Psychoanalytic Film Theory

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the differences between film and television that explains why psychoanalytic film theory cannot simply be directly applied to television. The paper examines Jaques Lacan's mirror phase that has great relevance to film and/or TV studies and then turns to E. Ann Kaplan's four approaches that address contemporary application to current media forms. The paper also notes that there is a film in every category for every desire imaginable and this sheds support for much of the ideas behind psychoanalytical film theory.

From the Paper:

"Sandy Flitterman-Lewis suggests "psychoanalytic film theory cannot simply be applied to television". Indications for this reasoning are depicted as contrasted through the model for viewer participation in the cinema in varying detailed explanation. A collaboration of these aspects gather together to produce what is referred to as the film spectator, the technology of cinema; the nature of filmic enunciation; the characteristics of the viewing situation; and the psychic processes that link viewer to film. For all intensive purposes, television consists of a design and application completely different in many ways."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Media Analysis Techniques by Arthur Berger, Third Edition
• Psychoanalysis, Film, And Television, Sandy Flitterman-Lewis, Essay - 1986)
• E. Ann Kaplan essay; Feminist Criticism and Television. < http://jcomm.uoregon.edu/~cbybee/j388/feminist.html#Anchor-Three-35882>)

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