Movies and the Mind: Theories of the Great Psychoanalysts Applied to Film

by William Indick

Overview

The latent symbolism in film imagery can be psychoanalyzed just like the imagery in dreams. This work applies to film the psychoanalytic techniques of Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Joseph Campbell, Otto Rank and Rollo May, providing a fundamental understanding of film symbols and structure. It offers a comprehensive and eclectic approach to film analysis, using a broad variety of theories and examples from both classic and contemporary movies, from Dracula (1930) to American Beauty (1999). The final chapter applies all the previously discussed techniques to one film, Malcolm X (1992). The work boasts a filmography and bibliography and is illustrated with film stills.

Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786419531
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	09/02/2004
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	227
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.46(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

William Indick is Professor of Psychology at Dowling College in Oakdale, New York. He is the author of several books on media psychology, and has written for numerous psychology journals. He lives in Islip, New York.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments      viii
Preface     
Introduction: Film as Myth     

1: Analyzing the Movie Dream     
2. Archetypes of Oz     
3: Heroes and Villains           
4: The Myth of the Birth of the Hero     
5: Religious Symbolism in Film     
6: The Monomyth     
7: Archetype Evolution     
8: Superheroes and Underdogs     
9: The Personal Myth     
10: The Modern Myths     
11: The Horrors of Childhood     
12: The American Family and Its Mechanisms of Defense     
13: Characters in Crisis     

Conclusion: An Eclectic Approach to Film Analysis     
Filmography     
Bibliography     
Index     

Editorial Reviews

very entertaining...a fine job”—Metapsychology.

From the Publisher

very entertaining...a fine job

Metapsychology