MovieChat Forums > Across the Universe (2007) Discussion > Women in masks falling into water

Women in masks falling into water

posted 13 years ago by awright88
3 replies | jump to latest

What's with the women in the masks falling into the water and floating there? Is it supposed to represent the women and children being killed in Vietnam at the time?

[–] charlizard47 13 years ago

What's with the women in the masks falling into the water and floating there? Is it supposed to represent the women and children being killed in Vietnam at the time?

Yes.

Max is having a nightmarish revery that he might end up killing innocent women and children.

The leader of the falling women is revealed to be Prudence, so he is worried that by participating in the war, he is metaphorically killing his friend Prudence.

[–] Bogong 12 years ago

Yes

Also the masks and makeup, to my eyes at least, make the women look like the little girl in one of the iconic photographs of the Vietnam War - the naked girl, having lost all her clothes, running down the road.

[–] isaacbrumer 12 years ago

That (the picture of Phan Thi Kim Phuc, burned, naked, crying and arms stretched out) was the first thing that went through my mind. Taymor notes in her commentary that the image was about civilian victims of the war.