al·ien·a·tion
n
1. a turning away; estrangement
2. the state of being an outsider or the feeling of being isolated, as from society
3. (Psychiatry) Psychiatry a state in which a person's feelings are inhibited so that eventually both the self and the external world seem unreal
The theme of alienation is present in many ways in numerous films. Within the context of the three definitions provided, it is reasonable to see how many films may have characters which feel a sense of alienation. Often in these films, alienation drives the development of the character, pushes them into action in order to change their situation for the better, or pushes them into negative actions like self destruction. In certain cases, alienation becomes a common phenomenon, causing the need for a large scale change, like a revolt against an oppressive society. In other cases, alienation is caused by very personal and individual reasons. A person can experience personal turmoil or a circumstance which is specific to them, which intensifies their sense of alienation because they may internalize their feelings. Film is an excellent way to express this often complex emotion that is common to every human being at a certain point in their lives.
Due to the variety of films covered in this semester, we can begin to understand
the theme of alienation from a number of perspectives.Back to Main Page
Bibliography, Photo credits and Links :
Main Page:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/alienation : Definition for alienation
http://gettyimages.com : Creative no. 71849841, "Isolated House" 2006Alienation in "Zed and Two Noughts"
Images: Coral WinDVD screencatures from "Zed and Two Noughts" (1985) Peter Greenaway
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Zed_&_Two_NoughtsAlienation in Pink Floyd's "The Wall"
Images: Coral WinDVD screencatures from "The Wall" (1982) Roger Waters
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Floyd_The_Wall_(film)
Alienation in "Equilibrium"
Images: Coral WinDVD screencatures from "Equilibrium" (2002) Kurt Wimmer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equilibrium_(film)Alienation in "Paris Je T'aime"
http://www.youtube.com : "Paris Je T'aime, 14th Arrondissement"Alienation in "The Cube"
Images: Coral WinDVD screencatures from "The Cube" (1997) Vincenzo Natali
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_filmseries_(film)
http://www.architecture.uwaterloo.ca/faculty_projects/terri/443_solaris_f09.html
Alienation in "Solaris"
Images: Coral WinDVD screencatures from "Solaris" (1972) Andrei Tarkovsky
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solaris_(1972_film)Alienation in "The Shining"
Images: Coral WinDVD screencatures from "The Shining" (1980) Stanley Kubrick
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shining_(film)Alienation in "Paprika"
Images: Coral WinDVD screencatures from "Paprika" (2006) Satoshi Kon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paprika_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paprika_(2006_film)