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Question about Angelini (Possible spoiler)

posted 11 years ago by spearsdw
4 replies | jump to latest

The scene where Angelini is apparently trying to break open the wine casket...what was that about? Was it just that he had a drinking problem and was desperate for some booze?

Everyone has their reasons.

[–] AStrangeOldMan 11 years ago

Exactly. He was just trying to get roaring drunk, since he thought it was he who left the ladder on the side of the house.
Unfortunately it gave "Holland" an idea for a great visual metaphor (and one of the REALLY horrible images in the film.)

"No fate but what we make." -Terminator II

[–] spearsdw 11 years ago

Thanks for the answer!

...and one of the REALLY horrible images in the film.

Yes, the finding-the-baby-in-the-casket scene is truly creepy. I like how it's shot - so that we the audience can only see the baby's forehead. It's just the right amount of dread and shock; any more would have been too much.

Everyone has their reasons.

[–] jwalsh67 11 years ago

I agree that scene was a bit ambigous. The book cleared it up, however. Mr. Angelini was drunk and cursing the fact that the batch of home-brewed wine in the cellar was spoiled. When he noticed Niles in the cellar, he said, "sorry, boy, me will fix, me will fix". He promptly tied the berlap tarp over the top of the wine barrel he had just sampled from. The camera zooms in on his tying, and Niles watches closely. The rest is eerie indeed!

He who conquers himself is mightier than he who conquers a city.

[–] 11 years ago

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