Psychology at the movies
It is interesting to note the number of violent, sudden and highly emotive deaths that occur in Pixar and Disney movies.
Finding Nemo, mum and siblings get eaten within ten minutes of the movie starting. Encanto, Grandfather is murdered by a marauding mob. Frozen, the parents to Anna and Elsa are presumed dead in a sailing accident. I never saw Bambi but the write up from Time magazine is intriguing. Seriously Bambi made a list of top 25 horror films!!!
I am sure plenty of questions and wonderful discussion can be had on this topic. For today, I am bringing the focus of the (camera) lens to the need for drama in storytelling.
The emotional intensity quickly hooks us into "how will they cope", "what will they do next", "I am going to watch the rest of this to find out" mode. Well for many they have this reaction. It is interesting to hear young children cry and say "turn it off". The emotional intensity being seen as too much.
So drama is used as a tool to hook us into watching the film. Much like an X factor audition (does this show still exist?). We see the heart breaking life story first, which then fuels our joy at seeing their triumph. I always found the under dog story so much more satisfying (i.e. Rocky etc) than a privileged figure who has always won everything and then goes on to win some more (boring).
Returning to our lens, the death of parents hooks us into the story and drives motivation for both character and ourselves to want a better outcome. A powerful storytelling tool.
What does this storytelling tool (sudden loss, followed by hero's journey to find one's own course for life) tell us about real life?
I wonder if sudden loss creates a clearer anchor point to work from. A sudden event is more concise to share and refer back to.
In Frozen, Elsa is metaphorically frozen in her grief. Her parents told her (before they died) hide your powers. Their death and her loyalty to them freeze the rule in time, the rule has no chance to be debated or challenged with the rule givers (the parents), so it remains rigid and unmoving "I will not let it go". The doors to the castle remain closed and Elsa remains separate from herself and the world.
The famous rendition of "let it go" signifies Elsa's choice to stop conforming to the rule, break the laws of the past and find her own way. Go you super star!!!
The audience is invited to share the joy of seeing a rule and then stepping over it with joyous freedom. Releasing ourselves in one clear act.
Movies seem to find it much harder to build a story about absence or what is frequently termed neglect. This more insidious trauma has no clearly defined shape or moment in time. No event to anchor our understanding. No easily defined Meme to share with others quickly and concisely.
If the trauma is harder to define, less interesting to explore, not perceived as a real problem, then ownership and change remain formidable challenges within the therapy room.
