The Oedipus myth and its treatment in film

Subject : the utilization of the myth of Oedipus as an inspiration for cinematographic creations.

I chose it because: -I always liked Greco-Roman

myths, over all the Oedipus myth.

-I was interested in Freud’s theory about infantile sexuality.

Wanted to do something which was related to cinema.

1) Know classical versions of the myth, from Sophocles, Apollodorus and Pindar.

2) Know Sigmund Freud’s interpretation of it, and his theory about the Oedipus complex.

3) Watch films that treat this topics.

4) Find out the importance of these topics.

THEORY:

a)Read and summarize the classical versions of the Oedipus myth to get familiarized with the material.

b)explain the differences between the three versions.

c)Read the theory about the Oedipus complex from Sigmund Freud, and explain it.

PRACTICAL PART:

d) Watch films in which appear the topics explained in the theory.

e) Write down the conclusions I have reached.

“Edipo re” from Pier Paolo Pasolini is the most faithful to the facts from the myth.

“Spellbound”, from Hitchcock, gives more importance to the psychoanalysis and the feeling of guilt.

Alan Parker focuses “Angel Heart” on the inquiry into the past.

Woody Allen combines scene of the Greek theatre and elements of the tragedy to make a comedy.

The topics are universal in the natural being of every human.

The story is adapted to new circumstances because , even if society tries to hide these sides of the human character, they are unavoidable, so we have to touch this instincts through a catharsis, feeling identified with the main character.

Freud uses this myth as inspiration because of the similarity between the inexorable fate, from the story, and the instincts, which perform a big part of our existence.