Giant bat in Dr. Wells' laboratory
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mikeadams110 — 16 years ago(September 14, 2009 05:31 AM)
The full-spread taxidermied Bat display was included for its shock value, being one of the author's various "plot points" at a strategic turning point during the story.
Its express purpose, being to "muddy the waters" and throw suspicion (in our minds) upon the Doctor, causing us to wonder if he was actually the Bat.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a "plot point" is a story event or detail which turns the action around in a new and unexpected direction.
As for me, I strongly suspected Detective Anderson right from the very beginning (based upon his strong ties with the bank) until we saw the Bat display in the Doctor's office.
Just as the author intended, that bizarre unexpected detail put some serious doubt in my mind at that moment, as to whether the Doctor was our culprit. But once he became the Bat's next casualty, I knew "the Bat" could only be Detective Anderson, since he was the only likely suspect left. Simple process of eliminationno pun intended.
Let's have some fun with this! Instead of Detective Anderson, pick another of the story's characters to be "the Bat" and explain why you chose them.
In that event, the Doctor's still fair game and a potential possibility. As author, you have the ability NOT to kill him off. Perhaps Detective Anderson gets killed by the Bat instead.
Keep in mind, thanks to the Bat's full-body outfit and hood, the killer could just as easily have been one of the woman charactersLizzie for example. But the Bat wore a hatyou say? What a great way to further throw suspicion off Lizzie, using it as an intentional misdirection ploy of gender.
Consider the further possibility, when Lizzie saw the Bat's shadow in the hallway just outside Cornelia's bedroom, she could've been lying to further throw any suspicion off her. After all, (other than the shadow viewers sawa detail which could easily be cut) we have only Lizzie's word for it she actually saw the Bat there.
Actually, I'd sure hate to cut that scene since it's one of the movie's very best. What a spectacular use of B&W film, (fake) lightning and shadows to reveal the Bat while in hiding, without having the benefit of actually seeing him directly. You rarely ever see such amazingly effective dramatic film-making technique used in today's films. The use of B&W film unquestionably has several unique advantages, hence the term "film noir."
Speaking of Lizzie, has anyone else wondered whether she and Cornelia were more than just "fond" of one another? Afterall, nearly 20 years living together is quite a long timeeven for married couples!
Seems to me, they looked pretty darn cozy there together sharing Cornelia's bed. Perhaps it wasn't the first time they'd occupied it together. Just think of all the possibilities with this great story and characters! -
mikeadams110 — 16 years ago(March 25, 2010 10:06 PM)
Dirty mind? Moi? Shame on you Nova!
Yes. It was a taxidermied bat. But very low-budget and not exactly anatomically correct. I'll further clarify (for Nova's sake) I wasn't referring to anything below the bat's waist
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novastar_6 — 14 years ago(December 04, 2011 10:53 PM)
I did think it was kind of weird though that Judy and Dale share the same bed during their stay but Cornelia sleeps in her bed and Lizzie takes the couch. Whereas in the movie The Haunting, at some point Theodora and Eleanor are in bed together because they're afraid.
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soulful01 — 12 years ago(June 16, 2013 08:48 PM)
At some point back in the day two friends could share a bed without it being sexual, or even a hint of anything sexual. This was true for both men and women. It was a way to keep warm before central heating. Beds are primasrily intended for sleep after all. As for Cornelia and Lizzie, Cornelia is the employer, and Lizzie is her maid. Household staff do not sleep in the same bed as their employer, it's just not done, unless there is hanky panky going on of course, but I think it's safe to say they were sharing a room for safety rather than to sleep together.
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johnshea21 — 13 years ago(September 27, 2012 06:45 PM)
Forget the dirty mind . . . you really should have added a spoiler alert to the beginning of your post. I am learning not to read any posts until after I've seen the movies, especially mysteries like this, but don't always remember. I was lucky this time and watched The Bat first. But still . . .