How does the director of the film ‘The Sixth Sense’ manipulate the audience to such an extent that the ending is totally unexpected?

The sixth sense is a supernatural thriller, from the Indian director M. Night Shyamalan. This film is based on a supernatural theme, which leads to paranormal behavior in every aspect of the film.

This film stars Bruce Willis, who plays Dr Malcolm Crowe a distinguished child psychologist, who is haunted by a painful memory of his old patient Vincent Grey. This patient who was very disturbed and Dr Crowe found that he was unable to help him. Haley Joel Osment plays the unfortunate character of Cole Sear. Dr Crowe finds similar characteristics between these two people and he seeks to redeem himself by trying to help Cole with his problems.

This is one of the major hit films from this director. A thrilling insight in to the supernatural. Throughout the film the audience is manipulated in to believing that Dr Crowe is alive, but infact he is dead. We realise this near the end of the film. We also find out that it is in the fate of Cole to help the poor souls move on.

It can be seen that there are a number of clues placed throughout the film that hint that all is not what it seems…

We see Dr Crowe’s wife wearing a red dress, which connotes that this scene is tainted by the supernatural world. Similarly it connotes an explosive emotional scene. We see Dr Crowe being shot, and adding to that we see the scene attracting a cold feel, which means that a ghost is angry or distressed.

Another is that we see Dr Crowe sitting in his attic playing a cassette back and forward. We hear hundreds of breathing noises, this makes us realise that all background noises are meant to be heard. The film is punctuated with hundreds of breathing sounds. This is to create a ‘moving ambience.’(In empty rooms you are suppose to feel there is a presence).

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Throughout the film we see that with enough emotional effort a ghost can impact and effect the physical world. We see this through the scars on Cole and the movements of certain things in his house i.e. his grandmother’s ‘bumblebee’ pendant.

The symbolic clues in the film help us understand some of the situations in the film. It also helps Cole realise that it is he, who has to finally help the ‘souls’ move on. An example of this is in the chapter entitled ‘Kyra.’ Kyra comes to request Cole to help her prove that she didn’t die naturally but ...

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