I find Samuel Stoddard's analysis of the films to be interesting, but while he focused on the obvious plot connections between the two movies, I'd like to tackle the visual schemes employed by the filmmakers. It is my contention that, when viewed with my points in mind, the reader will find that both films clearly draw from the same well of artistic influences.

The visual styles in both films owe much to the efforts of earlier filmmakers. "Jason X" (produced 2001, released 2002) director James Isaac obviously drew upon classic German expressionism for the look and feel of his film. The script, which places all of the action inside of a spaceship (quite a departure from previous "Jason" movies which employed outdoor locations), allowed Isaac to film entirely on sets -- a tactic perfected by German filmmakers. This meant that Isaac had complete control over the look of each shot. Notice how his precise use of mise-en-scene when framing shots: as the threat of danger from the Jason character grows, so do the sets seem to grow around the characters, boxing them in. In the world Isaac creates, the external space reflects the internal feelings of the characters.

In doing this, Isaac borrows heavily from the classic German horror films such as "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (produced 1919, released 1920) and "Nosferatu" (1922). At first glance, this style would seem to have little to do with the whimsical, lavish style of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Amelie" (2001). To understand the connection, we need to move back in time a bit.

Jeunet himself has worked in the horror genre before. Indeed, he directed the American "Alien: Resurrection" (1997), part of the "Alien" franchise. Much as "Jason X" revived its titular character from a dead franchise, "Alien: Resurrection" brought back Sigourney Weaver's beloved heroine from that franchise. "Alien: Resurrection" clearly shows that Jeunet and Isaac are on the same wavelength. While Jeunet was largely staying the course set initially by Ridley Scott in "Alien" (1979), Scott himself purposely drew from many of the same expressionistic horror films that Isaac would later use.

It is two of Jeunet's French movies, though, that demonstrate his obvious links between expressionism and the style used in "Amelie." In "Delicatessen" (1992), Jeunet, along with collaborator and co-director Marc Caro, brought a dark comic tale of post-apocalyptic France to life with a style that seemed to blend the tone and psychology of German expressionism with the grittier aspects of later European film movements. In particular, "Delicatessen" draws from Italian neo-realism its depictions of streets and a ruined France. It is hard to watch the film without images of a ruined Italy from movies such as "Rome: Open City" (1945) or "The Bicycle Thief" (1948) playing in one's mind.

As his follow-up to "Delicatessen," Jeunet returned to France and, again with Caro, created "City of Lost Children" (1995). Again, a dark, expressionistic film where the sets reflect the psychology of the characters. Here, however, Jeunet begins drawing from more clasically French films. He has abandoned all pretense of realism and moved into the formalism for which French cinema is so revered. His whimsical camera is everywhere, moving freely on elaborate sets. It's clear from this movie that Jeunet is a student of the French New Wave, and has merged the techniques of filmmakers such as Truffaut and Godard with the German style of art direction.

Which brings us to "Amelie" and "Jason X." "Amelie" is a lighter film than Jeunet's previous efforts -- or is it? While the story certainly is, the visual style still betrays its German roots. The movie is photographed in a visually compelling, lush, vivid manner, but its sets and art direction still reflect the state of the characters. Note particularly how Jeunet moves the camera around his main character. One particularly compelling shot starts from underneath a bridge on which Amelie stands, and then moves from underneath to above her. It leaves us in the audience confused (and dazzled once we are over it!) reflecting her internal confusion and lack of direction. This is classic expressionism.

We return to "Jason X," then. As established before, it is using an expressionist style to enhance the mood and convey the complex psychological torture of its characters. The setting and plot are directly reminiscent of Jeunet's "Alien: Resurrection" and as Stoddard has so aptly demonstrated, the main characters are almost identical. There are a few other touches I'd like to point out.

"Jason X" makes use of a few tricks Isaac, undoubtedly a serious student of French cinema, picked up from the French New Wave. Consider the scene in which Jason encounters a simulation of a previous movie. Here, Isaac is calling our attention to the fact that we are watching a film, by exposing the cliches in the series. This breaking down of the fourth wall was a favorite of French directors during the 1960s, and Isaac uses it to play with the audience. "Here," he seems to be saying, "you are watching a movie! This is not real!" He is winking at us in the style of great French directors.

I think it is clear, now, that both movies represent some common themes. Did Jeunet have anything to do with "Jason X?" I have no concrete evidence to prove this, but it seems like it may have been possible. Or, perhaps it simply means that we are seeing a resurgence of classic European cinematic techniques?

Stephen