Film, television and the psychology of the social dream
By: Robert W. Rieber, Robert J. Kelly ; with a contribution from Charles Winick
Contributors: Kelly, Robert J.; Winick, Charles, 1922-2015
Publisher: Springer
Published: 2014
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 181
ISBN-13: 9781461471745; 9781461471752
Subjects: Motion pictures; Psychological aspects; Television
Description: "From the flickering images of the earliest silent films to today's billion-dollar blockbusters, films have captivated the public's eyes, hearts, and psyches. Reflecting - and often creating - the tenor of their times, they combine layers of symbolic and metaphorical images to make a stronger internal impact on their viewers than the still image or the printed word. The compelling pages of Film, Television and the Psychology of the Social Dream illuminate the profound emotional processes involved as films inform and transform our unconscious and conscious minds. Drawing on original and classic scholarship in its field, this provocative volume analyzes these interactions through a wide array of influential films, including pioneering German expressionist works, the Star Trek cycle, and The Godfather. Movies' transformative role in molding philosophies and ethics is shown as the larger meanings of public heroes, stars, fears, and desires evolve, and as salient genres embody more than simply a good story. But despite this century of evolution, the authors assert, one thing remains constant: the critical place of film in communicating individual dreams as well as the shared dreams of a society"--Back cover.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: The cultural psychology of motion pictures : dreams that money can buy; title: The aliens in us and the aliens out there : science fiction in the movies; title: The role of movies and mental health; title: Bedlam in spyland : is Bourne Bond?; title: The cult of celebrity : how Hollywood created reality; title: Life imitating art : organized crime on screen; title: Media and film influences on popular culture; title: Conclusions: The inventor, the detective, and the warrior.