Into Great Silence :: Reaction

So how do you put into words a movie that had no words?

My initial reaction to the movie today in class was impatience. As the documentary progressed however it became easier to relax and appreciate the rare form of cinematography at hand. The mere prospect of living life in a monetary with such an extreme lack of technology, ownership of possessions, and human interaction seems horrifying. With a movie like this you are indeed forced to ask and respond to your own questions. I couldn’t understand how anyone could be comfortable living that type of a lifestyle. Just as watching the silent movie began to feel more and more natural, I’m sure a simple and pure life like the monks live could begin to feel right as well.

I suppose a meaningful movie is one that allows the viewer to take something away from it. After watching the excerpt from Into Great Silence it caused me to reevaluate my own values and view of the world. What exactly is a perfect life? A good life can’t be measured by the number and quality of devices in our life; after all, the monks in the film have managed to find enjoyment and fulfillment in their rudimentary way of living in the monastery. Perhaps the monks are much happier with their version of the “good” life than any of us are. I personally believe the single most important thing in life is our personal relationship with God and to seek him with all our heart and soul. Life in the monastery has removed the modern distractions by taking life back to a more simplistic and pure form thus focusing on the single most important thing in life.

It is clear to me that a movie with the goal of immersing the audience in the way of life for the Monks would have only been tainted with voiceovers. How is life meant to be lived? The devices that have become ingrained into our daily lives have without a doubt distorted our ability to clearly see and experience the true miracles of life. Though taking such extreme vowels like the monks in the documentary is not an option for many of us, at the very least we can immerse ourselves in their lifestyle for the duration of the movie, and hopefully learn that the absence of modern technology is not always a terrible thing.