The Manchurian Candidate Analysis

The Manchurian Candidate Analysis 

Title: The Manchurian Candidate Analysis

Genre: Thriller 

Brief Narrative: The Manchurian Candidate is about the son of a prominent US political family who is                 brainwashed into being an assassin for the Communist party. This plot come from the novel released in 1959, a movie was made in 1962 and a remake in 2004.

1959 Version:

The 1959 Manchurian Candidate is the very first version which was created by Richard Condon. It was first a novel. Below are some images of the novel and Condon himself. In the novel the son of a political family is brainwashed into becoming an assassin. His mother has incestuous ties to him and his father power, they brainwash the son in to helping them over throw the government.

1962 Version:

The very first movie of the novel was created in 1962 by John Frankenhimer, Frank Sinatra and Janet Leigh. This movie used the same plot from the novel. In Korea in 1952, a US Army patrol is ambushed by Communist soldiers. A year later the squad, having escaped, returns to the US, where Staff Sergeant Raymond Shaw is to receive the Medal of Honor for single-handedly saving the lives of the squad. Shaw is the son of Elanor Iselin, wife of US Senator John Yerkes Iselin, and Mrs. Iselin turns the return of Raymond into a political rally that brings out building hostility between son and mother over the ambitions of Johnny Iselin. But there is more involved, for the actions of Raymond Shaw are not what everyone believes they are, and the nightmares of a US Army officer, Bennett Marco, leads to investigation of Raymond that unlocks a stunning political conspiracy that sweeps up Johnny and Elanor Iselin, and which only Bennett Marco can possibly stop. Below is a trailer for the movie and a movie poster.

2004 Version:

The 2004 release was a remake of the previous movie, therefor it followed a similar plot. This movie was directed by Jonathan Demme and involved big actors such as Denzil Washington and Meryl Streep. 

Overall
Overll the reason for me posting about this movie is that it has a very profound effect in terms of Thriller. The novels narrative was so Thrilling that it was made into a movie to then be remade many years later. Although each release has minor differences the underlying story itself is pretty much the same. Brainwashing occurs in all three. This is a thrilling narrative as it can be related to real life. It is possible that anybody can be brainwashed. It is a realistic story line which makes it all the more thrilling. The closest to realism the more likely the audience will experience fear and tension.