The Village

Question: I don't think the elders of the village, upon creating the village, took into account things like horns, honking, or the explosions of fireworks on 4th of July and New Year's Eve. So, how would the elders have explained that one?

Answer: They've set up the village as a nature preserve, so isolated that not even airplanes are allowed to fly over. Soundwise, they're far away from civilization, so they can't hear modern noises.

Brian Katcher

Answer: It was mentioned that the Walker Corporation had paid a lot of money to have the airspace above the village restricted so that no planes flew overhead. Fireworks, horns, and other human-made sounds have been around for centuries and were easily explainable and would barely be heard because the village is so isolated. It's all rather far-fetched, plot-wise, however.

raywest

Question: What made Lucius want to enter the woods? It is implied that he was one of the first villagers (that we know of) to rebel against the "rules" of the village, second to Noah for entering the woods "on many occasions." Also, why wasn't Lucius taken to the quiet room like Noah was supposed to have gone to because of him hitting people with a stick? Lucius broke the rule, so why wasn't he disciplined? When the village found out it was him, they would have expected a punishment to have been handed down.

Answer: Lucius is a typical youth who is questioning the elders' "rules," and is curious about what lies beyond the village's borders. While Lucius pushes boundaries, Noah is mentally impaired and functions on a childlike level. He cannot be reasoned with in a normal adult manner and is punished like a small child. When Lucius dared to enter the woods, the elders, disguised as the monsters, later "invaded" the village, thus terrorizing the younger members and making Lucius feel guilty for "endangering" everyone by his disobedience. That was his punishment.

raywest

Question: What would the elders of the village have done with Noah, as a result of him stabbing Lucius, had he not found the extra costume? If they had sent him away, they would have known he was the one that talked if the government came to investigate the village (if they even believed the claims of a disabled person). And I don't think they planned on killing him.

Answer: The elders would never have harmed or cast him out, as that would risk their village being exposed, and they were simply too compassionate to hurt someone who is mentally disabled. Most likely, he would have been confined and heavily monitored at all times.

raywest

Question: Can anyone shed any light on Noah's death scene and how he actually dies? I assume he broke a load of bones in his body, hence why he wasn't able to get up. But there's a part in his death scene where he suddenly seems to suffocate and there's a crunching sound too. If anyone knows anything, feel free to comment.

Answer: He had not only broken bones but also internal bleeding from the fall. He choked on his own blood, most likely.

Question: Why did the people on the modern side not want to cross the border?

Answer: If you mean the security staff, they were not permitted to ever enter enter the area, being told it was an experimental nature preserve. They are only employees and follow orders, which was to patrol the perimeter and keep anyone from entering. The head security man apparently knows what is inside, but his subordinate staff do not, though the one guy, after meeting Ivy, now has an idea that people are living inside. The preserve is privately owned by the Walker Corporation, and the security staff work for them.

raywest

Question: Why do the elders of the village want the villagers to stay in the village and not leave? If the monsters are fake, then why do the elders not want anyone to leave their village?

Answer: The elders made a pact to leave the modern world and never to return to it. They adopted a 19th century way of life, rejecting all modernity. If the younger members started leaving, they would be faced with a modern, technical world they had no idea existed or know how to function in. The elders also did not want any of their descendants to be subjected to the violent society they had escaped. The elders created the fake monsters to frighten the younger members from ever wanting to leave the safety of the village.

raywest

Answer: Noah stabs Lucius (not "Lucas") because he's jealous. Noah is in love with Ivy, but Ivy and Lucius are in love and are together. It's also important to note that Noah also has a severe mental handicap, and thus doesn't know how to handle his anger, so he lashes out and does terrible things.

TedStixon

Question: If the village is isolated, how do they get their linen and dress from time to time? Like could a one village have a blacksmith, a weaver, a shoe maker, and all?

Answer: It's implied that the villagers provide whatever they need for themselves, such as raising sheep for wool and growing cotton for weaving cloth to make clothing, tanning leather to make shoes, etc. The elders made a pact that they would have no contact with the outside world for any reason, as was seen when Lucius Hunt needed medical treatment. Ivy was finally sent to fetch medicine, but only after considerable conflict among the elders and at risk to her. Presumably most supplies, raw materials, equipment were brought with the elders when they set up the village. It is rather unrealistic that they could be as skilled and self-sufficient to the degree they were, but the film employs a "suspension of disbelief."

raywest

Answer: The elders of the village have contact with the outside world, albeit minimally, in order to purchase/obtain such articles that they can't manufacture themselves.

There is nothing in the film suggesting this arrangement.

Answer: Because he had stabbed Lucius, whom Ivy loves and might now die from his wounds.

raywest

Question: Why didn't one of the elders go get the medicine once they decided that someone could go get it? I get why they picked Ivy because she was unlikely to pick up on the lie due to her blindness, but why didn't her father just go? There'd be no risk to the secret being revealed if he did that.

Answer: Because they'd each sworn to never leave the village, no matter what.

Jukka Nurmi

Question: Why did the elders leave to start their own town?

Answer: The elders, who had met at a grief support group, had all lost a loved one from a violent tragedy. Edward Walker, who was immensely rich, suggested starting the isolated village as a means to escape modern societal violence.

raywest

Question: Why didn't the elders keep medication in the village? They walk about on the odd occasion in a costume, they could, say every year or so, get vital supplies of medication from a ranger. The ranger in the shack may be aware of the village. The Walker family was left with billions of pounds which created the village, hired the rangers and made a no fly zone. But with that money they didn't think to have one ranger who could throw over supplies on occasion, and pick it up under their costume.

Answer: The elders were committed to complete isolation, secrecy, and rejection of all modern things. They vowed never to contact the outside world. It's unclear how much the head ranger actually knew about the reserve, which would prevent information about the village from being spread once an employee leaves the job. Another factor, many medications require proper storage. The antibiotic that the junior ranger gave Ivy was refrigerated, and the village had no electricity whatsoever. Also, delivering medical and other supplies would cause the younger villagers, who knew nothing about the modern world, to ask probing questions about what everything was, how it was made, where did it come from, and why couldn't they go there. This really boils down to the movie being one huge unbelievable plot hole that makes little sense.

raywest

Question: Why didn't Edward get the medication instead of letting Ivy go? I understand elders shouldn't be seen to go because they are trying to stop young people thinking it's safer to go now that an elder has. But this is his daughter! She is blind! And he knows the route, and it would have been much quicker for him, meaning less chance of the guy dying. Instead, he wants to put going through the woods, blind, onto his daughter when he could have done it in double time.

Answer: As his wife says, "You have made an oath, Edward, as all have, never to go back." In other words, when they founded the Village, the adults all swore never to go back to our world, and this is a promise they take very seriously. So Edward can't go, and neither can any other founding adult. Ivy, however, never took such an oath (she was born in the village and doesn't know anything about the outside world), so she can go.

Aerinah

Answer: In addition to the other answer that I agree with, Edward never intended for Ivy to go alone. She was supposed to be escorted through the woods by the two boys. They became scared and ran off. Ivy, knowing the truth, was determined to continue on to get the medicine to save Lucius, who she loved.

raywest

Question: If Jay does know about the village in the woods, why wouldn't he have done something about it?

Answer: Do what about it? He's been hired by the Walker Corporation to maintain and protect the preserve and the village inside. He makes sure the junior guards do their job without asking too many questions. The village could not otherwise exist if it didn't have the support and protection of Edward Walker's money. Edward likely put his late father's corporation into a blind trust, to be run in his absence. Key people within the company would also know about the village and provide whatever is needed like the preserve's round-the-clock protection and maintenance, the medicine that is on hand in the event of an emergency, etc.

raywest

Question: Is there any reason why this is M. Night Shyamalan's only film to not have a Blu-Ray release? Like rights issues or something of that matter? Seems very odd that of all movies, this is the only one not available in HD.

TedStixon

Answer: I don't know if there is one particular reason why The Village was not released on Blu-ray, but there are several factors that might help explain why not. I believe the movie had mixed reviews - some people liked it and other people did not. If a movie does not appear to be in high demand, it wouldn't make financial sense to release more on DVD or Blu-ray. If a movie already made a big profit ($200 million), perhaps it is best to move on to a new movie. Also, many people never bought any Blu-ray discs, primarily because they didn't think the higher costs were justified and/or they never bought a Blu-ray player. Blu-ray discs typically have a lot of "extras" that many people want to see. Perhaps there were few, if any, extras that could have been included, thereby reducing a Blu-ray's appeal. Even if none of the above is significant, there is a big factor that is/will be affecting all movies - discs in general are already obsolete, streaming has been taking over.

KeyZOid

This is unrelated to the movie itself, but many people are interested in the extras, such as commentary tracks, making of - documentaries: features streaming services can't provide.

Jukka Nurmi

At least one streaming service I know does support extras, Apple, and has since 2009.

Answer: True... but I'm saying that maybe they didn't have anything to add.

KeyZOid

Question: Ivy says some people have a colour. Do you think Noah had a colour and she knew it was him in the woods? If so, did she intentionally let him die knowing he may have killed the man she loves?

Answer: Don't disagree with the other answer, but Ivy could have sensed it was Noah. While Ivy claimed to "see" someone's color, more likely she recognized people by their individual sounds, smells, movements, etc. which she interpreted as their "color." She knew Noah attacked Lucius and, in his unstable state, might kill her. She knew the "monsters" were fake and no-one else had a motive to harm her. I don't think she intended to let Noah die. She was protecting herself and could do little to save him once he fell into the pit.

raywest

Answer: From what I recall, there's nothing in the movie to indicate that this is the case.

TedStixon

Question: How did Noah know about Ivy going on her mission in time enough for him to grab the creature costume from underneath the floorboards of the quiet room, bust out of the room, and head into the woods to lie in wait for her?

Answer: He probably overheard his parents discussing it. The mission wasn't a secret, and enough time would have elapsed while Ivy and the two other boys prepared for and left on their mission. Noah understood things much better than anyone realised, and he was able to act quickly. He may also have seen Ivy and the two boys leaving the village, then he quickly got the costume and followed them into the woods.

raywest

Question: Wasn't it very unloving and cruel for Edward Walker to send out Ivy? She was the one person who was blind. The village is all she has ever known. She had never even heard a siren before until she hopped over the wall. She went there (quite literally) blindly, not knowing what to expect. I don't believe he couldn't have gone with her. He could have walked her to the wall (ironically covered in ivy) and just told her, "I can't go beyond this point," and could have told her exactly what to say.

Answer: That would have been the logical thing to do, and it is yet, among many, another plot hole. However, it could be argued it was because Edward had solemnly sworn never to leave the village. Even going to the reserve's perimeter was violating that oath and put him too close to the modern world. Ivy was chosen because she was blind and would be unable to see anything of the modern world and bring that knowledge back to the younger villagers. It was his intention that the other two boys would escort her to the wall, but they became too frightened and left her on her own.

raywest

Question: What exactly was "The Flight of the Birds" that was mentioned during one of the elders' meetings before Lucius was first introduced?

Answer: The "Flight of the Birds" is a metaphor for the village elders. They fled modern society and established the isolated village to escape societal violence. In some scenes, such as when Noah finds an elders' costume under the floor - loose feathers are seen. The feathers are a clue and symbolise the elders.

raywest

Question: When Finton is underneath the strung-up shelter with Ivy during the rain, it is made to believe he saw something in the woods. Did he really? And, do we get any glimpse of what he saw - or what he thought he saw? Or, was his mind playing tricks on him from him "knowing" those things were out there, possibly watching them?

Answer: He apparently saw something-movement or the red color-but it's left ambiguous, so the audience never knows for sure if something is there or if it's his imagination because he's frightened. He likely saw some movement or a shape that was Noah disguised as a monster.

raywest

The Village mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When the two villagers throw the slab of meat on the rock for the creatures, it lands rib side up. A second later the meat is shown from a different angle, and now it is lying skin side up. (00:38:05)

More mistakes in The Village

Ivy Walker: When we are married, will you dance with me? I find dancing very agreeable. Why can you not say what is in your head?
Lucius Hunt: Why can you not stop saying what is in yours? Why must you lead, when I want to lead? If I want to dance I will ask you to dance. If I want to speak I will open my mouth and speak. Everyone is forever plaguing me to speak further. Why? What good is it to tell you you are in my every thought from the time I wake? What good can come from my saying that I sometimes cannot think or do my work properly? What gain can rise of my telling you the only time I feel fear as others do is when I think of you in harm? That is why I am on this porch, Ivy Walker. I fear for your safety before all others. And yes, I will dance with you on our wedding night.

More quotes from The Village

Trivia: M. Night Shyamalan likes to use red in his movies as a symbol of something of significance (see trivia for Sixth Sense and the color red). Here it signified "a bad color" for the people of the village, and they needed to hide this color from one who should not be spoken of, i.e. the "monster."

Tricia Webster

More trivia for The Village

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.