Celluloid Psychology series

Three Colours: Blue (Trois couleurs: Bleu)

Available via YouTube
"This film by Krzysztof Kieslowski is the first in a trilogy on the themes of liberty, equality and fraternity represented by the French flag. Juliette Binoche plays a woman grieving for her husband and daughter, who died in a car crash that she survived. It is a study of grief and recovery as well as freedom, the topic of the film. Binoche tries to escape her anguish by cutting off ties to her previous life, but she cannot escape from other people. Ultimately these human connections help her on the path to recovery, reminding us of our need for social connection and showing that isolation is not the same thing as freedom.

Amélie

Memento

Available on Amazon Prime
"Memento is a narratively complex and gripping film which centres on the central character’s search for understanding of his recent past. Leonard suffers from anterograde amnesia, an inability to form new memories, following an incident in which his wife was killed. His plight is an extreme illustration of the human capacity and drive to create a coherent narrative that explains (to ourselves) our experience and our behaviour. This is seen sometimes in patients with brain damage who may invent explanations for their behaviour or state (such as paralysis of one-half of the body) which seem outlandish to observers. The director (Christopher Nolan) uses many techniques to convey different perspectives (self and other) in the construction of the story as two parallel but reversed series of vignettes. In fact, we see Leonard construct the story for himself as a series of moments receding into the past. This reflects a fundamental aspect of human memory – its constructive and non-veridical nature. Our memories are not like a recording of the past. Instead, they are stories that we tell ourselves repeatedly, each time constructing our past, and its meaning, anew.

Festen

Available via BFI Player subscription
"Festen (1998) directed by Thomas Vinterberg (The Hunt, The Commune) was the first Dogme95 film. The Dogme movement itself was a response to Hollywood's increasing production of low-quality but large-budget films. The movement took away most of the tools from the film-makers, which we are so familiar today. To mention a few, the movement did not allow adding music to the film; using special lighting; including superficial actions (murder, violence, weapons); and also crediting the director. Dogme95 constrained directors to only display behaviour on the screen - with very minimal use of film language. 

Some say that what the director directs is not the film itself, but the audience's attention. On the other hand, if the tools used to direct the audience's attention are taken away, what can the director do apart from showing us how people behave and interact? There are no music to lighten or elevate the mood and inform us "Something sad is happening, you should feel sad." or "Something bad is going to happen, prepare yourselves!" There are no special effects or lighting to tell us "Look here! This is important!"

In terms of psychology the film relies on behaviour to explore some rather interesting themes, which were taboo at the time. The film subtly dissects these psychological themes through the interactions between characters and the behaviours of individuals. This exploration centres on both individual and collective denial, but doesn't shy away from racism, hierarchy within the family and also within the society.

The Music Never Stopped

Available via YouTube
"Borrowing the title of a song, The Music Never Stopped is a story of a mother and father and their initially close relationship with their young son. This relationship was cemented through their shared love of music. As time goes on, the family, mainly the father and son, drift apart. This is due, in part, to the father’s lack of understanding of his son’s perspective on the world. Twenty years later, the film tells the story of the family being brought back together when the son is diagnosed with a large brain tumour that is affecting his long-term memory. The rest of the film focuses on Gabriel’s (the son’s) recovery through music therapy and the painful, as well as joyous, memories this unlocks for all parties.

Being John Malkovich