The Sixth Sense (1999)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

M. Night Shyamalan

Writer (WGA):

M. Night Shyamalan (written by)

Release Date:

6 August 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

"I see dead people"

Plot:

A boy who communicates with spirits that don't know they're dead seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist.

Plot Keywords:

Child Psychologist | Ghost | Psychiatrist | Young Boy | Seeing Dead People

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 31 wins & 37 nominations

Cast

Bruce Willis	...	Dr. Malcolm Crowe
Haley Joel Osment	...	Cole Sear
Toni Collette	...	Lynn Sear
Olivia Williams	...	Anna Crowe
Donnie Wahlberg	...	Vincent Grey
Peter Anthony Tambakis	...	Darren (as Peter Tambakis)
Jeffrey Zubernis	...	Bobby
Bruce Norris	...	Stanley Cunningham
Glenn Fitzgerald	...	Sean
Greg Wood	...	Mr. Collins
Mischa Barton	...	Kyra Collins
Trevor Morgan	...	Tommy Tammisimo
Angelica Torn	...	Mrs. Collins
Lisa Summerour	...	Bridesmaid
Firdous Bamji	...	Young Man Buying Ring

Also Known As:

El sexto sentido (Chile) (Mexico) (Spain) [es]
Det sjätte sinnet (Finland: Swedish title) (literal title) (Sweden) (literal title) [sv]
O Sexto Sentido (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Шестое чувство (Russia) [ru]
ьЕЯРНЕ вСБЯРБН (Russia) [ru]
Al saselea simt (Romania) [ro]
Altinci his (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Den sjette sans (Denmark) [da]
Den sjette sansen (Norway) (literal title) [no]
Hatodik érzék (Hungary) [hu]
I ekti aisthisi (Greece) [el]
Kuudes aisti (Finland) [fi]
Kuues meel (Estonia) [et]
Le sixième sens (Canada: French title) [fr]
Sestý smysl (Czech Republic) [cs]
Sesto culo (Serbia) [sr]
Sexto sentido (Argentina) [es]
Shikkusu sensu (Japan) [ja]
Sixième sens (France) [fr]
Sixth Sense (Germany) [de]
Szósty zmysl (Poland) [pl]
Szosty zmysl (Poland) [pl]
The sixth sense - Il sesto senso (Italy) [it]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense thematic material and violent images.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Latin | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:18SG | Brazil:12 | Japan:R-15 | India:A (cinema release) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:16 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Barry Mendel Productions

Trivia:

Reputedly, Haley Joel Osment got the role of Cole Sear for one of three reasons: First, he was best for it. Second, he was the only boy at auditions who wore a tie. Third, M. Night Shyamalan was surprised when he asked Haley Joel Osment if he read his part. Osment replied, "I read it three times last night." Shyamalan was impressed saying, "Wow, you read your part three times?" To which Osment replied, "No, I read *the script* three times."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Malcolm and Cole meet in the church for the last time, a patch of hair is sticking up from the right-hand side of Cole's head. The hair becomes less frisky between shots until it ends up well combed.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Anna Crowe: It's getting cold.
Malcolm Crowe: That is one fine frame; one fine frame that is. How much...
[he sits down with a grunt]
Malcolm Crowe: ...does a fine frame like that cost, do you think?
Anna Crowe: I never told you, but you sound a little like Dr. Seuss when you're drunk.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills: America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Fall In Love Too Easily

Death, Lfe, Fear and Hope

Review: The Sixth Sense, Director: M. Night Shyamalam

As a film which has undoubtedly caught the eye of the film going world, it was difficult to avoid the surrounding hype and publicity. Luckily most of the people I had spoken to who had seen the film did not spoil the 'twist' at the end, which, although is rather a laboured point by now in reviews, certainly adds to the "Oh, I see now" factor.

The story revolves around a child psychologist played characteristically by Bruce Willis. I say characteristically, because although his portrayal is quite real, and at times touching, there always seems to be an unnerving 'Die Hard'-ness to his speech, lending the dialogue some comical qualities. Having said that, his overall attempts at revealing the vulnerable and disturbed psyche of his character achieve good results. As the psychologist, he is plagued by a particular event in his professional life which he perceives as his personal failure, and sets out to redeem himself by righting the wrong and wiping his failure from his conscience. This opportunity presents itself to him in the form of Cole Sear, played devastatingly well by Hayley Joel Osment. Cole has a problem, he sees dead people. To the outside world he is seen as a loner, a problem child, and has become increasingly isolated. Hence the need for a child psychologist. Once we have been introduced to these two central players, we are taken on a journey of discovery, as both of these characters in the space of the film will learn a great deal about each other, themselves and human nature.

It is this particular point which the film attempts to address so strongly - human communication. That when this breaks down, an inevitable cycle of interpersonal destruction takes course, sometimes irreversible. This is framed within the context of a superbly told ghost story. The sheer truthfulness and honesty with which the concept of fear is expressed by all the characters, is breathtaking. Cole's' experience of the walking dead, appearing out of nowhere, Malcolm's fear of a deteriorating marriage, and Cole's' mother's fear relating to her own existential angst. All of these are played against the backdrop of the often difficult but finally warm relationship between Cole and Malcolm. Eventually, and against the odds, each character displays courage and bravery as they face up to their existential and supernatural fears.

There are one or two niggling problems plot wise, but in a film where the overall atmosphere created is one which encompasses death, fear, and finally hope, it is impossible not to overlook incongruencies. Superb direction, acting and ambience lead me to think that M. Night Shyamalan has really succeeded in telling a chillingly touching story about the triumph of the human spirit.

February 14, 2000 Harshad C. Keval