Twenty years ago, MeinMMO author Schuhmann had the first minutes of a horror film permanently burned into his memory: the legendary “cable” scene from the movie “Ghost Ship” (2002) has been haunting many horror fans for the past 20 years. Now, of all places, the scene is experiencing a revival in the new number-one series on Netflix, “3 Body Problem.”
What kind of scene is it? Ghost Ship (age rating 18) is really not a good movie, but the opening scene is still one of the best in the horror genre even 22 years later and has burned itself into my consciousness:
- The scene is known as the “Ghost Ship Wire Scene”
- On the deck of a cruise ship, passengers and crew are dancing, all dressed in their finest clothes
- Then, a tightly stretched steel cable snaps and slices the bodies of the dancers in two, who stare horrified at their own death for seconds
In the new Netflix series “3 Body Problem,” one wouldn’t expect such a scene after 3 hours of science thriller:
Scene considered “best opening in a horror film”
Why is the scene so famous? Although this scene comes from an otherwise unremarkable film, it has penetrated film history and the pop culture consciousness because such a scene had never been seen before. The thought of dying in such a “freak accident” is gruesome, yet somehow still realistic.
The stunned gaze of the victims at their own bodies has a dark resonance in the minds of the viewers.
The scene is repeatedly described as “the best opening in a horror film” (via reddit – warning, the video clip may be hard to endure for many).
Variant of the scene now appears on Netflix
This is how the scene gets even better: The new number one series on Netflix is called “3 Body Problem.” Here, in the 5th episode, there is a long scene that represents a climax in the story of “3 Body Problem.” The plot leads up to this scene, it is long prepared and takes an important place in the tension curve of the series.
A large ship, the “Judgement Day,” sails along the Panama Canal. On board are scientists, an oil billionaire, helpers, but also children.
The opponents of the ship have spent days preparing and have painstakingly stretched nanofibers underwater. The fibers cut through the ship and everything on it as the ship moves along the canal, unable to stop or swerve.
Scene is particularly mean and cynical
Why is the scene even better? Unlike the “Ghost Ship” scene, where everything happens immediately, here you see the cutting effect of the nanofibers coming slowly:
- here no wire cable snaps, immediately cutting everything, and the victims look at their bodies
- here the ship moves through the nanofibers and is slowly sliced apart.
In 3 Body Problem, the cable doesn’t even cut through, but people see it coming.
The perhaps most cynical and mean visual sequence is when the nanofibers cut through a series of paper figures that children have crafted and hung on a wall: Death approaches visibly and is visually impressive.
Is the scene as bloody as in a horror film? No, not quite. 3 Body Problem is rated “16+” – but this one scene stands out from the rest of the series as particularly bloody and shocking and may have an even harder impact because one doesn’t see it coming.
Here, the scene does not occur in a horror film where you expect it, but it is the midsection of a series that otherwise mostly talks about science and broods darkly. Although 3 Body Problem has its tension moments and “crazy scenes,” the ship scene clearly stands out.
Even the scientist responsible for the nanofibers is affected deeply.
Mean: “During the crime scene examination,” she sees a child’s shoe with a severed little foot inside, which probably broke her.
Scene successfully traumatizes the next generation
How does it affect? Like with “Ghost Ship,” there are already numerous threads on social media discussing the “ship” scene in 3 Body Problem, where people refer to it as this ship scene
.
It seems the creators have succeeded in planting the thought of sudden death through dismemberment in the minds of the next generation.
Update, March 26, 11:48 AM: The producers of the series have explained the background of the boat scene in 3 Body Problem in detail during a large roundtable interview:
Netflix: The creators of 3 Body Problem explain how the cruel and best scene was created
