I've decided to upload about two thirds of my written assignment simply so that you could let me know if I'm on the right track. Could you please have a quick look to see where I could make changes etc, as I'm a little worried its sounding a bit too much like a review. I have identified the relevance of isolation in each of the films, but still... I'm a bit lost.
Thank you!
Introduction
This essay discusses animal-to-human
metamorphosis in film, with particular regard to the ways in which
therianthropy is used to communicate and investigate the theme of social
isolation. Films under discussion are John Cocteau’s La Belle et La Bete (1946), Kurt Neumann’s The Fly (1958), Sam Raimi’s Spiderman
3 (2007) and Mary Hannon’s American
Psycho (2000).
Research
sources include Sigmund Freud’s The
Psychopathology of Everyday Life, being used to analyse the psychological
effects of the transformation on everyday existence, Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho, as well as the 2000
film adaptation by Mary Hannon, acting as an example of a psychological
transformation in society and the above films The Fly, La Belle et La Bete and Spiderman 3, for their themes regarding transformation on an
emotional level.
The discussion begins by comparing
the symbolic use of metamorphosis in La
Belle et La Bete and The Fly,
before examining the associated idea of the Symbiote in the Spider-Man
universe, reinforcing ideas surrounding social isolation found in American Psycho. In conclusion, the
assignment will seek to address the psychological and emotional repercussions
that come as a result of metamorphosis.
Main
Essay
Breaking the Films Down
The idea of ‘the outcast’ is a
staple theme that appears to ride in tandem with themes of metamorphosis and
transformation, being displayed liberally in films such as Jean Cocteau’s La Belle et La Bete (1946) and Kurt
Neumann’s The Fly (1958).
In La Belle et La Bete, the Beast is initially seen as a being a
creature to be feared. This is brought on by not only his grotesque appearance,
but also his stern, dismissive attitude towards those he would consider have
wronged him.
“You
steal my roses. You steal my roses, the things I love most in all the world”
It
could be argued that his isolation from the rest of society was not necessarily
the result of his appearance, but more for his general distaste for the company
of others, as demonstrated in the quote above. Conversely, his personality
traits may be the result of a lack of social interaction, with isolation from
society being known to be a catalyst for anxiety, stress, violence and
depression (House, 2011).
Throughout the film, The Beast
gradually becomes less of a creature and more of a man in terms of personality,
thanks to the interaction he has with Belle. This change would suggest that his
personality was more likely to be the result of a form of depression,
subsequently serving as a personification of the beast within all of us.
In The Fly, Andre’s isolation is a result of his transformation, but
unlike the Beast in La Belle et La Bete,
it is his own choice. A choice he has made initially through the hope that one
day he will be able to return to his normal, 100% pure human form. Eventually,
the instinctive nature of the fly he has been spliced within begins to shine
through, erasing whatever human elements remain within.
Although Andre has deliberately
isolated himself from the outside world, the effects of solitary confinement
begin to take their toll. Andre becomes increasingly restless and impatient
with Helene’s attempts to save him, when he simply wants to be able to leave
his laboratory. Carly Frintner addresses this idea, saying,
“Prisoners who are isolated for prolonged periods of time have been known
to experience “depression, despair, anxiety, rage, claustrophobia,
hallucinations, problems with impulse control, and/or an impaired ability to
think, concentrate, or remember.”” (Frintner,
2005)
This frustration could be considered
reminiscent of the nature of the fly, particularly the idea of a fly attempting
to leave a room through a window. The fly struggles in futility to fly through,
getting more and more restless.
A modern example of therianthropy-induced
isolation is the Symbiote from the Spider-Man
universe. The Symbiote is a creature that takes an individual as a host and
subsequently alters the host’s physical and emotional attributes. In the 2007
film, Spiderman 3, directed by Sam Raimi,
the Symbiote initially provides the host with somewhat of a confidence boost.
In this case, the host Peter Parker has an emotional metamorphosis, shifting
his typical personality traits from shy and reclusive to wildly confident and
outgoing. The Symbiote appears to amplify the supressed characteristics that
the host would normally keep from displaying.
“This suit,
where'd this come from? The power, feels good... But you lose yourself to it…”
These
characteristics, at first, make the character more socially active, moving away
from the isolation theme. Although, it is the repercussions of these actions
which knock the host back to a state of social isolation. An example would be
the scene where Peter Parker dances in a jazz club in order to impress Mary
Jane and, in theory, win her back. Parker is at the peak of his confidence as
he displays his talents to the various club-goers. His effects on the crowd are
destroyed as, in the midst of a fight, he forcefully shoves Mary Jane away. All
respect that he had momentarily established is blown away in an instant,
dropping him back where he began.
The idea of a psychological
transformation is also present in the Bret Easton Ellis novel, American Psycho, as well as the 2000
film adaptation directed by Mary Hannon. In American
Psycho, the character Patrick Bateman is a Wall Street executive
moonlighting as a psychopath. Unlike the previously mentioned films, Bateman
does not physically transform from a human into a beast, but psychologically he
is as much of a beast as any other.
“I have all
the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a
single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust.”
In terms of
social isolation, Bateman is forced into human interaction due to his career,
meaning in order to indulge in his sadistic hobby, he must force isolation upon
himself. This feeling of intended isolation is present throughout the film
adaptation, particularly in Bateman’s apartment. Everything is stark, cold and
clean, a personal prison, of sorts.
