Lochness Film Essay

Feature films position viewers to see another perspective on life through the language of films. The film Loch Ness directed by John Henderson (1995) will "open your heart... open your mind... then open your eyes...as the legend is about to surface". The film enlightens a mystery of the Loch Ness monster. The main character, Jonathon Dempsey (played by Ted Danson) is a scientist who is sent to the town in Scotland where the Loch Ness is said to lurk, to prove that story of Loch Ness does not exist. But Mr Dempsey sees things more than any science could ever help him to see. The language of the film conveys that faith in science should never be used to destroy our faith in mystery through written, symbolic, technical and audio codes.

Throughout the film, scenes using the audio, symbolic, technical and written codes blatantly projects examples to position the viewers to open their eyes and see that faith in science should never be used to destroy our faith in mystery. One quote from a scene, which was said by the water bailiff, says, "Science wasn't what helped you find it, it was a 9 year old girl." Proves that science wasn't what brought Dempsey to the creatures, but Izzy. This scene when the water bailiff speaks with John Dempsey in the train helps viewers realise that it wasn't science that helped him prove the Loch Ness's existence but from learning to have faith by a precocious 9 year old girl, whose heart is full of hope and innocence lead him to experience and witness something that some would die for. Before Izzy took him to the place where Nessie lives, His attitude towards the legendary creature somewhat gave the viewers the impression he neglected the whole magical mystery of this beautiful beast and was cold towards the fact that it could exist. But when Izzy showed him that believing in something will help him see exactly what he yearns for, will help him in ways science could never provide. You don't look for this Majestic creature with your mind, you look with your heart.

Another scene, which positions viewers to see that morally, we shouldn't replace faith with science, is the mystical Loch Ness presence in the cavern. In ways that shows this through filmic codes is audio, symbolic and technical. This scene uses technical codes by the lighting, as the sunlight bursting through the holes form the cave and the glistening and bubbling of the water creating suspense as it is clear that there is something defiantly living in the depths of the waters. Audio codes is also found, by the twinkling sounds effects giving it that magical tinge and the triumphant music as when the majestic creature arises from the water. Another filmic code evident is symbolic, as this whole magical touch with the twinkling of the water, the lighting and the music symbolises the beauty of the Loch, the magnificence of its life, undisturbed and not harmful. What makes the Loch Ness so mysterious and yet beautiful is the fact that you either choose to believe its existence or