Disappointing Relationship I think They Missed (SH1 Spoiler)

Post by **Quemaqua** » 22 Apr 2006

I think Dahlia's character was really changed for the worse, not so much because of her character but because of the loss of another parallel. They really took out the relationship between Harry and Dahlia as parents in the original game. There, you had this beautiful, musical contrast between Harry, the good parent who goes through a literal hell in order to save his daughter even though she's adopted, and then Dahlia who uses her biological daughter for her own personal gains. It didn't hit me until this morning (mostly because we got back from the flick so late), but that was completely absent from the movie. Rose was a much bigger figurehead in the parent role. Another one of those little dynamics that was lost and hence made the film so much less poignant.

I think the problem is that they focused so much on trying to get the visuals right and appealing to the aesthetic and atmospheric elements that they knew fans were so familiar with, they ended up missing some of the emotional impact and some of what makes Silent Hill so unique. No, they totally knew those elements were there and they obviously strived to get at them (this isn't a flame against the movie by any means), I think they just missed the mark a little. There are so many little things, things they might not have even realized were there. Let's face it, despite the fact that the Silent Hill games are fairly basic up front as far as the raw horror dynamic goes, there's enough subtlety there to drown in, both in the horror and dramatic elements.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » 22 Apr 2006

Dahlia was a completley different character in the movie than in the games. She was more of a, how do you say, victim in this. Whereas the original Dahlia wanted to bring about Valtiel I think the movie Dahlia just wanted to help her daughter.

Post by **Quemaqua** » 22 Apr 2006

Exactly, which destroyed the aforementioned parallel, one of the things I thought made the original game so wonderfully cyclical and inspiring.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » 22 Apr 2006

Cybil being moments from a painful death, but her only concern is to console Sharon below was amazing and emotional. People don't seem to realize that. Cybil was awesome...she wasn't a cop, she was a human in a cop uniform, like real police officers are.

Post by **JuriDawn** » 22 Apr 2006

I must agree with that; Cybil's death in the movie hit me as hard as Lisa's death in the game. I was choked up.

As for Dahlia, I was really getting concerned when I saw the trailers. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to reconcile her at all with the Dahlia from the game, but by the time the movie was over, that didn't bother me. She fit in her new role, and I was glad to see that she was spared.

Post by **Quemaqua** » 22 Apr 2006

I never said there was no emotion, just that they missed it on a grand scale. Cybil's death performance was harsh but concentrated into a very short bit toward the end, not a common thread that ran through the whole film. Besides, I'm not talking about acting or individual character performance, I'm talking about subtle comparison between characters.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » 22 Apr 2006

I agree, FrozenHalo. And the backstory they gave her, with the kid in the mineshaft, only brought that more to light. She's the only main character in the movie whose bravery was truly selfless. Everyone else was trying to get someone back, find a lost loved one, or seize power over people, or protect secrets. Cybil (and maybe Gucci, in the flashback) was the one person in the movie who took action simply because it was the right thing to do... she had nothing to gain from it, and as we saw, everything to lose.

Post by **overachiever547** » 22 Apr 2006

That was perhaps one of the only parts of the movie I didn't like...
It felt like they were throwing her character away when she got burned. She should have been a survivor.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » 22 Apr 2006

Quemaqua wrote:Exactly, which destroyed the aforementioned parallel, one of the things I thought made the original game so wonderfully cyclical and inspiring.

I think Dahlia still serves as a parallel to Rose--Rose was willing to do anything and everything to help her child once she was lost and Dahlia, well, wasn't. Dahlia pretty much wallowed about and never attempted to reconcile with Alessa.

Post by **Quemaqua** » 23 Apr 2006

Sure, but that just makes her apathetic or shows her to have a yellow streak. I don't think the comparison holds, at least not nearly at the same level, especially with Rose being a character so much further in the limelight.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » 23 Apr 2006

Quemaqua wrote:Sure, but that just makes her apathetic or shows her to have a yellow streak. I don't think the comparison holds, at least not nearly at the same level, especially with Rose being a character so much further in the limelight.

Or it could be that she was consumed by an all powerful grief after letting the order burn her child to death. She also recognised that Alessa was creating the world, which would add to the grief. She was essentially insane because she understood what was going on, but was powerless to stop it.

Post by **Hjartu** » 23 Apr 2006

I didn't mind the character change in Dahlia.
I can't say I preferred it, but it was an interesting twist on her character at least. I think it added more to her than the game character, anyway.
It provided a stronger explanation as to why Alessa would not have harmed her in the alternate side of Silent Hill.
Even though it's different, there is an interesting relationship between Rose and Dahlia.
I have to agree that Dahlia does serve as a parallel to Rose.

Post by **adamblue** » 26 Apr 2006

I absolutely hated the new way in which Dahlia was portrayed. I thought it was a true dumbing down of a much more complex and terrifying character. And I agree that it ruined one of the prime elements in the first game, that being the contrast between Harry the devoted father and Dahlia the abusive and perverse zealot. Absolutely terrible....

Post by **ravern** » 26 Apr 2006

Raiftel wrote:Dahlia was a completley different character in the movie than in the games. She was more of a, how do you say, victim in this. Whereas the original Dahlia wanted to bring about Valtiel I think the movie Dahlia just wanted to help her daughter.

valtiel was the servant to god. she never wanted to resurrect valtiel. she wanted to bring about sameal

Post by **Smokey** » 26 Apr 2006

The thought of a mother betraying her daughter on such a grusome and psychotic level is horrifying - a thought of a crazy cult burning a child due to radical beliefs is scary too...but it's also boring and conventional in films. Dahlia really should have retained her character. That is a true villain, right there. The cult was just dumb and it is really the weekest link in the genral story. Bad idea to involve them.

Post by **ravern** » 26 Apr 2006

but think about it. yeh silent hill is a town where ur isolated trapped and allown. but if they made an entire film with like 7 characters throughout then you would somewhat be bord.

some people will say yeh but it worked in silent hill games. but that was because u was controllling the character. what he does etc. give u interaction. but in a movie u have to sit and watch. and not play and you would become bord with few character because of the lack of interaction

Post by **xmooglex** » 27 Apr 2006

>>>I thought it was a true dumbing down of a much more complex and terrifying character.

I definitly agree. Dahlia betrayed her own daughter, who--throughout the silent hill series-- continues to only want her love.
The movie showed that Alessa spared Dahlia because Dahlia was regrettful. The game was much more heartrendering: Alessa doesn't hurt her mom because she loves her no matter what, like Dahlia should.

Post by **adamblue** » 28 Apr 2006

ravern wrote:but think about it. yeh silent hill is a town where ur isolated trapped and allown. but if they made an entire film with like 7 characters throughout then you would somewhat be bord.

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I was bored anyway!

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But seriously you know, quality not quantity.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » 29 Apr 2006

There is still that parallel between Rose and Dahlia. Rose has lost her daughter, but she is going through hell to save her, whereas Dahlia just wonders around, and was not effective in saving her daughter. Even though it's a weaker connection, it's still somewhat preserved. A mother who will go to any length to save her daughter, and the mother who doesn't do enough.

Post by **theshaman** » 08 May 2006

yea I dont like way they changed the ending either, I liked the last scene but the ending would have been better if Sharon(Cheryl) would have stayed missing. And then she would find the new born infant.. It was a good film, But it could mean made a bit better

Silent Hill Heaven

Disappointing Relationship I think They Missed (SH1 Spoiler)

Disappointing Relationship I think They Missed (SH1 Spoiler)

I gotta say....