Films Illustrating Psychopathology Danny Wedding Mary Ann Boyd ...

218 Movies and Mental Illness
prisoner of war working as a laborer on the farm.
The man is accused of a rape he did not commit;
his lover can save him, but only at the cost of
revealing her adultery.
Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession (1980)
Drama ΨΨ
Art Garfunkel (playing a psychology professor),
Harvey Keitel, and Theresa Russell star in a
provocative and explicit film about a psychiatrist
who becomes sexually obsessed with a young
woman after she makes a suicide attempt.
Basic Instinct (1992) Suspense/Thriller ΨΨ
Psychological thriller about a novelist (Sharon
Stone) who is a sex addict that entangles an investigator
(Michael Douglas) into a complex mystery
of murder, sex, and fascination.
Psychologist: “Nick, when you
recollect your childhood, are your
recollections pleasing to you?”
Nick: “Number 1, I don’t
remember how often I used to
jerk off, but it was a lot. Number
2, I wasn’t pissed off at my
dad, even when I was old enough
to know what he and mom
were doing in the bedroom.
Number 3, I don’t look in the
toilet before I flush it. Number 4,
I haven’t wet my bed for a long
time. Number 5, why don’t the
two of you go fuck yourselves;
I’m outta here.”
Michael Douglas threatened
by a psychological interview
in Basic Instinct
Beginner’s Luck (1983) Comedy ΨΨ
Lightweight comedy about a law student who
becomes involved in a ménage à trois.
Belle de Jour (1967) Drama ΨΨΨΨ?
Luis Buñuel film with Catherine Deneuve playing
a bored housewife who amuses herself by working
in a brothel from two until five every afternoon, at
least until her sexual obsessions begin to complicate
her life. Buñuel may be filming what is just an
erotic dream.
Birdcage, The (1996) Comedy ΨΨΨ
Mike Nichols and Elaine May’s remake of La
Cage aux Folles. This film is almost as good as the
original, thanks to strong performances by Robin
Williams and Gene Hackman.
“Al, you old son of a bitch! How
ya doin’? How do you feel about
that call today? I mean the
Dolphins! Fourth-and-three play
on their 30 yard line with only 34
seconds to go!”
Armand trying to act masculine
in The Birdcage
Blame It on Rio (1984) Comedy ΨΨ
Two men take their teenage daughters to Rio’s topless
beaches, and one of the men, 43 years old, has
an affair with the 15-year-old daughter of the other.
The film has a vaguely incestuous theme and is
modeled after the French film One Wild Moment.
Bliss (1997) Drama Ψ
Very fragile woman with a borderline personality
disorder goes to a charming sex therapist who
sleeps with his patients. The husband finds out;
when he confronts the therapist, the husband converts
and becomes his disciple. The film illustrates
numerous ethical violations, and it demeans sacred
Hindu tantric practices.
Blue Angel, The (1930) Drama ΨΨΨΨΨ
Classic film about a phlegmatic professor who
loses everything because of his obsession with a
cabaret singer.
Blue Car (2002) Drama ΨΨΨ
Independent film about an adolescent girl who is
tutored by her teacher. Good depiction of the disturbing,
subtle aspects of seduction and sexual
exploitation.
Blue Velvet (1986) Mystery ΨΨΨΨ
A powerful and engrossing David Lynch film about
drugs, sexual violence, and sadomasochism. Dennis
Hopper portrays Frank Booth, one of the most
sociopathic and sadistic villains in film history.
Bound (1996) Suspense/Drama ΨΨ
A tough female ex-con and her new female lover
From: Wedding, D., Boyd, M.A., & Niemiec, R.M. Movies and Mental Illness: Using Films to Understand Psychopathology
© 2005 Hogrefe & Huber Publishers (www.hogrefe.com)