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10 Films About the Horrors of the Mind
Fernando Espi Forcen, MD, PhD
The viewing of horror films, though paradoxical, can be therapeutic through sensation-seeking, catharsis, and existential relief of our deepest fears.
The viewing of horror films, though paradoxical, can be therapeutic through sensation-seeking, catharsis, and existential relief of our deepest fears.
Monsters: the study of monsters allows us to learn about the fear of our own instincts. From a dynamic viewpoint, the monster does what our super-ego prohibits. A monster may kill, kidnap or do other terrible things. The monster might be seen as an allegory of the Id. Film: The Creature from the Black Lagoon by William Alland, 1954. Rent for 49 cents on Amazon Prime.
Vampires: Psychologically they may be seen as the expression of our unacceptable sexual desires. Vampire films have been usually very erotic, something that was not acceptable by the society of the time. For instance, Dracula is often portrayed as an attractive European man with an accent. Vampirism is highly charged with sexuality. Film: Dracula, 1931, Tod Browning. Rent for 49 cents on Amazon Prime.
Demonic Possession: According to the Bible, an evil spirit could take possession of a person’s body and an exorcism could serve as both a cure and an explanation. Psychiatrically, demonic possession syndrome may be seen as the psychological and somatic manifestations of early trauma in life. In these scenarios, historically, exorcisms may have provided relief from these traumas and spiritual healing. Film: The Exorcist by William Friedkin. Available on Hulu.
Witchcraft: During the Renaissance, the publication of Malleus Maleficarum by the German Inquisition provided literature to support the theory that black magic was practiced in society. For centuries, people were burned at the stake accused of witchcraft practice in Germany, Switzerland, England, Spain, and the United States. Alleged witches were accused of unacceptable sexual behaviors, nudity, hallucinogenic use of substances, and offering children to the devil. Historians now believe that the target of these fake accusations were the outcasts and persons with mentally illness. The study of witchcraft accusation may help us understand the state of mentally illness at the time. Film: Haxän, 1922 by Benjamin Christensen. Free on YouTube.
Aliens: After World War II, during the Cold War and the competition to conquer the space, a fear in society grew around the idea of being invaded. Films about aliens from outer space threatening our entire society became very popular in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The viewing of these films likely provided cathartic relief of this type of fear to their viewers. Film: Alien, by Ridley Scott, 1979. Currently available on HBO Max.
Haunted Houses: With the popularity of spiritism during the 19th century, people believed the could contact their deceased loved ones. A belief that the ghosts of deceased people can stay in our earthly world has remained in society to this day. Haunted Houses films may reflect on the grief caused by the loss of a loved one. While we are scared of ghosts, we enjoy the idea that one day there could be a reunion with our gone loved ones. Film: Poltergeist, Tobe Hooper, 1982. Temporarily available on Amazon Prime.
Slash Killers: The fear of being killed by a psychopathic person is perhaps one of the most common ones in our society. Perhaps influenced by Italian Giallo genre in the 1970s and 1980s, films about slash serial killers became very popular. Similar to the literature and films in the Giallo genre, the killer punishes sexuality, assassinating anyone but the person who is able to preserve virginity. These films may reflect on the guilt related to having sexual intercourse. At the same time, slash killers may be viewed psychiatrically as individuals with antisocial personality disorder. Film: A Nightmare on Elm Street by Wes Craven, 1984 (New Line Cinema). Can be streamed on SYFY, or purchased or rented from iTunes, YouTube Movies, or Google Play.
Zombies: In the advent of the current health crisis and right after the financial crisis, our society fears a collapse of the current system. Zombie films reflect on a reset of the current system. As such, the popularity of zombie films may be related to our current fears. In the present tense, we are experiencing a pandemic that challenges the whole system. The viewing of zombie films may provide cathartic relief to this kind of fear. The Night of The Living Dead by George Romero, 1968. Available on YouTube.
Evil Health Care Workers. During the 1950s through 1970s, the citizens of the Western world began to demand societal changes congruent with their new values and beliefs. Psychiatry, the field of medicine that studies human behavior, was not immune to criticism. A new bulk of thinking known today as the anti-psychiatry movement challenged the current diagnostic methodologies, psychiatric treatment, and the whole conception of mental illness. A number of horror films followed this anti-psychiatry trend. In these films, electroconvulsive therapy and psychosurgery were used as punishment by evil health care workers. Watching films about asylums can help us learn about the anti-psychiatry movement and its aesthetic impact in our culture. Though not technically a film, Ratched (2020, Netflix©), fills the bill.
About the author: Dr Forcen is assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush Medical College, and founder, The Journal of Humanistic Psychiatry. For more information, see Dr Forcen’s book, Monsters, Demons and Psychopaths: Psychiatry and Horror Film.