THE BEACH
US/UK, 2000, 119 minutes, Colour.
Leonardo di Caprio, Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Canet, Tilda Swinton, Robert Carlyle.
Directed by Danny Boyle.
The Beach draws on the modern desire to be out of the rat-race and the contaminating of the earth, the desire to find an where all is in harmony with nature, a perfect beach. Alex Garland's novel has been very popular with younger
readers. He tries to capture the spirit of adventure (and the frequent uncertainties of the international backpackers). The movie received high-profile criticism during its production, environmentalists accusing the makers of ruining a beach – and warning that numbers of tourists going to Thailand to see where the movie was made would also upset the ecology.
However, the movie is beautiful to look at, has drawn younger audiences rather than older. Thailand is the setting. When Richard comes into possession of the map of the perfect beach from the raving man who kills himself, it should have been a warning. The movie combines the spirit of a modern Robinson Crusoe or Swiss Family Robinson with that of a naive young man trying to live in a commune, frugally and in harmony with nature.
But, as with William Golding's Lord of the Flies, human beings are not perfect and, isolated, they have a tendency towards destruction. In sequences reminiscent of Apocalypse Now, Richard discovers his dark side and the idyll comes to an end.
Leonardo di Caprio gives a fine and nuanced performance as Richard. The Beach was made by the team responsible for Shallow Grave, Trainspotting and A Life Less Ordinary.
1. Impact of the film? From the team of Shallow Grave and Trainspotting? Their going big-budget, more international, stars, locations, music? The critics being anti the film at the time and anti Leonardo di Caprio? Justified or not?
2. Audience expectations, Thailand, the beaches of South-East? Asia, the holidays, the westerners coming and intruding, the drugs and beach culture, communes, sexual freedom? The reaction of the local people, the farmers? Their doing deals? The dreams of the paradise beach? Ideal and reality?
3. The Thai locations, Bangkok and its crowded streets, the travellers' hotels? Travel within Thailand, buses and trains? The location of the island, the sea, the beauty of the beach? The images of Paradise?
4. The focus on Richard, representing the western tourist, American background? Age, experience, breaking up, his family? The voice-over and his tone? The travel to Thailand and audiences identifying with the jetlag and the difficulties of the trip? Arrival, hustlers trying to get him to spend his money, his decision to drink the blood? The theme of blood throughout the film? Going to the hotel, being locked out, meeting Francoise and Etienne, the friendship? The American travellers? The encounter with Daffy, Daffy's madness and intensity (later to haunt Richard in his dreams)? The map, the ideal, Daffy giving it to him? Daffy killing himself, cutting his wrists, the blood all around the room? The interrogation by the police? Richard and his decision to look for the island, having Francoise and Etienne accompany him? The curiosity of the others? His decision to copy the map and give it to them - and the repercussions?
5. Richard and his own personality, age, relating to people, his quest? The travel to the coast, the island, the decision to swim? The games as they swam, Etienne and the pretence of the shark, Francoise disappearing? Their arrival, seeing the marijuana fields, going through the fields, coming to the waterfall, the angry clashes? Francoise and her jumping, their following suit? Their meeting the man from the commune, his commending them for their jumping? His own story?
6. The commune, the dropouts from western society, their ability to live together, the regime, taking turns for work, fishing, the cook, the work of cleaning? Sal and her being in charge of the commune, people accepting this? Her relationship to Bugs as partner? The introduction to the other members of the commune, their standing as if in live photos explaining themselves, their backgrounds, nationalities and their interests? Life continuing at the commune? Richard and his relationship with Francoise, her relationship with Etienne? Her decision to go to Richard, the sexual liaison, Etienne wanting only Francoise's happiness? Fishing, Richard's success, the shark and his escaping it, his narrative for the gathered commune and the themes of blood? The irony of the other men attacked by the shark, the one dying, the other being sent out from the commune so as not to disturb the people, the grievousness of his wounds, Etienne and his looking after him? Richard's comments about how easy it was to banish this man from their consciousness? Yet the sense of guilt? The scenes of them playing on the beach?
7. Running out of flour, Sal and her decision that Richard should accompany her to town, the variety of orders - and the worldly requirements of toothpaste etc., that the young people wanted despite their isolation? The journey, Richard and his reaction to the town, feeling alienated? Sal's confirming this? Buying things, meeting the Americans, Richard confessing to Sal that he had shown the map to the tourists but not told her about drawing a copy? The sexual relationship, the effect on Richard, her explanation that Bugs was her partner and he was merely a sexual partner? His denying everything to Francoise on the return? Her later finding out the truth and her anger with him?
8. The characters on the island, the Englishman and his love of cricket, Bugs and his domination, hostility towards Richard? The two men who were wounded by the shark? The young women? Their being followers rather than leaders?
9. Sal's anger with Richard because of the map, putting him on guard duty on the heights, his being alone, his dreams, the effect of Apocalypse Now (and his seeing the scenes earlier in the film)? His confrontation of the farmers, putting the scarf around his head? Themes of blood? The tourists, his wanting to warn them, the confrontation with the farmers, explaining themselves, Americans, offering money? The accidental shooting and then the killing of all the others? The effect on Richard and his running away?
10. The commune meeting, Richard explaining things, Sal and her domination? The farmer, his explanation to the group, the deal that he had made, his wanting them to go? His offering the loaded gun to Sal so that she would shoot Richard and show her genuine wanting to be there? Richard pleading, the close-up, her pulling the gun, it being empty? The others in fear, running away?
11. The end of the commune, Sal staying there, creating a world of her own? The return to Bangkok, the final scene with the young people all going to the computers and getting their email?
12. The theme of Paradise, the Garden of Eden, the ideal community, a sense of goodness? Yet evil in the human heart, dominance and power, freedom and responsibility, irresponsibility? Serpents in the Garden of Eden - and the symbol of Richard hissing like a snake to the American tourist just before she was shot? An allegory of the struggle between good and evil, idealism and realism?
