Psychology for Halloween ?

The nights are getting longer, days become shorter and colder. Yes, Halloween is just around the corner, which means it’s another opportunity to binge watch films! Any opportunity is good to sit down, relax and enjoy a film, but for me, autumn is the time of the year where I find myself wanting to see more films, even films that I wouldn’t normally pick. I’m certainly not the typical ‘horror’ fan, for me fear comes from something deeper. Indeed, if you tell me to watch a typical horror, I will scream and I will get paranoid (yes I will sleep with the lights on, who knows maybe the Annabelle doll is out to get me?) but the film will not have a major affect on me. When I want to watch something that will affect me on a deeper, subconscious level I tend to pick a classic thriller, or a psychological horror. I will not be recommending popular films such as: Saw, Paranormal Activity etc. I want to show you a different side of fear, the kind of fear that grows in our consciousness, forces us to over think, dwell and think outside the box.

Here we go!

Roman Polanski, 1968.

·       My first choice simply had to be Rosemary’s Baby. I have to admit, I didn’t expect much from this film on the spectrum of dread and fear. My dad, who is a massive film buff, told me I need to see it. Growing up in a Polish household, I was aware of Polanski. He is regarded as one of the best directors to come out of Poland. I was amazed how powerful this film is. Mia Farrow, who plays the lead role of Rosemary, is simply outstanding. Her physique, her hair cut, he delicate beauty really adds to the hair rising atmosphere of the film. I do not want to spoilt the film; therefore I will not go into detail. The film really is a real ‘mind fuck’ (excuse me for my inappropriate use of language). We have the creepy neighbours, the typically normal husband, who yet gives out a devilish persona; we have the dame in distress (and of course the baby). This film is a perfect example that what we don’t see has the power to scare us on a deeper level.

Jonathan Demme, 1991.

·       My second recommendation is Silence of the Lambs. I believe that you cannot simply go through life without seeing this film! I remember being a little girl and seeing this DVD lying around in our house, I begged my parents to let me see it, well now I know why. Before I watched this movie, I thought it would be gory, gut wrenching, but to my surprise it’s elegant, poetic and beautiful in a bizarre manner. This film is certainly on my top 10 films list. Anthony Hopkins is a phenomenal actor; he is rather flexible in his roles. Jodie Foster and Hopkins is a match made in heaven. The film is captivating; Dr Lecter lures you into his uncanny world, what really strikes me the most in this film, is the sexual tension between Lecter and agent Starling. It’s the typical young girl/ teacher fantasy which really adds to the power of the film! On a side note, I highly recommend Hannibal TV series.  The cinematography and overall aesthetic of the series is simply breath taking, also Mads Mikkelsen is just creepy, but beautiful!

Stanley Kubrick, 1980.

The third film, which I would like to recommend to you, is The Shining. Once again, my dad talked about this endlessly stating it’s such a powerful and enigmatic classic. Let me just say I wasn’t disappointed. The film devours its audience, its swallows them into a labyrinth of disbelief, dread and torment. Kubrick was an outstanding director, his films were distinctively haunting, but yet captivating and highly entertaining. There are many factors, which make the Shining so damn creepy and haunting. The main reason, of course, is Jack Nicholson, there is no doubt, he is one of the greatest actors that the world had the privilege of watching perform. Everything within this film is provoking its audience to feel uneasy. The films iconic mise en scene provokes the audience to feel uneasy, to feel a sense of contradiction, as we want to see and know more, but yet we fear to see what will come next. Also, Shelly Duvall portrayal of Wendy deserves a standing ovation! 

David Lynch, 2001.

·       Another film that I highly, highly recommend is Mulholland Drive. It is not regarded as a horror, or even a thriller, however, for many this film was a haunting nightmare. This is arguably David’s Lynch most successful and recognised film yet. The cast includes the young, lost Naomi Watts, Justin Theroux and many more familiar faces. Arguably, all Lynchian films are bizarre, wrong and just gobsmacking, and certainly that is the case with Mulholland Dr. At first glance it’s another surreal art house flick, but as the plot unveils its darkness, the audience begin to realise that the film is rather frightening. The music, overall aesthetic, cast and, of course Lynch, create an eerie and obsessive atmosphere that will but many viewers into a state of confusion, arousal and fear.

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Richard Kelly, 2001.

         Donnie Darko is a cult classic that I simply cannot not recommend. The overall theme of the film loosely revolves around Halloween, although it is not the main theme that drives the plot. The film gives us the enormous, chilling rabbit that haunts the audience through the film. The narrative is nonlinear, it’s not a simple problem : climax ratio. Initially, when the film was first released it was simply misunderstood, mocked and quickly forgotten. Luckily it managed to attract a wide variety of audiences that promoted the film to gain its cult status. I find this film to be rather nostalgic, we get to see the young, quirky Drew Barrymore, the enigmatic Jake Gyllenhaal, I mean what more could we ask for?

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Alfred Hitchcock, 1960.

        Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, simply needs to make an appearance on this list. I have had the pleasure of watching many Hitchcock’s films. Some I liked more than others, but my all time, favourite Hitchcock masterpiece is Psycho. Psycho is an ageless classic. I could always recognise which decade the films I was watching came from. The film aesthetic changed throughout each decade and there are clues to be found within films that indicate the production date. Strangely, when I watched Psycho for the first time, I simply could not believe that the film was a 60s classic. I mean, of course the most obvious indicator is the lack of colour, which confuses the audience as the film was shot in black and white (although this was a personal choice). The film is flawless, stylish and artistic. It’s packed with surprises and keeps the audiences at edge, but what could we expect from the master of suspense after all. Whether you’re a film buff, or not, you are probably aware of the iconic shower scene, the earring and piercing music that               accompanies the scene. I can promise you, you will not be disappointed with this film.

Anna Gaszkowska

The Haunting Beauty of La Haine

Police representation in La Haine

La Haine, changed the way I view films. This film is a perfect example that enables us to see that, films are in fact more than just pretty pictures, and the film medium is a powerful tool that can be used to change our world. The film provokes its audiences to feel something, the film entertains us through its satire, but it’s not a film you watch to be simply entertained, you watch this film and you get the urge to change the world, stand up, and fight for your rights. When I first encountered this film, I was amazed, frustrated and saddened at the same time. Throughout watching this film, I felt a sense of real world issues, the film itself is filmed in a documentary style; it uses real life footage in the opening credits. In my opinion everything about this film is perfect. Marley’s music complements the French culture, who feels oppressed, lost and pushed to their extremes. In my opinion, the film is ageless; it tackles issues that somehow always seem relevant. This makes me wonder, how we should feel about this. It’s been over two decades since the film was released, but yet nothing has changed, perhaps the world has evolved, but we are still faced with the same horrendous issues. From a sociological point of view, the film is a masterpiece, through its astonishing cinematography, use of dialogue and sound it creates a haunting tale, a tale about three young guys, three trouble makers. However, those three troubles makers represent more than we think. Each one of them is us, each bullet piercing their bodies goes through us, not directly, but metaphorically.

The beginning of the film, instantly shows the audience the division between the good (police) and the bad (rioters).The opening sequence, shows large crowds; who are full of rage and at this point, the audience are likely to question why are these people so angry, also police are representatives of law, therefore people should feel safe. 

The music, that accompanies the opening sequence highlights police as brutal, as we hear things such as ‘uniforms of brutality’, this allows the audience to pick up on the fact that, in this film the police are the bad guys. The audience, are also able to see an armed police officer, dragging someone across the street, and although the audience may be aware that police must do their job, they are able to see that perhaps, the police is overusing its power. The audience are also able to see many hateful posters, which are aimed to show how the police is seen by the oppressed underclass. The opening sequence introduces the audience to the ‘real’ world, where there is a huge division between police and the rest of the society, the audience can see that the police is always stood opposite the rioters, and this suggests that although, they are all French citizens they are not equal. This can also cause the underclass to feel alienated from society.

The police is shown as very powerful, the audience always see them in large groups. When Said is shown for the first time, the audience see him stood opposite a crowd of police officers, when the camera zooms in; the audience can see that the police officers all look similar. None of the police officers are smiling, and it is clear that they want people to be scared of them; this suggests to the audience that the police are not interested in keeping people safe, but they use this as an excuse to gain a status. The audience then see Said, writing a hateful message on the police van, this gives the audience an idea of what they can expect from the three main protagonists. It is possible to argue that, the media is trying to brainwash people; as the audience get to see things from two different perspectives, when the riots are mentioned in the news, the main topic that is spoken about is injured police officers. The rioters are shows in a negative light, however, when the audience see things from the protagonist’s perspective, they are able to see that in fact, the rioters suffer more and although they seem to be hateful they are fighting for their rights. This allows the audience to compare the societal reaction to the rioters, and the police because in the news the police are shown as heroes, but in reality they are the bad guys. Throughout the film, the audience are able to pick up the negativity felt towards the police; as they are referred to as ‘pigs’ by most of the underclass. In one of the scenes, Vinz refuses to shake hands with a police officer because ‘he doesn’t shake hands with pigs’, this shows the audience that, perhaps the underclass have been conditioned to hate the police, because the police officer actually helped Vinz, Said and Hubert so they should be grateful; however due to the inequality within society people are made to believe that all police officers are bad.

Most of the police officers shown in this film are white, French, middle class men. They all seem to be targeting the youths, as they suspect everyone to be a criminal. However, the Arab police officer, who helped the trio, suggests that not all police officers are bad. The audience can see, that he is treating people with mutual respect because he, himself was most likely treaded with inequality due to his origins. Although, the overview of the film is showing the police in a very negative way, there is still ‘hope’ because police officers, who once experienced poverty, are more likely to treat people equally. The film, raises the issue of misrepresentation of people in the media, as whenever the trio see police acting nice they are somehow shocked. In one of the scenes, they are called ‘sir’ by a police officer, and they find it hard to believe that for the first time, they have been shown respect by a police officer. The stolen police gun plays a significant role in the film, as it suggests to the audience that the police are the cause of the riots. We can suspect, that the police officer must have been irresponsible and didn’t do his job properly, and that’s why the gun was stolen. It is possible to argue, that the police are bad role models because they carry weapons, and this can make people feel like they can use guns as well because that’s how problems are dealt with in today’s world.

One of the most significant scenes in this film is when Said and Hubert are captured by the police, and later on they are tortured. This scene shows the audience what really goes on behind the closed doors. It can be found as shocking, to see agents of law acting so brutally towards other people. This also highlights the fact that perhaps, police cause the hatred because this allows them to take their anger out on innocent people as they are not equally human as them, simply because they are poor. This scene shows that younger police officers are more reluctant to use violence against the underclass, but the older, more experienced officers are their role models. This suggests that, not all police officers start off as being bad, but they simply take on the role and just get lost in the power they behold. The police officers, are behaving in an animalistic way, one of them even says that the hardest part is stopping; this shows the audience that the uniform changes people so much that they forget how to be a human. The film, offers the audience an explanation to why the riots happened, as the audience get a close insight of the division between the police and underclass.

The narrative of the film, reveals to the audience that people are made to hate other people, and because of the media, people feel the need to be aggressive. Towards the ending of the film, the audience can see that the hatred is getting out of control, as the only thing that drives Vinz, is to kill a pig as this will set him ‘free’. The film is so successful, because it really shows the ‘real’ lives of people, and many people can relate to the three main protagonists. The ending of the film is shocking, but somehow, the audience could suspect what was going to happen as there was a war between the police and the underclass, therefore it was just a matter of time to see who wins. The film shows that the police shouldn’t be treated any differently, they are even more brutal in their actions but compared to normal, working class people they can justify their animalistic behaviour, by stating that they had to behave in such a way because this is what their job requires them to do. Often, police are glorified in the media as they are always the heroes, but La Haine, reveals the shocking truth that is hidden away from the society. The ending of the film, reveals how irresponsible police really are as Said and Vinz were stopped for no reason, in fact the audience may even feel that Vinz has changed because he gave the stolen gun to Hubert and he no longer feels the need for revenged. Although, the police officer didn’t intentionally kill Vinz, the shooting foreshadows where society is going, as the brutality of the police is having a major impact on the oppressed people and one thing leads to another bad thing. It is heart-breaking to see Hubert, who seemed to be the most rational out of the three, to take justice into his own hands because he simply had enough.

In conclusion, the film offers the audience a clear picture of how society is structured. The audience see the clear division between classes and police, there is constant rivalry between groups. The film reveals that often, society trusts the wrong people as the ones who are here to protect us are the ones killing us.

Anna Gaszkowska

American Beauty or American Psycho?

Lights, Camera, Action.

Is the American Dream the ultimate happiness?

In this short essay, I will be discussing two outstanding films that I had the pleasure of watching, American Beauty (Sam Mendes, 1999) and American Psycho(Mary Harron, 2000). At first glance, it’s obvious that, the key element of the two films relates to the ‘American’ dream. However, through my analysis I aim to achieve a deeper understanding of the concepts of these two films. I want to show you how the American symbolism( reoccurring themes) is used, to portray what could be argued to be a light hearted, satiric and ironically sarcastic visualisation of the Western idea of the ‘Great America’.

My fascination with America, their culture, fashion and film grew as I grew older. For many, America is the ultimate goal; I mean what could be greater than achieving the American Dream. For me, America, or in fact the concept of it is an enigma, a land full of dreams, hopes... But what is really hidden behind the red, white and blue? America is a land of freedom. For me, Lana Del Rey represents America in the way I want to see it. Hauntingly beautiful, enigmatic, full of dreams and sorrows. On the other hand, David Lynch (one of the greatest film directors that I know) captivates his audiences by his bizarre and surreal representation of ‘America’s dark underbelly’ as he calls it; his portrayal of American culture is simply haunting and out of the box. So is the ‘Americana’ a destination that we all want to arrive at, or a haunting, yet beautiful nightmare.

Whether you agree with me or not, the big world (especially America) is exciting and thrilling. Who wouldn’t want to walk down the Hollywood boulevard, drive down the iconic Mulholland Drive, what girl wouldn’t want to be Marilyn for a day, and most of all, what guy wouldn’t want to be James Dean. Dean the most iconic of them all, decades after his death he still remains the most influential style icon that America has given to the world. Now this is where American Beauty and American Psycho begin to play a major role, in my understanding of America (often seen by me as a different dimension). The films show all the glory of America, the successful, affluent elite, the suburban middle aged father who is going through a midlife crisis, the young beautiful high school girls, the outcasts, the cold hearted cheating wives, indeed America has it all. These two films, explore the idolisation of the culture and propose that perhaps, the distant continent is observed through a rose tinted lens.

So what do these American do? What do they get up to? Well watching American Psycho, it is implied that perhaps, the American dream is a utopia, nothing more nothing less. It’s a state of mind, something we all strive towards, something that leads to delusions. At first glance, the only thing that connects the two films is the title; American Beauty and American Psycho are fundamentally different, driven by different narratives, driven by different motives and themes. American Psycho introduces us to Mr Patrick Bateman (played by the handsome Christian Bale) the man who really has it all. The opening sequence of the film is bizarre, the music is somewhat tragic, but yet puts us at ease, we see the glory of Bateman, the sculptured physique, and his flawless complexion. I mean, this scene provokes the audience to feel envy, look at this perfect human being, but yet on the contrary the hauntingly muted apartment, everything is in the right place. When I first watched this film, I laughed a little inside, as it reminded me of being envious of the YouTubers I used to watch as a teenager and their perfect beauty routines. Bateman seems calm, but yet there is something haunting, emotionless about him. The shower scene plays a major role in understating the psychological processes of Bateman's character, he is organised, arguably self obsessed, and he shows psychopathic tendencies. What makes this scene really stand out is the narration, Patrick’s voice is calm, but it makes us feel something, something that we don’t want to feel, not fear, nor confusion, but something uneasy. There is something robotic about Patrick, the peeling of the face mask, supports the idea of Mr Bateman being nothing more but an illusion (the Westernised illusion of the American dream). While peeling off the mask (which is a symbolism for his split personality) Patrick tells the audience that there is no real Patrick Bateman, there is only an idea.

 This is arguably the most significant scene of the whole film. If we accept the concept that the narrative of the film is portraying the American Dream, then we can agree that, what the film wants us to understand is there is no American dream, it’s just an illusion, and it’s simply a mode of motivation for people to work harder.

The opening scene of American Beauty on the other hand, shows something we are accustomed to seeing, the suburban father played by the friendly Kevin Spacey (how can you not love this man) once again the music is slow, but yet more quirky than the music in American Psycho. In both opening scenes, the audience are lured into the story of one (main) character, whether it’s the middle aged man, or the affluent handsome socialite. Both films, adapt the idea of book type storytelling; the narration used within both films is really significant as it invites the audience to explore the subjects (main characters) inner thought processes. We have Mr Patrick Bateman, and we have Mr Lester Burham. What the audience are able to sense is the melancholy in both of the character's voices. At first glance, their lives seem perfect, a rich, successful handosome Patrick and a suburban father with a beautiful wife and big house, but after all, it’s all just an illusion.

Of course there are clear differences, where as Patrick has it all, and his apartment is astonishingly spotless, Lester‘s character is introduced to the audience in a dull room, alone in his bed. The main aspect, that links the two characters together is that they are both ‘dead already’. Lester clearly states that to the audience, where as Patrick poetically describes his existence (as he nourishes his face with various face products) as nonexistent, just flesh, but no Patrick. Comparing the two films, we see two different spectrums of a morning routine, while Patrick uses the high-end products to nourish his body and mind, Lester provokes a sense of pity within the audience ‘look at me, jerking off in the shower.’ The audience are presented with two different morning routines, but even though they seem different at first glance, they are connected in many ways.

 Both Lester and Patrick are simply dead, dull and unhappy. They reached the peak of their lives and are both living an illusion; they’re numb and unable to feel. Do you find yourself asking ‘come on guys, why are you so damn miserable, you both seem to have it all’ I surely did. I initially thought that I would be happy if I had Lester’s house and Patrick’s money. However, the films take us on a journey that engages us in the character’s lives, and we begin to understand why, even after achieving the ultimate American dream the two main characters live an empty life. They are both looking for stimuli, Lester is fixated on his daughters’ beautiful blonde friend, where as Patrick goes to the extremes of killing (although does he really kill?). Both characters are pushed to the extremes, as even after having it all they want more.

Now I may be going slightly off topic, but what really strikes me the most in American Beauty, is the typical portrayal of America. The film is definitely aesthetically pleasing; the white fence is complimented by the luscious red roses (a reoccurring symbol in the film). There’s just something so typically American about this, I believe this was borrowed from David’s Lynch epic Blue Velvet(1986). In the opening credits of Blue Velvet, the audience are lured into the American dream, the imagery that is presented is supposed to show everything American. Even David Lynch himself,  proposed that the opening credits of his first, most ‘Lynchian’ film are visuals that he remembers from his childhood, things that make America a bit more American. The white fence and the red roses are symbolic for the overly colourised illusion of the greatness that America has to offer.

I have been able to encounter American Beauty a few years ago, I was struck by the bleak, but yet comical opening sequence, and of course Kevin Spacey’s calming voice. I think that he was a perfect choice for the role, he doesn’t sugarcoat his life, and he says it as it is. It’s possible to say the same about Bateman, he doesn’t mislead his audiences into believing he enjoys his life, he makes sure that we all know he is dead inside right at the beginning of the film. In my opinion, both characters perfectly sum up our society (not just America) they allow us to see that we all pretend, we are passively living our lives, pretending everything is okay, using money to build our status, but then the bubble bursts. 

 What really stands out in American Psycho, is the eccentric and quite comically peculiar portrayal of Patrick’s envious nature. The scene where the colleagues are showing off their business cards really shows Patrick’s psychotic tendencies, for me this was a rather comical scene and the way Bale acted in this film is just outstanding. One may be even convinced that he was born for this role. On the other hand, we could arguably say that Lester let his ‘psychotic’ side shine through as well, especially during the dinner scene where he announces to his detested wife that he quit his job, blackmailed his boss, which then follows by Lester simply asking for the asparagus. The audience are able to see the change of the characters, as they fall into the spiral of denial. Where Patrick carries his vicious acts that are driven by envy or by his animalistic nature, Lester on the other hand, loses his inhibitions; he quits his job, begins smoking marijuana, and even catches his wife cheating. Both of the characters have clear urges, Lester is driven by the need to feel something new, where as Patrick needs to fulfill his demonic desires. For Lester, the iconic scene, where he catches his wife with another man at the fast food place he currently works at is very significant in his character development, at this point in the film, the audience are able to see that he really has had enough and his attitude changes. He just doesn’t give a fuck.

Although, the film’s narratives develop in a different manner, they both reach similar climax. Lester is wrongly accused of something he didn’t do, but yet his new lifestyle provoked the events which resulted in his death. Patrick simply loses his plot, although as he stated he was dead inside at the beginning of the story, the film really shows the downfall of a man. 

Masculinity seems to be the theme that connects the two films the most. There is no lie that tendencies of perfectionism, often lead to psychotic behaviors and even mental illness, and this is exactly what the audience are able to see within the two characters. Patrick is a perfectionist, his body is perfect, he has a routine, a perfected plan in every act, Lester is working towards that goal, and he is working towards everything that Patrick already has. They both want the perfect body; they ‘hunt’ the perfect woman. Perhaps, American Psycho is foreshadowing what could happen to Lester, even after he achieved his big American dream, he got his dream girl, toned abs, would he stop there, or would his new way of life drive him deeper into obsessive madness.

I want to highlight that, the two films are on a totally different spectrum, American Beauty is an uplifting, but yet tragic story of an ordinary man, who many can emphasise with, the typical guy with the typical problems. American Psycho, is a bizarre and a nonconventional story of a man, a man who appears to have what we all want, but yet becoming what we all fear. American Beauty, is praised for its outstanding cinematography, its aesthetic pleasing visuals and of course the uplifting, but melancholic narrative. American Psycho is shocking, dark, highly entertaining and enigmatic. So what do you think, do these films try to show the world what America is really hiding? American Beauty is rather simple compare to American Psycho as the psychotic Bateman is not a literal representation of America, he is in fact a metaphor. I hope we can all agree that both, Lester and Patrick are nonconformists, who through their singular ways of living try to conform to normality.

I highly recommend both films! American Beauty is a multiple Academy Award winner and is highly critically acclaimed. American Psycho is an entraining, often surreal tale of a man who could be one of us.

 Written by Anna Gaszkowska