Shutter Island - Continuity Errors and Poor Editing....?

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

I have just been watching 'Shutter Island' and was a little shocked by the number of what appeared to be poor editing cuts from the out set of the film, I don't think I need to be specific, because as the film went on I noticed numerous similar cuts that were equally as poor.

My question is, were these deliberate and if you believe so, why?

Another question, along the same lines, but in my eyes would have to be deliberate, occurs at 37mins and 27secs, as the female patient is drinking the glass of water, this is something I have to admit I never noticed whilst watching it, but after searching about the aforementioned 'poor editing cuts', was raised in some other forums, but without any real conclusion as to why this would be deliberate. Have a look to see what I mean.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/fb448c0016a6.jpg[/atsimg]

Can anyone tell me where this fits contextually into the film, if deliberate?

[edit on 7-8-2010 by Koka]

I'm not sure I follow. The patients are insane. Drinking an invisible glass of water is something an insane patient might do.

reply to post by Koka




I think you should elaborate on these numerous continuity and editing errors.

I agree with the above poster.... I'm pretty sure that it was intentional for her to drinking form an invisible glass..... do you honestly think it was an oversight?

You'll need to look at the scene, she asks for a glass of water and someone goes and gets her one, the glass is visible in the hand of the individual who gets her the water, but when she appears to drink it, there is no glass, a second after the captured image, you see the glass being placed on the table, empty.

I do believe it to be deliberate, as the error would be glaring given the standards Scorsese sets in most of his films, what I am trying to understand is the contextual meaning.

As for the poor cuts I talk of, they are many, but would probably be considered minor with regard to being continuity errors, most of which appear to be the difference in the positioning of characters from one camera angle to another, although it's the same scene. One of the more obvious gaffs occurs at 1hr 18mins and 17secs where DeCaprio's partner reaches into his left inside pocket for the 'intake form' at the next cut it takes a couple of seconds and then shows him, once again reaching to his inside left pocket for the aforementioned 'intake form'.

I maybe grasping at straws, regarding these being deliberate or otherwise, but it just seems there are too many through out the film for all of them to have been missed and cannot fathom why they would be allowed to remain post edit.

Is Scorsese paying homage to a by gone era, and trying to duplicate mistakes that would have been left in films of the fifties due to costs?

[edit on 8-8-2010 by Koka]

Without spoiling the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it yet; but considering the ending does it really matter if there are continuity errors? Isn't there a major issue with continuity as the plot line?

[edit on 8-8-2010 by AugustusMasonicus]

I believe that some of the "mistakes" in the film were done on purpose. Little tricks have always been used to add to the experience of films. The use of grid like textures in the Matrix series, the use of odd frames in Jacobs Ladder are examples of how Hollywood uses everything in a film for a purpose. The individual watching the film will see these things without realizing it. Subliminal messages in film are a fact but some people believe they are from the devil, in truth, they are a means to encourage a certain desired response.

Personally, I couldn't recommend this movie. I didn't see anything in it that was worth watching, even the "surprise" ending was no surprise at all. This was an all around bad movie.