Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges star in this interestingly mystical, comedic-fantasy production, "The Fisher King" (1991). In layman's terms, Jeff Bridges plays Jack Lucas, an outspoken, sort of narcissistic, not-so-wise radio DJ, while Robin Williams plays Parry, a crazy man (Okay, he's not really crazy, just psychologically traumatized, leading him to start hallucinating and being delusional).
=)
One day, their (Jack and Parry's) pathways cross due to a horrific incident: a shooting, which results in Parry having to witness his wife's death, and Jack, who finds out that it was his comment over the radio that actually drove the shooter to go on the shooting spree. Meeting Parry by chance (Parry saved his life!), Jack
feels guilty and tries to redeem Parry and at the same time redeem his own life. To do this he goes through a series of events which teaches him a lesson or two about life and love.
First of all, this movie is reflective of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Schizophrenia on the part of Parry. He first experiences catatonia after experiencing the traumatic event, and subsequently experiences hallucinations and delusions (which will be elaborated in later paragraphs).
This movie is full of symbolic representation and whilst comedic in nature, holds a deeper meaning for the viewers to interpret. Following Parry's PTSD, he also experiences hallucinations, delusions of persecution as well as delusions of grandeur (part and parcel of Schizophrenia). He believes that he is on a mission to retrieve the Holy Grail (For more info check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_King). This pursue possibly symbolizes a search for grace and peace on Parry's part. At the same time he keeps seeing and hearing "the Red Knight", which could be a symbol of trauma. He gets Panic attacks when he sees this monster and it is so real to him that he just runs away, terrified, leaving other people around staring at him wondering what is happening.
Above: The Red Knight chasing Parry
We see toward the end of the movie that all Parry needed was some closure in his life, following his wife's death. While recovering from an attack by hooligans, Parry asks, "Is it ok for me to miss her now?", probably a reflection that he had been finding it hard to let go, and therefore was experiencing unrest and agitation in his life. He needed to know and acknowledge that the hole in his life possibly may never be filled the same way again. Once he was able to let go, he could move on and was at peace.
Above: Parry expressing his love toward Lydia after dinner.
Lydia finds it hard to believe that someone would
actually love her.
On Jack's part, he was on a quest for redemption. He probably felt a strong sense of guilt as well as an overriding sense of responsibility for Parry's fate. Throughout the film, he tries hard to help Parry, first "matchmaking/setting him up" with Lydia (by going on a double dinner-date), and secondly by retrieving the "Holy Grail". This could be considered his way of penance, his way of making things right again. An interesting scene was where he was in the midst of attaining the "Holy Grail" and he sees Parry's hallucination - the red knight. No one knows if he really saw it or if it was just a representation of the barriers and difficulties that Parry had been going through, therefore it did raise some questions in the audience's minds.
Above: Double Date!Jack and Anne bring
Parry and Lydia out for dinner.
Much to Jack and Anne's dismay,
Lydia is highly uncoordinated and
does not possess table etiquette whatsoever.
There is also one other part of his life to set right again - his relationship with his strong-willed and long-suffering girlfriend Anne, who waits on and for him as he goes through life, fickle and undecided. He eventually finally comes to his senses (some guys just take soooo long!) and makes up-and-(also)out with her in her video store =)
Above: Jack finally gives in and follows Parry-
they lie naked in the middle of Central Park.
A symbol of freedom, perhaps?
Overall, the show was pretty confusing as there were many things going on, and the setting was very different from the typical movie in the sense that there were many "mythical" things going on. Scenes also varied very widely, from Jack being a totally posh, upper class DJ, to times where he was beaten up being mistaken for a bum. However, the message was profound.
One line that struck me was when parry was telling the story of the Fisher King. The story ends with the knight giving the king a drink. Upon drinking, the king realizes that he is drinking from the Holy Grail and asks the knight how he found it, as his search had proved in vain. The knight laughed and answered that he did not know, and he only knew that the king was thirsty.
You never know, a simple kind act can go a long way.
Matthew 25:40
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine,
you did for me.'
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHaZuRo3DZ4
Don't know how old this website or post is :P, but I was thinking while watching this last night near the end it hit me I think they symbolism of the red knight is meant to be more literal interpretation a play on words the Red Night... Kind of like a dream interpretation you could make the connection, but its not quite coherent. In my opinion does that also make sense? He had to confront the Red Night, and the Red Night haunted him, hunted him as he tried to keep it repressed. Just my thoughts thanks for the article if that makes sense to you.. and think it might of been what was meant feel free to use it. Thank you again for the review/post and your time.
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