David Stagg

One of the most visually stunning movies ever

I’m not too sure how a lot of people take “The Cell,” but it’s easily one of my favorite movies. (Box office story: $33 million budget, doubled that in gross sales.) I don’t like to think of it as a “movie” so much as I do an art piece, however. There is a decent story in there, a pretty good plot with some good acting, but the real beauty is in the incredible imagination Tarsem Singh brought to life. Even for the most creative of types, a blank canvas can still be intimidating. Now give a them a blank movie and tell them to paint the literal inner-workings of the mind of serial killer?

“The Cell” has some of the most beautiful imagery I’ve ever seen, from the Salt Flats in the intro to the odd iron-working concrete upside-down hallways inspired by an H.R. Giger illustration. Surely enough, Singh was greatly inspired by the work of artists before him, taking paintings, illustrations, and, as you’ll see, even installations, weaving them together for an incredible visual feast.

The Best Part

Director of New Line Cinema's "The Cell" Tarsem Singh and star Jennifer Lopez on the set.

My favorite scene in the movie happens at 1:12:25, when Vince Vaughn’s character Peter Novak enters into the killer’s brain for the first time. J Lo’s already tried and failed, fallen under the killer’s spell and is happy to reside in his brain.

The scene has Vaughn wake up in what looks like an abandoned field, a long since forgotten farmed field that’s now just desolate. Triplets are sitting in direct geometric beauty on the hills of these tilled, forgotten lands, with their mouths wide open, each taking their turn whispering at Novak, moving their heads at a mechanical pace.

See for yourself (you may need to turn it up; the audio track is a little low):

Singh actually embraced the work of artists he loved and replicated them in movie form. This very specific scene—which only lasts for about a minute and a half—was wholly inspired by the a painting called “Dawn” by the artist Odd Nerdrum:

"Dawn" by Odd Nerdrum. Photo courtesy of nerdrum.com.

I love Nerdrum’s style. Some of his work is pretty crazy, but it’s perfect for this movie.

Selected works of Odd Nerdrum

Bonus Round

The scene where the the cow is spliced into multiple parts and separated is based on the work of Damien Hirst. Specifically, his installation “Some Comfort Gained from the Acceptance of the Inherent Lies in Everything”:

"Some Comfort Gained from the Acceptance of the Inherent Lies in Everything" by Damien Hirst. Photo courtesy of The Guardian Arts. guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2009.