of shadows from the woods. It had been just fitting, since it elicits fear and apprehension as to what lies beyond what is seen.

The musical score and the sound effects would have to be haunting and scary of course, since the film is a psychological thriller adapted from a story written by America's King of Horror.

Very cool colors dominate the film's overall appearance, depicting the clammy and cold climate and of murder and death.