Record of a Living Being: Nuclear war and 9/11

I came across this excellent little essay on I Live in Fear by Fred Kaplan, a journalist who specialises in military and foreign policy issues (one of the best I think). I don’t have much to comment on it except to say I think its quite an intriguing notion that it has relevance for post 9/11 America.

I think his interpretation of the ending:

The film’s final shot takes place on a stairway in the asylum. One of Nakajima’s daughters is walking up the steps to see her father. Dr. Harada is trudging down the same steps, having just paid a visit, and he is heading back out into the street. The clear question: Which of them is about to go mingle with the insane? Which world is crazier—Nakajima’s or the real one?

is one of the best I’ve come across – it may have been clear to him but I must admit it never occurred to me to interpret it that way!

That’s indeed an interesting suggestion. While I don’t personally see anything in this particular scene that would suggest this question, it certainly is something that I have been thinking about in connection with the whole film (i.e. who is sane and who isn’t).