Chiasmus is a literary term that means a series of ideas that are listed in one order and then repeated in the opposite order, creating one giant symmetrical thought. It’s most common in written form, but did you know that some movies follow this same pattern, too? Prepare to be amazed as we discover examples of Cinematic Chiasmus!
March 26, 2024 – Goldfinger
March 12, 2024 – Serenity
February 27, 2024 – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
February 20, 2024 – Mary Poppins
February 13, 2024 – The King’s Speech
February 6, 2024 – Speed
January 30, 2024 – Four Weddings and a Funeral
January 23, 2024 – Scream
January 16, 2024 – Innerspace
January 9, 2024 – A Radical Change to the Way I Handle Cinematic Chiasmus
November 7, 2023 – The Big Lebowski
October 31, 2023 – Goodfellas
October 24, 2023 – Die Hard
October 17, 2023 – It’s Time for Me to Knuckle Down
June 6, 2023 – Raiders of the Lost Ark
April 25, 2023 – Ghostbusters (1984)
April 18, 2023 – Four Extraordinary Cinematic Chiasmus Articles Coming Soon
January 31, 2023 – Pride and Prejudice (1995) – Complete
January 24, 2023 – Pride and Prejudice (1995) – Part 3
January 17, 2023 – Pride and Prejudice (1995) – Part 2
January 10, 2023 – Pride and Prejudice (1995) – Part 1
January 3, 2023 – The Most Epic Cinematic Chiasmus I’ve Ever Done
November 1, 2022 – The Sword in the Stone
October 25, 2022 – Conan the Barbarian
October 4, 2022 – What Is the Value of Cinematic Chiasmus?
September 20, 2022 – The Parent Trap (1998)
July 12, 2022 – Akira
May 31, 2022 – Dreamscape
April 5, 2022 – Escape from New York
March 22, 2022 – Tron
June 8, 2021 – This Video Improves Upon My Back to the Future Trilogy Chiasmus!
April 13, 2021 – Quigley Down Under
January 19, 2021 – The Alien Trilogy
January 12, 2021 – Alien and Alien3
September 8, 2020 – The Unique Chiasmus of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man Trilogy
September 1, 2020 – Spider-Man 3
July 28, 2020 – Beauty and the Beast (1991)
July 14, 2020 – Spider-Man 2
June 2, 2020 – Spider-Man (For Real This Time!)
May 26, 2020 – Getting Back in the Swing of Things
August 14, 2018 – London Screenwriters’ Festival Spotlights the RoboCop Chiasmus
December 5, 2017 – A Behind-the-Scenes Look at How I Uncover Cinematic Chiasmus
October 31, 2017 – The Sixth Sense
February 14, 2017 – What About Bob? (Not a Chiasmus)
December 20, 2016 – Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
September 20, 2016 – Netflix Dedicated a Video to My Back to the Future Chiasmus!
August 12, 2015 – WarGames
May 20, 2015 – How to Train Your Dragon
April 14, 2015 – Braveheart
March 3, 2015 – The Matrix
February 10, 2015 – Patriot Games
January 27, 2015 – Spider-Man (Almost)
January 7, 2015 – The Dark Knight Trilogy (The Chiasmus)
December 9, 2014 – The Last Starfighter
October 21, 2014 – Terminator 2: Judgment Day
October 7, 2014 – Aliens (Special Edition)
September 2, 2014 – Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
August 5, 2014 – Back to the Future Trilogy
June 24, 2014 – Superman: The Movie
May 20, 2014 – The Empire Strikes Back
April 29, 2014 – RoboCop (1987)
Deja Reviewer 
I want more of these.
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I’ve got a lot more planned. You’ll love the next one. It’s a famous superhero movie.
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For years, I’ve tirelessly sought after chiastic structures. This page deserves a prominent place on the ‘chiastic structure’ Wiki, if it hasn’t been featured already. It’s an absolute gem! Fantastic work. It has truly brightened my day. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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Thank you so much. You have brightened my day, too! 😀
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Not sure if you’ve covered this already, but I noticed a clean chiasmus in the first 3 parts of Shawshank Redemption.
I wasn’t able to iron out the end because it ties up with all the first 3 parts.
***
Part 1:
Red Rejected (1)
Warden & Bible 1
Cpt. Hadley attacks innocent ‘fresh fish’
Bogs attacks Andy
Tax Advice and Beer Celebration
Starts Digging Tunnel & Poster
Bogs attacks Andy (Bogs- in the hole 1)
Cpt. Hadley attacks guilty Bogs
Warden & Bible 2
Part 2:
Brooks & Library
Guards happy
Request Funds
Brooks wants to stay
Brooks leaves, dies.
Gets Funds
Guards angry at Music Celebration.(Andy- in the hole 2)
Brook’s ‘Hope’ (discussion)
Red Rejected (2) (Midpoint)
Part 3:
Library & Workshop
Andy helps Warden get Rich (Phantom)
Tommy enters
Andy helps Tommy
Tommy helps Andy
Tommy murdered. (Andy- in the hole 3)
Andy says No to Warden.
Nothing stops. Threat: “Library gone”
Part 4:
“Mexico.”
Red’s lost ‘Hope’, Buried Treasure
Warden Routine.
Andy Gone
Warden discovers Tunnel.
Warden Routine & Flashback.
Andy takes Warden’s money (Phantom)
Warden & Bible 3.
Warden suicide.
Red Accepted (3)
Hope vs Brook’s end.
Red finds Buried Treasure + ‘Hope’
Mexico
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I had never thought of that before, but it would make me so happy if I could find a full chiasmus in The Shawshank Redemption. Thank you for mapping this out for me. There is a bit at the start before Red’s first rejection involving Andy’s jealousy over his wife’s affair, his desire for revenge, sitting outside their place in a parked car drinking alcohol, and being convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Perhaps those could match up with elements in Part 4. I’ll shake things around and see what comes loose. Thank you again for this great idea!
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Once Upon A Time in Hollywood felt very symmetrical. Googled it and found this:
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Hi Robert
I recently discovered your site and the treasure trove you’ve created here. I’ve been nerding out on all-things-in-writing-better-stories and I don’t know why it’s taken me 3 years to come across the Chiastic structure. What enlightenment! Now I’m trying to use it for my short stories – challenging given the shorter length and lack of opportunity to build in plot points but the symmetry of it just lights me up.
I find the midpoint reversal/insight quite interesting- it’s such a powerful technique to build towards the climax. And the mirroring of the scenes! It hurts my brain thinking of writing it lol. The Matrix surely was a fluke – cos I really don’t think the directors were ever able to match the success of it in their future movies. It would be really interesting to see if the final Matrix instalment, and the other sequels, even came close to the first.
Anyway, I just want to express my awe and respect for all the time and effort you’ve put into all your analyses of all the movies – I’m slowing making my way through your insights for the movies I’ve watched. Keep up the great work! Sincere thanks, MJ
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Same story with me! Love this guy.
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Thank you for sharing your wonderful thoughts and appreciation. I love that my efforts have not gone unnoticed. These really are amazing once you see them. It’s a pleasure to share them with you.
I think you’re right about the Wachowski brothers and The Matrix being a fluke. It’s an excellent film, but they really went downhill fast after it. I saw The Matrix Reloaded opening day in the theater, but I didn’t watch the other two films in the series. They could all be a chiasmus a la the Spider-Man franchise. It would definitely be a challenge for me to find out. Perhaps I will someday.
I wish you the best in your writing, and I’m so glad I could contribute to your arsenal of ideas for how to go about telling a compelling story. You rock!
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Could you do a Chiastic stucture on The Shining? I have always felt it lines up, especially since Stephen King critiqued that Jack was already insane at the start of the film.
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I’ll add that to the list of ones I plan on doing soon. Thank you for the suggestion! These are amazing to keep discovering. It is interesting that the elevator full of blood appears near the beginning and end. Perhaps the turning point would involve room 237 or Danny calling for help. A lot of possibilities! I’ll let you know what I discover 🙂
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