The Sixth Sense

Storyline

The Sixth Sense is a 1999 American supernatural horror-thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film tells the story of Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a troubled, isolated boy who is able to see and talk to the dead, and an equally troubled child psychologist (Bruce Willis) who tries to help him. The film established Shyamalan as a writer and director, and introduced the cinema public to his traits, most notably his affinity for surprise endings.

The Sixth Sense Trailer

Questions to prompt thinking about the film text, ‘The Sixth Sense’

1. Find out the significance of the colour RED?

2. List all the items you can find from screen shots on RED items?

3. What motifs were employed by the Director and how were they connected to the plot? (A motif is a recurring symbol which takes on a figurative meaning)

4. What was the significance of the, ‘temperature drop’ in the narrative? What other production element was used at the same time the audience noticed the drop in temperature?

5. When Cole is introduced to the audience how is he presented? What characteristics and adjectives would you use to describe him?

6. When was sound most powerful in this text? Use adjectives to describe how the audience were feeling at these times?

7. Outline the multiple storylines employed by the Director of this film text.

8. What was the significance of the statues in this narrative?

9. Why was Bruce Willis’s character always wearing a long trench coat?

10. On reflection what were the scenes that make it obvious to the audience that Malcolm was dead / ghost?

The TWIST revealed

Deleted Scene Explained by the Director

The colour RED explained

Example: By Student