Why even bother to have the two, meaning Charlie and louise, go down into the basement. When that part came up I thought that this is the part to where they fine him. Instead they don't, why?
Somebody answer this please.
IIRC Charlie and Louise were about to departure to a new home , but Lousie had to collect a baggage located in the basement before moving to the new house so they both go to the basement...
Meanwhile the water heater breaks off, flooding the basement.
The shrinking man barely survives attached to a ladder and cries for help, but he is so small that his voice is now very weak to human ears , inaudible , (and even weaker due to mess created by the water), so they don't notice him (they nearly stomped him),
Charlie finally cleans the water , picks the now wet bag, and urge Louise to leave the house. (forever as they though the cat killed her husband)
As for the scene meaning , I figure it is there for dramatic/thrilling purpose ; the relatives had a last chance to meet Scott, so the viewer is eager to watch that meeting, they are close but sadly the "normal" people are not aware of his (anguish) pressence.
I think is also a key scene in story progress , his human relatives literally left the bulding, so the shrinking man realizes he is forgotten , and he is no longer part of the human world and will never be again, so he enters a new era , so to speak...
NOT a ladder, but a pencil which somehow doesn't go into the (now giant to Scott) drain.
shareAlso, by failing to rescue Scott at the last moment Richard Matheson plays with our expectations while avoiding a tired movie cliché. It's a nice bit of writing.
Mike Kuypers
“I never sleep. I hate those little slices of death.” — Count Saknussem
Yes, great scene.
It means Scott's life - as he knew it - is completely over.
Excellent set-up for the final scene - which was terrific.
Yes, the fact that he was so close to being found adds to the tragedy. Like when he "Almost" got the food in the mousetrap. Of course Louise and his brother leaving was a lot more deep and final.
I do, however, feel that Scott's brother was a little unfeeling. If there was one chance in a thousand, he should've looked like Louise wanted. (I'm refering to if this was a real situation, of course, I realize the need for the story to have him be that way.)
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