MovieChat Forums > Naked (1994) Discussion > Some subtleties in this film that haven'...

Some subtleties in this film that haven't been discussed as yet . . .


Okay, I sifted through ALL of the threads on this message board recently -- yes, old and new -- and was glad that no-one, as yet, had mentioned some of the more nebulous, subtler moments from the film.

Point 1: Did any of you notice that the number of the house that Louise and Sophie were living at was 33? Do you think that Leigh purposely put that number there as a representation of "the mark" (or, more specifically, a representation of the barcode's split of 2 parts by 3 markers)?

Point 2: Did any of you notice that when Johnny crossed paths with the guy who hung poster advertisements for a living, the band that was already on display was Megadeth (Megadeth literally means the death of a million people) and the album Megadeth was promoting at that particular time was called "Countdown To Extinction"? Do you think Leigh purposely had Megadeth's "Countdown To Extinction" on display to further reinforce Johnny's message of the impending apocalypse, or is it mere coincidence? Incidentally, here's a link to said poster, just to jog your collective memories: http://www.about-heavy-metal-albums.com/cart/photos/723.jpg

Your input is appreciated.

reply


IIRC we first met him putting up a Therapy poster. He then provided Johnny with a brief break from his own company; he was someone to talk to at least.

A short while later, he starts posting "cancelled" stickers over the Therapy. He then gave Johnny a kicking and - instead of providing a respite - left J worse off than he was in the first place.

So much for counselling!

reply

Great observations, padzok! I never noticed them before . . . well done! I wonder if all these were done purposely by Leigh, or mere coincidence.

reply

I will say this: As a student of film, it is common knowledge that EVERYTHING in a shot is absolutely intentional. There is always a reason, which just adds to the complexity of film. Of course it wasn't a coincidence about the number on the house of the posters in the alleyways. It's all there for a reason.

reply

Yes, exactly. I noticed these two elements as well and I am certain that they weren't just incidental aspects of the mise-en-scene as constructed by Leigh. Also, towards the end of the film (I believe it's after Sophie leaves and Louise shuts the front door as she goes back in) he holds for a moment on the door as if to emphasize the numbers.

reply

I didn't notice the house one or the album one (did notice the band, though). I have no doubt that both were intentional, well spotted.

I don't want Fop, goddamn it! I'm a Dapper Dan man!

reply

A few more:

1. When Johnny was at the Cafe Girl's house, in the Gay Greek room, he walked in front of the sun-like object on the wall above the mantlepiece (either a clock or a mirror) and the frame of the clock/mirror, which were rays of the sun, surrounded his head. He also tilted his head to the side. It resembled this image:
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/03_03/crucifictionL1603_468x650. jpg (note ironic url source of the pic).

Then, in virtually the next shot, we see Johnny from a low angle come into view so that a lightshade surrounds his head, again like a halo. In contrast, Jeremy seems to be a purely satanic character.

2. Also in the Cafe Girl's house was a poster with 'Atilla' written on it. Maybe this links Johnny with the invading warlord that ravaged the Roman Empire (i.e. the civilised western world) in the middle ages.

3. After Johnny was beaten-up by the gang and returned to the flat: The wound on his foot bears a passing resemblance to the stigmata. One of the girls asks him if he can move his foot 'like this'. In a scene soon after he moves his foot in just that way to stroke Louise's hip. Later, one of the girls asks the other what day it was. 'Friday' is the reply, and on this day, following his injuries, Johnny 'rises from the dead'.

4. When Sophie left at the end she was carrying a shiny s-shaped object. I don't know what it was or what it signified (I wondered if it might have symbolised a snake), but there seemed to be a similar shape painted onto the van she then walked past. It also resembled the '33' on the door, and a heart-like smudge with a squiggle on it that was daubed on the bathroom mirror towards the end.

I know you are, you said you are, but what am I?

reply

Actually he wasn't posting cancelled over the therapy posters, he was posting cancelled over the 'rally' posters which had in turn posted over some of the therapy posters. The rally night would have been a rival night to therapy and it is common practice to post over you rivals' night. He was doing more 'damage' by posting cancelled over theres rather than reposting it back up.

reply

I don't think the S shape stood for anything other than the first letter of Sophie's name. It looked like the sort of junk she might have stolen years ago from a sign or something or maybe it was given to her as present.
I think the only significance of it was to look rather daft as she carried her belongings out.

reply