The collaboration of Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, and thousands of top-flight actors and film craftsmen produced Cloud Atlas, an adaptation of David Mitchell‘s novel that is among the most adventurous and awe-inspiring movies of the year. Not only are there hundreds of characters and plot threads, but they are stretched across time and space to form not one linear story, but a greater understanding of human nature.
Immediately after seeing the movie, we thought it would be a blast to try to delve into the intricate plot and theme structure of Cloud Atlas and try to map it all out. After graphic designers Tom Morse-Brown and Lyn Brown saw it, we knew we had some excited and willing collaborators. What they came up with was an infographic that clearly maps out genre, location, date, story, theme, characters, actors, archetypes, conflicts, turning points, a linking “comet” birthmark/tattoo, and actual artifacts passed down from generation to generation in the sprawling story.
It was a blast putting this together. Thanks again to Tom, Lyn, and Scene-Stealers contributor Trey Hock for making this happen.
Click here to see the full-sized version and download it or click on the Cloud Atlas infographic itself. Share away! If you are re-posting, please link back.
Eric is the Editor-in-Chief of Scene-Stealers and regular critic for KCTV5. He’s a member of the BFCA, VP of the KCFCC, and drummer for The Dead Girls and Ultimate Fakebook. On the air guitar circuit, he goes by the name Mean Melin. Eric goes to 11. Follow him at:
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I wish I could have seen something like this poster before seeing the film.
Nice work!
Thanks, David!!! It was exhaustive, but Tom and Lyn did almost all of the work!
WOW. I would totally buy a print poster of this. Amazing work!
I’ll look into cost to print and ship, and let you know.
I would actually like a printed copy too for my office. The movie left a profound impression and I can’t wait to dive into the book soon.
This is awesome! except that in the final story (Zachary the goat herder) Sonmi 451 appears as his sister. The chart says she is a silent soul in this story.
Lisa- I think you are referring to Xun Zhou as Rose http://blackcatmedia.com/images/cloudatlas2.jpg We just didn’t have space for all the minor characters!
This would help me go into a movie and not feel lost half the time! That is why I don’t go as much because if I miss something I can rewind at home. What a fun info-graphic!
Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!!!
Wasn’t Donna Bay Zachry’s wife in the last timeline thing?
Nope. That was Xun Zhou, the rebellious fabricant!
There’s one that you’re missing: Donna Bae as the Mexican sweatshop worker in the thriller.
We couldn’t find a photo for that character. We did note her though.
I did not see the Cloud Atlas symphony as an artifact… but, I would think it would be.
Very useful graphic, though.
Yep. I thought of that too–so it would go from the 30s story to the 70s, but was it technically passed down beyond that?
Hi! Really nice work. But, there is some things that are wrong. Cavendish does not escape from gangsters. He is locked in by his brother in a nursing home for elders, and try to save and escape other elders. And Sonmi story is not in 2044, it’s in 2144. The last story is ca 2350.
Thanks! Cavendish definitely escapes from the nursing home, but his “flight,” as we worded it, was from the gangsters. Thanks for the tip on the dates!
I think you should have included Doona Bae’s Mexican woman in the 70′s story because that person is very important. Sonmi is the soul of the Mexican woman, and she is the ONE who SAVES Luisa Ray and that man, from Hugo Weaving who is her father in the first story, and who is the Korean man who killes her in the fith story. So he sort of got revenge on her.
She’s in there, Tina — we just didn’t have an image for her. We’ll remedy that soon!