In my research of psychological films I have

noticed the codes and conventions regularly used in

this genre:

Characters

!   A main or subsidiary person suffers with some kind of delusions and is plagued with hallucinations of the antagonist

!   The lines between what’s real and what’s not may be blurred for the audience, as the protagonist works to figure out what’s real

!   e.g. Fight Club (1999); the narrator is living a second life but only realises when this character points it out to him. Up until then the audience witness a number of clues to hint at the narrative, but only start to realise when it becomes clear to the narrator

Costume

!   Colloquial, creates a sense of realism

!   The protagonist wears normal clothes but his hallucinations may dress oddly, to show how they’re only real in the lead character’s mind

!   e.g. Donnie Darko (2001); Donnie is presented as a normal teenage boy and the antagonist is Frank, an unknown figure in a disturbing rabbit suit – making it obvious that he is either a figment of Donnie’s imagination or a very strange person

Horror

!   There is less physical harm or bloody gore, as the horror of fear and discomfort is used

!   Not all psychological films use horror aspects but when they do is is generally focused on suspense and tension

!   e.g. Psycho (1960); the narrative focuses on the characters and their mental health, but an element of horror is used for the murder scene

Reality

!   Characters and audience alike often struggle to determine what is real and what is not

!   It may be revealed to the audience before the protagonist

!   e.g. The Shining (1980); Jack struggles to see what’s real, as the audience struggle to see the difference between the supernatural elements of the film and the fact that Jack suffers from schizophrenia

Mind

!   There is usually a first person narrative so we understand what the protagonist is feeling

!   We may see the conflict they go through and/or the deterioration of their mental health

!   The character’s psychological state is the driving force of the narrative so it helps for us to understand and see their psychological state of mind

!   e.g. A Beautiful Mind (2001); We see what John Nash is going through and begin to understand what’s happening, even though he doesn’t know what’s going on

Identity/perception !   The protagonist often has to discover who they really are

!   However, their perception of it can be different to everyone else’s if they are suffering from delusions

!   Often we are presented with a perception of reality that is either wrong, and also what the protagonist experiences, or a different one to them; the real world

!   e.g. Shutter Island (2010); we are presented with 2 different aims of Teddy Daniels, and it is up to the audience (as well as him) to realise which is right

Death

!   There is often an element of death; the character is either fascinated or scared of it

!   There is usually an aspect of dying; either in terms of the character, their past, or their mental health

!   e.g. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975); death is heavily featured in this film, and the ending shows us the lobotomy of the protagonist – leaving him in a vegetative state, as though he has been killed