Signs with Kenn Edwards

Making the Scene returns with M. Night Shyamalan’s 2002 unconventional alien invasion film, Signs. Kenn is an excellent stand-up comedian and critic, and was the first (and so far only) person to interview me in person for his “So Let’s Get to the Point” podcast. When I pitched Making the Scene to people in the spring, Kenn was the first person to choose his scene. It took him, I’d say, approximately 14 seconds.

His scene, a quiet conversation about faith and coincidence between Mel Gibson’s Rev. Graham Hess and his brother Merrill, played by Joaquin Phoenix, is the thematic centerpiece of the film. Sure, it’s a movie featuring a terrifying attack by extraterrestrials, but what Signs is really about is whether those moments of chance and providence we experience are chance…or proof that something greater is out there.

This episode was what you might call our pilot episode. Kenn was kind enough to help me test out the format, and the result was a conversation just as insightful as the others this season. From the spare use of score, to the minimalist editing, to the subtle revelations of character, Kenn and I pull apart just why this scene is so effective.

This scene begins just after the 41 minute mark, and ends just after 46 minutes in. The entire scene isn’t available online, but the first half, where Graham discusses the two types people people in the world, can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27qUO8_9uT0.

You can subscribe to Kenn’s “So Let’s Get to the Point” podcast on iTunes, or visit its website here: http://soletsgettothepoint.libsyn.com/ . He’s also a host of “Smoke Gets In Your Ears”, a show that’s currently analyzing televisions’ Mad Men. That podcast is available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/smoke-gets-in-your-ears/id891801284?mt=2

Kenn is also working on a fascinating Batman fan film called Batman Immortal. They’re documenting the entire process of its creation, and you can follow along here: http://www.batmanimmortal.com/

Enjoy the episode. When we return, we’ll begin our Month of Guillermo del Toro by discussing Pacific Rim with Anna Williams. See you on October 12th!