MovieChat Forums > Paperhouse (1989) Discussion > This movie made little sense to me....

This movie made little sense to me....


It's been a long time since a film has been so lost on me. What the hell did I just watch? What was up with that ending!?!?

If there is any kind of explanation please share with me.

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[deleted]

SPOILERS




All through the movie Anna has dreams that she thinks are of her own invention. Later in the movie Anna's nurse tells her that she is dealing with a boy called Marc and Anna realises Marc is real and simply his dreams and hers are intertwined. Marc is sicker and more morbid than Anna so he doesn't share her will to live. Anna's main reason for misery seems to be her father had an issue with alcohol and possibly, his temper. This resolves when he comes to visit Anna and has changed his life and wants to make it up to Anna.
Marc doesn't seem to get a chance for hid misery to resolve itself (he alludes to something bad he done but we never find out what, he wants to ride a bike his family have bought for him but he has never ridden as he has been ill so whatever he's done seems to be causing him to have a guilty conscience)

Later when Anna and her parents are on holiday she sees a lighthouse that she knew from her/Marc's dreams and in real life she has a fit but in her own mind goes into a dream state

In her dream she visits Marc and he asks her to climb into a helicopter with a rope ladder which in real life would take Anna over the cliffs to her death.
Anna's parents grab her and Marc flies away.
Anna sees her nurse a final time as she is better and the nurse says Marc has died.

So the dream signified that Marc wanted Anna to come into the next world with him. As for how they connected, I don't know, kindred spirits?

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I'm late to the game but well said!!

We've met before, haven't we?

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