By Mason Leaver
The Lighthouse (Robert Eggers, 2019) is a film that defies comparison. It feels wholly original and unique; it can’t be summarized by comparison with another film. It’s a psychological-poetic-literary-nightmare-thriller, complete with a nostalgia for classical film and composition. The Lighthouse is a film that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats, while also allowing for discussion and multiple interpretations after a first, or fifth viewing.
The Lighthouse revolves around the story of two lighthouse keepers working on a small and secluded New England island in the late 1800’s. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe portray these two men, and both of their performances are equally spectacular. Dafoe takes on the role of the wicky; the lighthouse keeper. His character talks with a deep accent, and Dafoe leans heavily into the seafaring captain caricature, along the lines of Moby Dick’s Captain Ahab (bad leg and all). Pattinson plays the rookie keeper, who is forced to do most of the chores around the island while Dafoe hoards the light of the lighthouse to himself.
The film certainly takes it’s time. We do not even learn the names of the main characters until we’ve spent at least half an hour with them (and they’ve spent two weeks together in the story). Put simply, the story is a slow burn. But as the plot develops and unfolds we see the pair’s descent into madness and lunacy, and Pattinson and Dafoe’s performances are both beautiful and haunting.
The Lighthouse revolves around the story of two lighthouse keepers working on a small and secluded New England island in the late 1800’s. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe portray these two men, and both of their performances are equally spectacular. Dafoe takes on the role of the wicky; the lighthouse keeper. His character talks with a deep accent, and Dafoe leans heavily into the seafaring captain caricature, along the lines of Moby Dick’s Captain Ahab (bad leg and all). Pattinson plays the rookie keeper, who is forced to do most of the chores around the island while Dafoe hoards the light of the lighthouse to himself.
The film certainly takes it’s time. We do not even learn the names of the main characters until we’ve spent at least half an hour with them (and they’ve spent two weeks together in the story). Put simply, the story is a slow burn. But as the plot develops and unfolds we see the pair’s descent into madness and lunacy, and Pattinson and Dafoe’s performances are both beautiful and haunting.
Director Robert Eggers and Director of Photography Jarin Blaschke have also brought a great amount of skill to the film. The Lighthouse feels like a creepy love letter to classical cinema. The film is shot on 35mm black and white film, rather than using digital photography. It is also projected in a nearly square 1.19:1 aspect ratio. This older style of presentation helps to ground the film within its setting, grounding our experience of the film within the silent era of cinema, the same as the setting of the film. While the black and white style and aspect ratio feel very classical, the lighting and composition feels very contemporary; full of high contrast shots and stark shadows, and very symmetrical framing. The mixture of antiquated presentation and setting along with a contemporary execution makes for an experience that feels both classical and fresh at the same time.
An example of the monochromatic cinematography of "The Lighthouse" in a 1.19:1 aspect ratio
Another very impressive aspect of the film is its use of sound. Director of Music Mark Korven deserves a ton of praise here. Korven and Eggers use the fog horn of the lighthouse to create a constant feeling of sensory overload and dread. The score consistently creates tension and unease, sometimes through loud blaring of the foghorn and sometimes through chilling violin. The actual location also plays a large part in the sound design. Often the island is full of sounds that Korven and Eggers make so overpowering that silence becomes equally disturbing. While avoiding spoilers, the ending of the film features a scene with Pattinson that breaks the conventional rules of sound design, but does so in a way that is absolutely crushing and powerful. I would not at all be surprised to see an Oscar nomination for Korven.
In order to fully appreciate The Lighthouse on a first viewing, it may be worth doing some reading ahead of time. The Lighthouse packs in many references to literature that are important to understand in order to be able to interpret it. The Lighthouse obviously borrows from Moby Dick, but it borrows story, tone and themes from other works as well. One should probably familiarize themselves with "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", which the film’s plot references heavily. It is also important to familiarize yourself with the fable of Prometheus from Greek mythology, in order to understand the final shot of the film. The Lighthouse also borrows tonally from works of Gothic horror, from authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Lovecraft. The ending of the film feeling especially Lovecraftian, full of forces beyond human comprehension. Besides these references, be sure to pay attention for themes of sexual control and possession, isolation, and man versus nature.
In order to fully appreciate The Lighthouse on a first viewing, it may be worth doing some reading ahead of time. The Lighthouse packs in many references to literature that are important to understand in order to be able to interpret it. The Lighthouse obviously borrows from Moby Dick, but it borrows story, tone and themes from other works as well. One should probably familiarize themselves with "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", which the film’s plot references heavily. It is also important to familiarize yourself with the fable of Prometheus from Greek mythology, in order to understand the final shot of the film. The Lighthouse also borrows tonally from works of Gothic horror, from authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Lovecraft. The ending of the film feeling especially Lovecraftian, full of forces beyond human comprehension. Besides these references, be sure to pay attention for themes of sexual control and possession, isolation, and man versus nature.
Willem Dafoe as Thomas Wake in "The Lighthouse"
The Lighthouse is a film that is undeniably masterfully made. It’s technical mastery, as well as the powerful performances from Pattinson and Dafoe, have made for my favorite movie experience of the year so far. This dream like journey with these two characters made for an entertaining hallucination. But it should be said that while I enjoyed the film, it may not be for everyone. The Lighthouse is full of disturbing and disgusting visuals, and it’s unusual pacing and plot may leave some moviegoers feeling disoriented. The Lighthouse is probably not for everyone, but a matter of personal taste. If you feel that you would enjoy the plot of The Lighthouse or seeing two actors give a tour de force on screen, it’s certainly worth a watch. If you do check it out, The Lighthouse will leave you with a cinematic experience that will keep you interpreting and discussing for a long time.
Works Cited
“The Lighthouse.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 18 Oct. 2019, www.imdb.com/title/tt7984734/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1.
“The Lighthouse.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 18 Oct. 2019, www.imdb.com/title/tt7984734/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1.
