PTSD and Mal. Really?
POSTED BY: Bytemite
UPDATED: Monday, January 27, 2020 20:08
VIEWED: 36442
PAGE 11 of 12
A List
Dunno if anybody still thinkin about this, but this is gonna be a limited, general list for now, Bytemite. I won't have any specifics until I can watch some.
Anywho. I was procrastinating and entertaining my friends at the same time, which led to me doing mime impressions of the ENTIRE crew. During these impressions realized some things about how Mal moves his body fit "in general" with PTSD. Though he appears confidently relaxed, it's constrained by a body still constantly hypervigilant. Anyone has any comments yea/nay, please speak em!
1.) When Mal "startles", he has a different style from any other male on the crew. He "freezes"--squeezes all his muscles up. Arches his back, suddenly is stiff as a board, particularly in the torso. The other clearest place to see the (female) version of this is (no surprise) River.
2.) In his torso language, Mal presents this area of his body like a turning wall, as though he had a swivel joint at his waist.
3.) He has MAJOR neck-shoulders tension.
4.) His arms and legs move mostly at the major joints of shoulders and hips, very little knees and elbows, except when he is *conciously relaxed*/exhausted. They are also squeezed in close when not making expansive movements.
His limbs move with his locked-down torso. Decent example of this is the wave from Inara scene in Serenity starting from him dozing.
5.) Anyone noticed how his head is tilted down all the time, jaw tight, shoulders nearly always forward or forcibly down?
6.) His characteristic arms-crossed pose whether upset, pissed or relaxed, is not defiant, or even "open" it's protective/comforting of his front. It's sometimes "comfortable" but he tends to do that unconscious rocking/holding thing. Lot of side-to-side stifff legged shifting. While still looking incredibly "manly and impulsive".
Please nobody (male) get offended. Just my observations. He's a hurt guy--doesn't make him any less awesome.
7.)Most of these are altered only when he's in a really exhausted or very "up" mood (ie when he can "forget"), except the deep muscle tension.
8.)I forget what they're called, but one definite sign of unreleased trauma remains in your deep core muscles in your lower back/hips/loins. They run all up and down your lower torso and are responsible for stabilization and free movement, except when they're locked (sometimes for years and years). Mal has this quite noticably, at least when you're trying to imitate him.
When I can see firefly again I'll try to come up with scenes and more easily arguable things. I'm not saying any of these are indicative, just things I noticed.
--
"Going for a ride."
"I think we lost our fuzzy dice back there."
Another Sky
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Yeah, what I meant by the alliance reports is just that--reports. She can do what she wants with 'em. Dunno she would have worked out satire of the existing government yet, I didn't do that till I was ten.
Dinosaurs never lose their allure. NEVER.
Cannibalism however is an acquired taste.
--
"I think we lost our fuzzy dice back there"
"Were there monkeys? Terrifying space monkeys?"
"Going for a ride."
Another Sky
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Hmm? Reports?
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Oh, there was another tangent up there...somewhere...about Simon's flashback of the Tam estate. I was clarifying my statement on that.
Congrats for a subject interesting enough over 100 replies! 
Another Sky
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Anothersky--
Those are excellent observations of Mal's body language! I really enjoyed reading htis list and found myself nodding along.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Like I was saying to AnotherSky, all those observations will probably help both my writting stuff and drawing stuff, just like all the observation and debates about personality versus different aspects and manifestations of PTSD. :)
...River and Zoe would be kind of interesting to break down body-language wise, too.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Is that a hint? Cause I can define...interesting.
ha ha.
Another Sky
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by AnotherSky:
A List
Dunno if anybody still thinkin about this, but this is gonna be a limited, general list for now, Bytemite. I won't have any specifics until I can watch some.
Anywho. I was procrastinating and entertaining my friends at the same time, which led to me doing mime impressions of the ENTIRE crew. During these impressions realized some things about how Mal moves his body fit "in general" with PTSD. Though he appears confidently relaxed, it's constrained by a body still constantly hypervigilant. Anyone has any comments yea/nay, please speak em!
1.) When Mal "startles", he has a different style from any other male on the crew. He "freezes"--squeezes all his muscles up. Arches his back, suddenly is stiff as a board, particularly in the torso. The other clearest place to see the (female) version of this is (no surprise) River.
2.) In his torso language, Mal presents this area of his body like a turning wall, as though he had a swivel joint at his waist.
3.) He has MAJOR neck-shoulders tension.
4.) His arms and legs move mostly at the major joints of shoulders and hips, very little knees and elbows, except when he is *conciously relaxed*/exhausted. They are also squeezed in close when not making expansive movements.
His limbs move with his locked-down torso. Decent example of this is the wave from Inara scene in Serenity starting from him dozing.
5.) Anyone noticed how his head is tilted down all the time, jaw tight, shoulders nearly always forward or forcibly down?
6.) His characteristic arms-crossed pose whether upset, pissed or relaxed, is not defiant, or even "open" it's protective/comforting of his front. It's sometimes "comfortable" but he tends to do that unconscious rocking/holding thing. Lot of side-to-side stifff legged shifting. While still looking incredibly "manly and impulsive".
Please nobody (male) get offended. Just my observations. He's a hurt guy--doesn't make him any less awesome.
7.)Most of these are altered only when he's in a really exhausted or very "up" mood (ie when he can "forget"), except the deep muscle tension.
8.)I forget what they're called, but one definite sign of unreleased trauma remains in your deep core muscles in your lower back/hips/loins. They run all up and down your lower torso and are responsible for stabilization and free movement, except when they're locked (sometimes for years and years). Mal has this quite noticably, at least when you're trying to imitate him.
When I can see firefly again I'll try to come up with scenes and more easily arguable things. I'm not saying any of these are indicative, just things I noticed.
--
"Going for a ride."
"I think we lost our fuzzy dice back there."
Another Sky
Really good observations. As I remember the episodes, you're exactly right on Mal's body language.
Another tangent, mainly on acting and characterization. (I have absolutely no training in acting)
This makes me wonder if Nathan did any research on PTSD for Mal or did all of this tension come unconcously and naturally out of the character? (most likely in my untrained opinion-I know Nathan did improv in Canada.)
Or was it the result of talks with Joss?
It's just one of hundreds of questions I'd like to ask Nathan and/or Joss.
http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Thanks, NCB.
I have zero training as well. The movements came from my own conception of Mal as portrayed by Nathan--which has not till now been from a PTSD standpoint. Also, the last time I saw an episode is far too long ago, so I moved first and analyzed later.
But the fact remains that he was clearly recognizable. Therefore I think that there is something "written" into the character--anger, unresolved pain, stifled revenge with a happy face, whatever, that the actor would "pick up" on. Course, there are other schools of thought.
I'd love to know how they approach characters. And just now I need to approach my pillow. Zzzzzzz....
Another Sky
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Not Wash's definition anyway. Death and dying would not be on the menu.
Like I said, the reason I started this thread is because I want to hear all the different takes on the nuances of the characters. Not only does it generate ideas, but it helps with characterization.
So observations on body language? INTERESTING. And useful!
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME