Psychoanalytic film theory

Sigmund Freud: theory of "the self"

Sigmund Freud is known for being one of the first people to discuss the significance of the unconscious mind on an individuals behaviours, desires and motivations. He believed in three levels of conscious known as the unconscious, preconscious and conscious. The unconscious refers to the things that we are unaware of all of the time, the preconscious is similar in the way that it refers to information that you are unaware of but the difference here is that this information can be recalled and the conscious mind is your current state of awareness.

It may be easier to visualise Freud's theory of self in the form of the angel v devil debate that is often seen in cartoons. When an individual is faced with making a decision they are shown as having an angel on their left side and a devil on their right side who are influencing the individual's ability to make a logical decision. This model shares many similarities with Freud's theory of personality which can be broken down in to three parts; the id, ego and superego.  The Id is the first to develop, followed by the ego and the super ego is the last of the parts to develop. 

Id

The Id is the biological component of the brain which is from birth. Often seen as more dominant than the superego, it is responsible for our natural instincts and the desires and urges that we often repress.  It responds immediately to our natural human instincts. A new born baby is all Id as they have not developed the other two component that form the personality and explains why babies cry when they are hungry because they need instant gratification for their desires. 

Ego

The ego is responsible for dealing with reality. The ego is developed from the Id and distinguishes an acceptable projection of this on the world from the desires of the individual.   This is commonly referred to as the reality principle. The reality principle is responsible for weighing the benefits and disadvantages of a given decision. The impulses of the Id can be controlled by a process known as "delayed gratification", meaning that the ego will allow the behaviour but only in the appropriate time or place. The ego functions in all three components of the brain, conscious, preconscious and subconscious. 

Superego

The superego is the last component of the personality to develop. It is internalised from behaviours we learn from the people around us, most commonly learnt from our parents and the world around us. It is the moral standards we acquire as a reflection of the society we have grown up in and creates our sense of right and wrong. Freud argues that this begins around the age of 5. 

• Constant battle in the psyche between the Superego and the Id 

• the superego is the part of our brain responsible for criticism 

• Freud believed that (dreams are) the royal road to the unconscious and that they contained important clues into the human psyche (Weiter, 2004: 195), his research included questions patients on their dream experiences and using their descriptions as a means of uncovering their "true" motivations and perceptions on the world 

• Film operates on much the same principle...film speaks directly to the unconscious, the language of dreams is one that is not an abstract form of communication such as narrative, but is one that is filled with images they carry hidden meanings on a latent level. (Kluge, 1999) 
• Id - instincts 
• Ego - reality 
• Superego - morality 

• The nature that is film can be, to a degree, deconstructed in order to unveil a universal understanding of our thoughts and behaviours that contribute towards our enjoyment of the film. as it acts as a release mechanism of these id induced impulses 

• Freudian Analysis - Id the most primitive drive, concerned only with fulfilling pleasure, Has sometimes been referred to as the irrational and emotional part of the mind. It is often regarded as being selfish, because it's concerned only with its own self-satisfaction. Babies and young children are often used as examples because they're usually driven by the pleasure and instant gratification principles. Key word - want

• Ego - based on the reality principle. The ego is capable of understanding that one's own desires may vary for people around (reality), and is willing to make this consideration. The ego tries to meet the basic needs of the id but also takes into account the real world. The ego understands that actions have effects, whether positive or negative, and tries to balance out thinking before carrying out decisions/actions. Key word - balance 

• Superego - based on moral principles instilled by rearing and moral/ethical restraints placed upon by caregivers. The superego encompasses an individual's ideals, goals and conscience as well as society's. The superego is concerned with what others will think, and stands in opposition to the Id. The superego acts to perfect and civilise our behaviour. Key words - morals, compromise 

Freud Application: Emperor's New Groove

Id: The Id in this clip is represented by the devil as he is symbolic of Kronk's desires and urges before they are filtered by the more logical parts of the brain that are responsible for implementing our morality otherwise known as the superego. The Id needs instant gratification and tries to come up with reasons for acting upon impulse. 

Superego: The superego is represented by the angel on Kronk's shoulder and is symbolic of the 'best' version of an individual. The superego is based around your idea of right and wrong to both society and yourself therefore this is usually the most logical - 'voice of reason'. In this clip the angel Kronk is trying to reason with the Id to act on Kronk's best interests but struggles to suppress the need for instant gratification that the Id requires. The Id and Superego are often in a constant battle between right and wrong which makes it difficult to decide which one is the best decision. 

Ego: The ego is represented by Kronk. His placement in the middle of the shot suggests that he is a mediator between the Id and the Superego and is mainly responsible for making decisions because the Ego appears bigger than both the Id and Superego which is representative of their significance in decision making. Ultimately the Ego decides what choice should be made by weighing up both sides equally and coming up with a realistic compromise. The ego is also present in all three parts of the brain which again reinforces the fact that the ego is the main focus in decision making and that's why in the clip the character Kronk appears significantly larger than the other two.