The crocodile
Is the crocodile supposed to symbolise something? The movie opens with a shot of the crocodile in the water, which i thought was odd since the only other time we see a crocodile is when it's tied up in the back of the truck
shareTake a look here to see discussions about this question.
https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueFilm/comments/31bmv5/significance_of_the_crocodile_in_the_thin_red/
Thanks for that post. That's the kind of enlightened, analytical discussion I hoped to find on IMDB rather than the typical "me think movie boring and sucked" posts I'm inundated with here.
shareOr the typical "this movie is so boring! 3 hours of trees and grass! SPR was way better"
People like that make me feel like a movie snob
It's an alligator. I'm re-posting:
The image of the alligator sinking in the river. Not only is it an aesthetically pleasing image to look at, but it's possibly the most effective symbol for what the film wants to communicate. The alligator enjoys a natural habitat and peace of mind. It may be a predator by nature, but only because it has to be to survive. But we don't see this; instead, we're shown the alligator in its most passive state. Like the soldiers in pre-battle, it has done nothing wrong yet. We can assume that the 'sinking' suggests hiding from danger and enjoying the luxury of its own island.
But it's a false image, one that anticipates (like we, at first sight, anticipate prey for the alligator) war stopping the soldiers from establishing a peaceful space or island for themselves. Like Witt in particular, it cannot hide from danger and if it doesn't do the hunting itself, then it will inevitably be hunted down and killed. As well as highlighting the impossibility of passivity, the image suggests the consequences of it. The most natural reaction is for each of us to destroy one another (either psychologically or through violence) in order to enjoy our own freedom and captivity. The 'unnatural' image of the pacified alligator therefore symbolises an ideal that can only be achieved immorally. We must also assume that the alligator has killed to float around alone in the river.