The fact that sexual desire is present in all human relationships is a psychoanalytic precept that continues to cause controversy. Freud’s contribution in the field of psychology has been fundamental in art. Different artistic movements have been influenced by psychic automatism, the unconscious, sexual impulses, and the interpretation of dreams.
Freud was tempted several times to write a movie script and once he even received a multimillion-dollar offer from a Hollywood studio. However, he believed it was impossible to capture the essence of psychoanalysis with a video camera.
The ambition to capture the ideas of Freud in the big screen was started by none other than Jean-Paul Sartre in 1962 with the script The Secret Passion, directed by John Huston and starring Montgomery Clift as Freud. Unsurprisingly, complications and creative differences arose between Sartre and Huston since both had distinct opinions on what was psychoanalysis. In the end, Sartre accused Huston of using the film as a tool to explore his own psyche, and as a result he removed his name from the credits.
These are 10 films inspired by the psychoanalytic theory developed by Freud:
Spellbound (1945) – Alfred Hitchco*ck
A film that delves into dreams and their meanings, and to achieve this it enlisted the help of Dalí in the montage that describes the dreams of amnesiac Gregory Peck. The introduction clearly defines its connection to Freud’s theory, stating, “Our story deals with psychoanalysis, the method by which modern science treats the emotional problems of the sane. The analyst seeks only to induce the patient to talk about his hidden problems, to open the locked doors of his mind.”
A Clockwork Orange (1971) – Stanley Kubrick
Kubrick’s cult masterpiece gives way to endless psychoanalytical interpretations, from the frenzied and amoral behavior of Alex DeLarge and his gang, the classical conditioning of DeLarge, and the phallic sculpture Alex uses to bludgeon the cat lady.
Black Swan (2006) – Darren Aronofsky
Nina is a professional ballet dancer with a unique technique who dreams of becoming the Prima Ballerina in the next performance, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. However, she is unable to embody the role of the black swan because of her passivity and apparent lack of passion. Nina’s repressed desires underline the plot of the film and are exacerbated with an overprotective mother. She experiences a sexual dream with Lily, her dancing colleague, and she has repeated heated arguments with her mother, which is the origin for her conservative nature.
The Science of Sleep (2006) – Michael Gondry
The plot of this film revolves around the creative journeys and desires of Stéphan, who is deceived by his mother to return to France where he obtains a job he despises. Immersed in his disgrace, Stéphan abandons reality and travels to his unconscious mind. In his wanderings he encounters the woman he loves, Stephanie his neighbor and who ultimately rejects him. The plot is a mixture of his sad reality and the dreamscape where he can feel fulfillment.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) – Michael Gondry
Selective memory loss is an ambition in behavioral psychology. For psychoanalysis, dreams reveal our darkest desires that are repressed or impossible to realize. Gondry’s film explores the deep mental connections between the pulsions and reality. The plot alternates between the past, present, and the memory world that takes shape to avoid Joel from concluding the treatment that will erase his most precious memories.
Un chien andalou – (1928) Luis Buñuel
This short film is barely 17 minutes long, and from the first scene we are plunged into a dreamscape from the surrealist world. An eye is cut open with a blade, symbolizing the inability to perceive reality and forcing it to undergo a mental process of pure introspection. The work of Freud has not only influenced great minds like Buñuel and Dalí, it has also touched other artists like David Lynch, Hitchco*ck, and even David Bowie.
Annie Hall (1977) – Woody Allen
Psychoanalysis is a recurrent theme in Woody Allen’s cinematography, both in creating characters and analyzing his work. As the plot unfolds, the comedian Alvy Singer reminisces about his past, which influenced the way he behaves in the present. The best example is in the iconic beginning where he turns to the camera and explains his childhood, timid personality, and the traumas he underwent during that stage.
La stanza del figlio (2001) – Nanni Moretti
Giovanni, an obsessive psychoanalyst, suffers the loss of his son who dies in a diving accident. His life and that of his family is irrevocably changed, and it will be through Giovanni’s psychoanalytic prowess that he will be able to pull his family from despondency.
Whirlpool (1941) – Otto Preminger
A psychological and crime thriller that tells the story of Richard Conte, a famous psychoanalyst who must help his wife, Ann Sutton, when she begins to believe that she committed a series of crimes under the influence of hypnosis. Conte will have to solve the mystery through psychoanalysis if he wishes to save his wife.
The human mind is a cipher that not even the historic psychoanalytical theory has been able to decode. Freud’s influence in the twentieth century film is undeniable, as we see psychoanalysts replacing detectives and policemen in solving crimes and unraveling mysteries through the powers of the human mind. Many artists bespelled by the surrealist movement had no qualm adopting Freud’s psychoanalysis into their work. In your eyes, which is the best film inspired by his theory?
FAQs
For example, Vertigo (1958) casts its protagonist into a dream-like following of a phantasy object: its loss, its replacement and final loss – at which exact point the protagonist's vertigo is cured. It is difficult to see how the film can be understood at all without deploying psychoanalytic categories of explanation.
What movies represent the ID, Ego, and Superego? ›
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Within the ring-bearing trio, we have Gollum as the id, Frodo as the ego, and Samwise as the superego. Within the hunters, we have Gimli as the id, Aragorn as the ego, and Legolas as the superego. And within the world of The Hobbit, we have a Freudian trio among the wizards.
What are some examples of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory? ›
Freud believed that during our childhood, certain events have great influence on how our personality is shaped, which carries over into our adult lives. For example, if a child experiences a traumatic event, the event would be suppressed, As an adult, the child reacts to the trauma without knowing why.
What did psychoanalysis inspire? ›
However, psychoanalysis was incredibly influential for modern-day therapy. Freud's approach to therapy and the idea that mental illness was treatable was an important concept. The idea that talking about your problems could help you feel relief heavily impacted the current approach to treating mental illness.
What is a real life example of psychoanalytic? ›
Some of the examples of psychoanalysis include: A 20-year old, well-built and healthy, has a seemingly irrational fear of mice. The fear makes him tremble at the sight of a mouse or rat. He often finds himself in embarrassing situations because of the fear.
What is an example of Freud's psychodynamic theory? ›
For example, a person who is dominated by their id might be narcissistic and impulsive. A person with a dominant superego might be controlled by feelings of guilt and deny themselves even socially acceptable pleasures; conversely, if the superego is weak or absent, a person might become a psychopath.
Is Batman ego or superego? ›
This means that Bruce's id, ego, and superego are already established. There appears to be major conflict between the three; so much that the id and the superego take on a life of their own. The id is represented by Bruce Wayne and the superego is represented by Batman.
Who is ID ego and superego in Finding Nemo? ›
Pretty much most sets of 3 characters are Freudian Trios, whether you can see it initially or not. For example, in the Dark Knight, Batman is the ego, the Joker is the Id, and Harvey Dent is the Superego, or in Finding Nemo, in which Dory is the Id, Marlin is the Superego, and Nemo is the Ego.
Does Piggy represent superego? ›
Piggy and Simon represent the superego in their quest to form and follow the rules of law. Ralph represents the ego in his desire to fill his needs in a reasonably ethical way.
What is an example of id, Ego, and Superego? ›
Examples of the Id, Ego, and Superego
The id: I want to skip my workout because I feel lazy and just want to relax. The superego: I shouldn't skip the workout because it's essential for my health and discipline. The ego: I can do a shorter workout today and make up for it with a longer session tomorrow.
Psychoanalytic theory conjectures that all mental life exists on two levels: within the realm of consciousness, and the unconscious—a Freudian concept.
What is an example of ego in psychoanalytic theory? ›
The ego, controlled by the reality principle, is what prevents you from acting on these urges. For example, if you are craving chocolate, the ego will make you wait until you can get your own chocolate bar instead of snatching the one your friend is about to enjoy.
Who did Freud inspire? ›
Some of the eminent psychologists who were influenced by Sigmund Freud include: Anna Freud. Alfred Adler. Carl Jung.
What artists were influenced by Freud? ›
It was this theory on the unconscious mind that sparked the interest of the Surrealist movement in the early 20th century. The artists involved in the movement, including Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, and Max Ernst, were set on breaking free from what they saw as the constraints of the rational mind.
Who influenced psychoanalytic? ›
Sigmund Freud was the founder of psychoanalysis and the psychodynamic approach to psychology. Freud believed that the human mind was composed of three elements: the id, the ego, and the superego.
What is the psychoanalytic film theory? ›
Psychoanalytic film theory primarily tries to work out how the unconscious supports the reception of film events, or how film and cinema trigger unconscious, irrational processes in the viewer and thus turn film watching into a pleasurable experience.
What is an example of psychoanalytic view? ›
Psychoanalytic Theory in Relationships
While at the restaurant, April accidentally called Adam by Mark's name. This could have just been a simple accident, but psychoanalytic theory says that there is a deeper reason for April's slip. Maybe she still has feelings for Mark and her mind is on him.
What is the psychoanalytic feminist film theory? ›
A cornerstone of psychoanalytic feminist film theory, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” describes the ways in which women are displayed on screen for the pleasure of the male spectator.
What is an example of psychoanalytic literature? ›
An example of psychoanalytic literary criticism can be found in Freud's reading of Hamlet. According to Freud, Hamlet delays his vengeance for so long because his uncle has accomplished his own unconscious wishes. That is, killing Hamlet's father and replacing him via marrying his mother.
