Manchurian Candidate (1959/2004)

Synopsis:


'The Manchurian Candidate' was originally a novel written by Richard Condon. Based on the book, it is a political thriller about the son of a prominent US political family who is brainwashed into being an assassin for the Communist party.


Director:


1959 - John Frankenheimer
2004 - John Demme


Cast:


1959 - Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh
2004 - Denzel Washington, Liev Schrieber, Meryl Streep, Kimberley Elise

Both of these films follow the same plot, however some details have been changed in the updated 2004 version. Both films can be categorised into psychological, paranoid and political thrillers.


Both films refer to social and historical contexts and both highlight the tension and threat of the time. For example, communism and the threat to democracy feature heavily in both films. Even though the films are supposed to be for entertainment purposes, they also convey a serious message.


Key Scene - murder of Senator Jordan - 1959: shooting
                                                                     - 2004: drowning


What devices does this film use?

• Exaggeration - in both versions of the film, exaggeration is used extensively to make the film seem darker, sadder and stranger than reality. Manipulation of the human mind instills terror into the audience as something that is impossible becomes real.
• Non-diegetic music - tension is built through the films through the music as the music does not give the audience any idea as to what is coming next. There are no sinister violins and no give aways which makes the following scenes even more unexpected.
• Simple editing - the fact that no fancy editing is used makes the film see more real. The audience begins to believe that what is happening on the screen is real which makes it even more terrifying.

Oedipus Rex: an inappropriate relationship takes place between Raymond and his mother,      Eleanor. In the films, we only see a kiss between the two, however in the novel they engage in sexual activity.

Which one is the better thriller?

In my opinion, the 2004 version of 'The Manchurian Candidate' is the better of the two. The acting was better, the dynamics of it were on the whole more advanced and the film overall was more appealing.