What Dreams May Come (Film)

Sections/Characters minimized in the film

Robert and Louise where Chris and Ann's other two children in the book, but in the movie their parts were taken off. Richard who was Chris' brother in the book, part was also taken off he was not mention that Chris had sent him the story of his afterlife. Also the Physic was never contacted. They minimized the part when Chris and Ann decided to be reborn, Ann did not choose rebirth on her own it was both Chris and her idea. They also did not get to choose how they wanted their life to be they just went to start a new life.

Sections/Characters emphasized in the film

More of Chris and Ann's life together was a big part because Chris kept having flashbacks for when he was alive. Marie and Ian was portray has their only children who had also died in a car accident 4 years before Chris. Albert was who Ian chose to look like in the afterlife and Leona was who Marie chose to look like. Albert was a doctor who Chris look up to and Leona was a flight attendant Chris thought was very beautiful. Chris was able to get his wife out of Hell and it was both their decision to be reborn. It also showed their love for each other how they could not be apart from each other.

Narration-how does the camera show omniscient or limited 3rd person (or POV 1st)

It was more of Chris' point of view throughout the movie because where he went we also got to experience. Plus, all the flashbacks he had when he had a life on earth with his wife and kids. Then it switch to limited 3rd person because we also know what Ann's thoughts and feelings were, so it was like a mixture of the two.

Reoccurring images (motifs)

When Chris goes to Hell to find his wife, he finds their house but it was different and lifeless and when he goes in she says how she cannot find any of her new clothes or some of her new paintings.

Use of music/sound effects

With certain scenes just made it the scene to cry in. Also in the movie the piano was used a lot for most of the scenes. The sound effects made the emotions of the characters more clear.

Description of one shot using film terms

When the tracker and Chris took the elevator to where the suicides are it represent a high-angle shot when Chris was looking down at Albert (Ian) as he went up and Albert telling him to get mom.

What Dreams May Come (pgs 200-267 end)

Summary
Chris is talking to his wife Ann, but now that she is in Hell she stills believes she is alive, living on earth. Ann really does not recognize Chris, she says that he looks alittle like her husband the funny thing is that is her husband. Chris is really trying to show her that he it is him, but the more similar things they have in common she gets more distance. She just does not want the help he wants to give her. Chris finally tells Ann that he is her husband, but she does not believe him. Not one bit. He decided to say thank you to Ann for all the great times they had with each other and finally she believes him after all his thank yous, he wants to stay with her even if it has to be in Hell. Chris had helped his wife out of Hell something that has never been done before, but she is not with him in Summerland she back on earth. Albert says she chose rebirth and now she lives in India. Albert explains to Chris that Ann chose this, but Chris wants to choose rebirth too, so he can be with her. This woman Albert takes him to tells him that not every soul can be reborn easily there has to be a reason. Chris has chosen to be reborn in order to be with Ann because they are soulmates. Chris tells his brother Robert that he was able to choose his lifestyle even his parents. He decided to be born in Philadelphia and become a doctor, so when he travels to India he fall in love with the woman who has Ann's soul. Chris wanted to send his story to his before he left and that is why he contacted a physic. Robert found the parents' of the baby that had Chris' soul and wonder if everything Chris told him will come true.

Quotation
The woman is telling Chris how rebirthing is done, "When a soul who seeks reentry into flesh selects his preference of parents...if there is competition, so to speak, for a particular placement, the computer will decide which soul is most appropriate to the task" (Matheson 257).

Reaction
Chris found the only way to be reunited with his wife that was to be reborn just like she did, which I think is so sweet because he has all that love for her. The process of being rebirth sounds very simple Chris was able to pick what he wanted his life to be like on earth, he choose his destiny. I thought Chris would be happy in the afterlife that he would of just waited for Ann there, but he is willing to start all over to be with her. As the woman said that if what Chris calls a computer (but it really is more complex then that), feels that Chris did not really have to be reborn it would not choose for him to go. I knew that Chris was not going to accept that the only choice was that he was going to be reborn. I was suprised that he did not decide to live in India like Ann choose because he would be closer to her. It makes since he has to become a doctor and that is the way he bump into her later on in his life when he travels to India. It does not makes since if every soul gets to pick how they will live their life, how come some people's lives go do not go through the right path;because I would think that maybe all souls' pick a good destiny for themselves. Maybe that is why the computer picks the better soul to be reborn to probably avoid things like that. Matheson has a great imagination and his description of Heaven and Hell felt very believable I really like the story. Can't wait to watch the movie.

What Dreams May Come (pgs 109-199)

Summary
Chris wakes up and finds that Albert sent Leona, who is also helping Chris learn some new things. Leona tells Chris that he can find out when Ann is going to crossover and as soon as he found that out he immediately wanted to rush to the office of records. Chris was not able to find out that Ann was going to crossover, because trying to find that information takes awhile so he was going to have to wait. Using the mind is a big part because a newcomer was missing an arm in life so now that he is dead he believes its not there, but once he does his arm will appear. There's a library filled with history, Leona tells Chris the history books on Earth are false and the books in the afterlife have the true story to everything that happen. Chris finds out when his wife Ann will crossover, which was at the age of 72, he is told that time works differently in Summerland and Earth that what may seem long on Earth can pass very fast if your active. Chris is dreaming about Ann, but then Albert wakes him up and tells him Ann has pass on, Chris was really excited but when he saw Albert's expression he knew something was wrong. It turns out Ann killed herself, yes killed herself. Albert tells Chris that suicides like his wife go to a level in Hell, but that is not stopping Chris from going to get her from there. Albert is shocked that Chris would want to do something like that, telling him it has never been done. Albert agrees to go with Chris, as they get closer to Hell everything changes Chris and Albert have to communicate by using their voices because they have to concentrate on other things. Albert explains to Chris that Hell has different levels, and where suicides go it will be very hard to find his wife. Albert kept telling Chris to not take it seriously when he wife acts as if she doesn't remember you, Chris finds Ann but all the anger towards him is pulling him away from her he finally reaches her body and then...

Quotation
As Albert and Chris go deeper into Hell the people that are there bother them and Albert says, "Misery loves company, is what they say on earth. It should be: Misery, in company, grows ever worse" (Matheson 169).

Reaction
First of all if Ann was not being so stubborn and would believe the communication signals Chris was sending her, I think she would of kept herself alive. This is a reason why Chris did not even bother trying another time. Since the mind is so commonly used in the afterlife it was hard for hard for Chris to ignore the thoughts people were thinking as he was there. That is the reason why Albert was talking about "Misery" and at first I did not understand what he meant by what the saying should really be until I read over it again. Albert means that when you put misery and company are put together it only gets worse. Which fits into their situation because they are in a place full of misery and also they are the company. I think he is trying to say since they are the company that trying to look for Ann is only going to get worse for them. It is Chris' wife and no matter what happens or how long it will take he wants to save her. I would think that Albert would not go with Chris, I wonder he decided to go especially if Chris was sure of going to to a place full misery. The misery really steps in when Chris finds Ann and the thoughts racing through his head would make someone angry but thanks to Albert for telling him to ignore. I wonder how Robert reacts when reading this, and Chris does point out things just for his brother.