...where Stone's character picks up the snakes and informs the psychologist (Hoffman) that they're nocturnal and only poisonous at night, or something like that. It didn't make sense.
My 150 (or so) favorite movies:
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I originally thought it was trying to say that they were just illusions (this being drawn from the scene in the mini-sub when we see their shared dellusion) although, I'm not sure that makes sense since they were apparently actual snakes that he transported there through thought.
I really don't know if there is a way to view that scene that makes sense, now that I think about it.
The whole power thing itself is very undefined, and at the end I'm really not sure how it manifests things. Like I can see the giant squid maybe being real, just a size that's never been seen. But why the jellyfish that were unlike any other species? Why wouldn't those also just be real creatures like the snakes? Maybe the book was a bit more clear on this stuff, but the movie seems to have alot of holes.
I found the sea snake thing to be strange too, and I can't remember if the book explained it, but I do believe the jellyfish were explained in it. If I remember correctly, the jellyfish were not anatomically correct. They looked right on the outside, but not on the inside, because as a non scientist Norman didn't know what they looked like on the inside.
shareI really don't know if there is a way to view that scene that makes sense, now that I think about it.
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They're not illusions, they're manifestations, which means they are actually physically present. Goodman conjures them up, and they are scary to him, but through ignorance he manifests nocturnal species being active during the day. I suspect they would have harmed him if Halperin hadn't disabused him. After all, it's his nightmare, and his creatures can do whatever his unconscious dictates.
Specifically, what she says, is "they're nocturnal, they're only dangerous at night." I'm guessing it's because they are supposed to be asleep during the day, not because they're less poisonous.