The secret life of movies : schizophrenic and shamanic journeys in American cinema / Jason Horsley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Horsley, Jasun, 1967-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Schizophrenia in motion pictures.

Mental illness in motion pictures.

Motion pictures--Social aspects.

Motion pictures.

Motion pictures--United States--History--20th century.

United States.

History.

Physical Description:

viii, 291 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co., [2009]

Summary:

"Using movies to explore the unconscious realms of society in order to reach a better understanding of what drives it, this book examines filmmakers and films that center around schizophrenic themes of alienation, paranoia, breakdown, fantasy, dreams, dementia, violence, and that address--as entertainment--the schizophrenic experience"--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction : from thesis to diagnosis

Chronic symptoms and recurring themes. The occult text : the good, the bad, and the ugly and the alchemy of individuation

Courting the other : quests for completion

Scars : the hero as psychopath

Weeping alone : the counterculture fails to communicate

The revolting male : Jack Nicholson and the schizophrenic journey

Into the wild : John Boorman's explicit myths

A glass darkly : Brando and Bertolucci's Last tango

The man behind the mask : Roman Polanski's dementia tales

Beautiful freaks : Tim Burton's celebrations of specialness

The great American psychopath

Scrying the culture. Stealing candy/healing laughter : the evolution of the schizo comedy

Advocating satan

God's channel

Paranoia : a conspiracy by any other name

Where is my mind? notes on purity of impulse in Fight club

Aliens "r" us : race intimations of metamorphosis

Behind closed doors : antithesis and antidote

Epilogue : rounding up the usual suspects.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780786444236

0786444231

OCLC:

318421128