Cinema, a major art form with a history of over two hundred years, has been subject to various philosophical interpretations. “Leaving the Movie Theater” can be seen as a psychoanalytic article, evident from its rich psychological terminology and interpretations of behavior-psychology connections.
The article offers a fresh perspective on the experience of leaving the movie theater. It highlights the unique nature of the cinema as an enclosed, introverted space. The intense light from the screen hinders adaptation to the darkness, blurring everything outside. This creates a state of “hypnosis” for the audience.
According to Sigmund Freud, hypnosis requires a twilight fantasy. The movie theater unwittingly fulfills this condition through dim lighting, loss of presence, averted gazes, comfortable seating, and an indifferent atmosphere. The audience willingly enters this state of hypnosis and finds pleasure within.
However, leaving the movie theater often brings a sense of opposition. It shatters the primal space where viewers experience an ambiguous connection with audio-visual elements. The shattered mirror separates them from the blissful and thoughtless sensation, unveiling the pain of disillusionment.
Viewers resist being forcibly pulled back into the outside world, craving the existence and seriousness they left behind. Yet, sinking into hypnosis can dull their senses. To break free, viewers should adopt a critical and reflective approach, focusing on the image and its deeper meanings. The author refers to this as a “distance of love,” where happiness brought by the film may lie hidden.
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A good summarization and distillation of the various theoretical points of the article. You paid good attention not only to the sense of immersion but also the experience of breaking from immersion. We would also like to hear any personal feelings about this “distance of love.” Curious about your choice to describe the movie theatre as “unwittingly” fulfilling the conditions of hypnosis. Why would you describe it as thus? Are you suggesting there to be a separate role that the theatre space would more wittingly perform?