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Volume 18, Issue 1 Eastern Journal of Psychiatry | January – June 2015
Psychological Outlook of Cinema
Review ARticAl
INTRODUCTION
Movies transcend all barriers and differences, whether these barriers are culture, language, religion, geographic borders, or belief systems. In contrast to language which is a way of communicating thoughts and feelings, and it is a system that has particular rules, signs, and symbols that shape it and make it meaningful, similar rules are found in movies; however, movies are not localized to one country or group of people. Therefore, movies are a commentary on more than society; they inform us about the human condition. The images projected in cinema allow individuals to look into the working of another family through a story line that lets them forget their own worries for a while. Films encourage people to look at events in a fresh manner, suggest possible solutions to their problems, and confirm their views and, perhaps, prejudices. Besides fun and entertainment going to cinema may reflect a desire to pry into other people’s lives and get the vicarious pleasure of gossiping without really losing anything of one’s own. People may get relaxed while watching movies by feeling that their problems are not as bad as those of the people on the screen (Bhugra, 2006). Film relies on the mental state of the viewers each viewer may take home the same or different message after watching the film once or several times. A key factor in cinema’s contribution to society is the immense possibilities it holds for disseminating good or evil, given its widespread influence on the juvenile as well as the adult mind (Bhugra, 2006).
WHAT IS CINEMA?
The word cinema emerged from Greek root word kinēma which means“ movement ”. The French term cinéma , was originally coined by the Lumière brothers in 1890s by shortening the word cinématographe , which literally means “movement writing” (www.encarta.msn.com). Cinema is an Art because it is something wrought and constructed by a person (or group of people) that has no specific practical function; only to explore, engage, inform, entertain and edify. Likewise, cinema is a ‘moving image’ because this simple phrase alone sets cinema apart from its parents i.e. theatre, photography and architecture.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CINEMA
Formal history of cinema starts with Dickson; in 1891 with the direction of Thomas Alva Edison he made a cinema apparatus known as Kinetograph. He displayed it in public on 1893, using the viewing apparatus called the Kinetoscope. Later the Lumière brothers, Louis and Auguste, made first successful projector known as Cinématographe with this they gave the first show in 1895. By 1903 Smith produced a system of colour cinematography called Kinemacolor that was quite successful up to World War. During World War I, the film industries in the various European countries were badly damaged. The economic depression of the 1930s severely reduced cinema income up to 1933, the major technical development of 1934 was the first realization of a successful system of full-colour cinematography— Technicolor.
Nandha Kumara Pujam^1 , Geo. A. Joseph^2 , Deyashini Lahiri^3 , Amrit Pattojoshi^4
Corresponding Author : Nandha Kumara Pujam, Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Center, Potheri, Kanchipuram, 603203. (^1) Department of Clinical Psychology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Center, Potheri, Kanchipuram, 3 Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, 4 Hitech Medical College, Bhubaneswar
Eastern Journal of Psychiatry | January – June 2015 Volume 18, Issue 1 During World War II film production decreased somewhat, but cinema-going greatly increased, as did profits. During the mid-1970s, more pornographic theatres called “adult cinemas” were established, and the legal production of pornographic films began. The porn cinemas finally died out during the 1980s, when the popularization of the home VCR and pornography videotapes allowed audiences to watch these films at home. During 1995 computer animation would grow to become the dominant technique for feature length animation. As of 2010 , 3D movies are gaining increasing popularity (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, 2001). MAJOR CLASSIFICATIONS OF (CINEMA) FILMS ACTION FILMS Action films usually include high energy, big- budget, physical stunts and chases, possibly with rescues, battles, fights, escapes, destructive crises (floods, explosions, natural disasters, fires, etc.), non-stop motion, spectacular rhythm and pacing, and adventurous, often two-dimensional ‘good-guy’ heroes (or recently, heroines) battling ‘bad guys’. Includes the James Bond ‘fantasy’ spy/espionage series, martial arts films, a major sub-type is the disaster film. COMEDIES Various forms of comedy can be found throughout cinematic history, including slapstick , screwball , spoofs and parodies , romantic comedies , black comedy (dark satirical comedy) etc. CRIME AND GANGSTER FILMS Crime (gangster) films are developed around the sinister actions of criminals or mobsters, particularly bank robbers, underworld figures, or ruthless hoodlums who operate outside the law, stealing and murdering their way through life. Criminal and gangster films are often categorized as film noir or detective-mystery films - because of underlying similarities between these cinematic forms. This category includes a description of various ‘serial killer’ films. DRAMATIC FILMS Dramatic films are serious, plot-driven presentations, portraying realistic characters, settings, life situations, and stories involving intense character development and interaction. Usually, they are not focused on special-effects, comedy, or action. Dramatic films are probably the largest film classifications, with many subsets. Dramatic biographical films (or “biopics”) are major sub-types, as are ‘adult’ films (with mature subject content). EPICS/HISTORICAL Epics include costume dramas, historical dramas , war films, medieval romps, or ‘period pictures’ that often cover a large expanse of time set against a vast, panoramic backdrop. Epics are often a more spectacular, lavish version of a biopic film. Some ‘sword and sandal’ films (Biblical epics or films occurring during antiquity) qualify as a sub- category. HORROR FILMS Horror films are designed to frighten and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. There are many sub-types of horror: slasher, teen terror, serial killers, satanic, Dracula, Frankenstein, etc. MUSICAL/DANCE Musical/dance films are cinematic forms that emphasize full-scale scores or song and dance routines in a significant way (usually with a musical or dance performance integrated as part of the film narrative), or they are films that are centered on combinations of music, dance, song or choreography. Major subtypes include the musical comedy or the concert film.
Eastern Journal of Psychiatry | January – June 2015 Volume 18, Issue 1 provides a framework for an understanding of this film. In this film the child cannot tolerate the object of aggression and the object of libido being the same, and to tolerate the potential destruction of the good object, the object is split into good and bad, in order to protect the integrity of the good object. When the child experiences good enough parenting and is not rejected or retaliated against by the parent, the child begins to take responsibility for his own aggression and progressively sees himself and others as whole objects. Invaders from Mars another film useful to understand the separation anxiety. The film Nine To Five portrays the Sexual harassment in this the female character struggles to prove it (Zerby, 2005). PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS IN CINEMA The use of film for teaching psychiatry as movies shows vivid examples of psychopathology in life context (Rosenstock, 2003). SCHIzOPHRENIA The release of the film A beautiful mind (2003) has made the process much easier. The movie shows symptoms of schizophrenia and complications, and it gives viewers especially patients and families, hopes for recovery. An Angel at my table (1990) the director portraits the story of odd childhood experience, finds out she may or may not have schizophrenia, it also includes the 8 years hospitalization in a mental hospital. Angel baby (1995) the story goes like two patients of schizophrenia meet at a clinic and there they start loving each other, the woman gets pregnant, both of them go off medications after that they become symptomatic, in this film the director Michael Rymer exposed the various symptoms of schizophrenia, illness effects and the quest for social Rehabilitation. Bewitched (1945), outcaste how psychotherapy cures schizophrenia, it picture the auditory hallucination which is one of the core symptoms of schizophrenia. Bird (1984) they have illustrated beautifully the origin of psychosis, he gets hospitalized and starts identifying with birds. It also helps the audience to identify the catatonic features one of the subtypes of schizophrenia. Conspiracy Theory (1997) depicts the difference between Paranoid personality disorder and schizophrenia, the patient has the suspiciousness that the psychiatrist is controlling his mind this film is akin to Manchurian candidate (Weddding, 2005) .Family Life (1971) portrait a 19-year-old British female develops schizophrenia and how she cognitively deteriorates. It also explains about the poor compliance, due to expressed emotion by the parents and stigma from the society. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) in this film Capgras syndrome was shown excellently. The Saint of Fort Washington (1993) a youth with schizophrenia becomes homeless, he turns towards his peer group for support it also portraits the realistic look at social issues in schizophrenia (Gabbard, and Gabbard, 1987). The recent most movies relating psychiatry is Shutter Island (2010) where Leonardo Dicaprio casts a schizophrenia patients the description of criminal mental asylum in Europe of the early century is beautifully given in this movie. SCHIzOAFFECTIvE DISORDER Shine (1996) Piano genius after attacked with schizoaffective disorder gradually he loses his piano skills and after the psychiatric treatment he recovers his talent it shows the better part of the illness. BIPOLAR DISORDER In Mr. Jones, Gere accurately portrayed a high- functioning, creative, and intellectual man with bipolar disorder. It is frequently utilized as a training tool to acquaint students and families with the disorder. BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER In the film fatal attraction, Alex forest was a borderline personality disorder, in that they have depicted the various borderline features like unstable mood, self –destructive behaviour etc.
Volume 18, Issue 1 Eastern Journal of Psychiatry | January – June 2015 OBSESSIvE COMPULSIvE DISORDER Schwartz (2002), sites As Good As It Gets’ character, Melvin Udall, as an illustration of the classic symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In the film Aviator Leonardo plays the role of obsessive compulsive disorder. SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER A Man Loves A Woman, this film can be used for teaching about substance use disorders (AMSP, 2007). PSYCHOTHERAPY IN CINEMA Wedding and Boy (2006) cites the film A League of Their Own, serves as an entertaining case study that embraces the concept of early family contracts and their influences throughout life. This film can be used to provide psycho-education about alcoholism, through the character of Jimmy Dugan, a leading baseball star whose career is lost because of alcoholism. TYPES OF THERAPEUTIC CONTACT USED IN FILMS The five types of therapeutic relationship identified by Clarkson (1997) are useful in describing the client/therapist relationship in therapy as depicted in the film. The first type is the working alliances it is mutual cooperation between the client and the therapist, in the film Silent fall, Richard Dreyfuss portrays a therapist work with an autistic child to decipher, the murder of his mother. He discovers that through repetitive games, such as opening and shutting the kitchen cabinet doors and drawers together they can join in a mutual task. The second type, the Unfinished relationship, parallels the analytical concept of transference. In this type the therapist become the tool to engage the person more fully in authentic contact with self and others. In the film ordinary people Judd hirsch as Dr, Berger works with his client to unravel the memories of a traumatic boating accident in which the clients brother dies. The third style is the reparative relationship can be understood as a corrective experience or giving the patient what was needed in the moment in the film one flew over the cuckoos nest jack nicholson portrays the patient mumurphy, who provides corrective experience with the young demasculinized patient billy bibbit, an Indian chief and even develop a basket ball team. The final style is the transpersonal relationship is a spiritual dimension of being together and of presence in the healing process. In the film troy in the star trek it as been depicted. INDIAN CINEMA Bhugra (2008) cites the case of Hum Kisise Kam Nahin, The hero Sanjay Dutt, is a patient suffering from paranoia. The actor Amitabh Bachchan plays the role of a psychiatrist, wears a white coat and uses a stethoscope. He confirms the diagnosis of anxiety by simply checking the pulse using a stethoscope with the perception given to the audience that all mental illnesses are like physical illness. Also in the film Rakhwala, in which Shabana Azmi plays the role of a mentally retarded woman. It would be perceived by the audience as mental illness as the viewer may not be able to differentiate between different mental illnesess. Baharon ki manzil is the story of a young woman who recognizes her husband as her brother in law, subsequently she becomes more suspicious, she discovers a body in her wardrobe, although when she gets others to see it the body has disappeared. The psychiatrist starts to believe in her and has an EEG machine, which helps him make the diagnosis, notwithstanding the fact that EEG is used to diagnose epilepsy primarily and, although epilepsy and mental illness are associated, one cannot diagnose mental illness from EEG alone. In the film Karorpati, Kishan behaves like a child, as if he has a low IQ. The uncle decides that he should be sent to a lunatic asylum. Himmat’s observations on mad people include, who shouldn’t be afraid of mad people, these people are very wise in some ways. Kishan falls and hurts himself, as a result of which he recovers from his madness. The doctor pronounces
Volume 18, Issue 1 Eastern Journal of Psychiatry | January – June 2015 the stereotype that they are violent, dangerous, but they are interactable (Penn, 2003). ROLE PLAY A selected clip from the movie, When A Man Loves A Woman can be used to set up a role play to improve patient competency in the area of alcoholism. PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE CINEMA Khamoshi is probably the first Hindi film to describe the descriptive aspect of psychoanalysis. In this film the chief psychiatrist explains about Freudian analytical thinking, The daughter develops feelings for the father and the son for the mother, which are called Electra and Oedipal. Once it is realized that these feelings are not acceptable socially, the boy starts searching for the mother in different faces. He falls in love with the face in which he finds this trust. If this trust is broken, the mental suspicion comes to the fore. Arun Choudhury has come to us in such a condition. You will have to act in such a way that his attraction for his mother and lover becomes the same. This is called establishing the rapport with the patient, so that lost trust is regained. This was how dev was treated and this is how you will treat Arun chaudhury. Dev’s mother invites her to visit their house and acknowledges, after Radha has touched her feet to greet her, I gave him birth, but you have given him new life, thereby emphasizing the maternal/fraternal nature of Radha’s relationship with dev. Furthermore, this hint of the oedipal complex and the way mother-son relationships work is an interesting paradox (Bhugra, 2003). The comparisons between Raat aur Din and the three faces of eve are inevitable. In the later one psychiatrists uses hypnosis to bring eve black and eve white together. When the psychiatrist begins to use hypnosis, a third personality, jane, emerges as the integration of the two selves. In Raat aur Din there are only two selves: peggy and baruna, differentiated by their clothes, drinking and smoking habits, establishing a clear distinction between the west or Christian and the east or Indian, worlds (Bhugra and De Silva, 2007). CINEMA, PSYCHOLOGY IN CIP In CIP there is also an academic program called movie club, in that a movie is shown after that discussion occurs in the context of diagnosis, psychodynamics, defence mechanisms, psychotherapy etc. in the recent years we had discussion on the movie Reader, Fatal attraction and Perfume. Further the patient is also shown movie on Saturdays as their part of the treatment. FUTURE DIRECTION More films should come on special population like autism, mental retardation etc. And the film should portray the exact features of the mental illness not to under or over exaggeration of the symptoms. Cinema should focus to reduce the stigma on mental illness and also create awareness regarding the early intervention and the availability of various treatments. CONCLUSION Cinema being an audio-visual medium has got an immense power to influence the society through people who watch it; it is not the technology which contaminates or glorifies culture and values in the society but the people who use it, by knowing or not knowing its good or bad effects. Movies combine realism with imagination and compress lots of information, fun and entertainment into a limited time period (Hesley and Hesley, 2001). Although it should be emphasized that the cinema may tend to over/under exaggerate the symptoms and behaviours experienced by many individuals with the disorders, many movies depicts a textbook example of the disorder(s) and are valuable for teaching (Goldberg, 2005). The image projected in the cinema, allow the people to look what’s happening in the family of the projected cinema, it gives solution to the individual problem, it confirms an individual view and also his prejudices, it is also
Eastern Journal of Psychiatry | January – June 2015 Volume 18, Issue 1 a medium of fun and entertainment, it also mirrors the society by what is going on (Anneau, 1968). It is also a medium for communicating cultural and social values, and thus as a tool for bringing about a better social order (Murthy, 1980). REFERENCES Anneau, M.W. (1968). The use of entertainment films in psychiatry and mental health lecture sessions. In Proceedings of the 20th World Congress. Washington: World Federation for Mental Health. Atkinson, J.A. (1997). The psychiatrist, the patient, their relationship and the movies, Psychiatric Bulletin, 21, 369-370. Berg-Cross, L., Jennings, P. & Baruch, R. (1990). Cinematherapy: Theory and application. Psychotherapy in Private Practice 8(1), 135-156. Bhugra, D. (2003). Teaching psychiatry cinema, Psychiatric Bulletin (2003), 27, 429- Bhugra, D. (2006). Mad Tales from Bollywood: Portrayal of Mental illness in Conventional Hindi Cinema. New York : Psychology Press. 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