Category: EE

I started with an interest in iconic film villains after watching a youtube video that analyzed how Darth Vader managed to become iconic with only 37 minutes of screen time. I have been interested in villains since childhood, however, it took some research for me to whittle down the interest to a manageable EE topic. I started with a list of iconic villains for analysis, but they had very little in common to write an essay on. When I noticed the connection between the Joker and Hannibal Lecter I found some direction in my EE. Seeing as they were both psychopaths as well as villains, it made sense to analyze them from a psychoanalytic standpoint to find what made them iconic. This was not a specific enough research focus. I was finally able to make progress with my essay when I switched my research focus from investigating the academia surrounding the films to psychoanalytic theory in general. Having already analyzed the films, once I focused on the psychoanalytic theory it gave me clear points to structure my essay around. By focusing on the psychoanalytic theory instead of the films in general, I was able to write a precise essay.

My research thus far has been mostly successful. I have been able to find a wide range of credible sources on psychoanalytic film theory that apply to my essay. As a result, I have gained a deeper understanding of the trickster and shadow archetypes as well as the Uncanny. Many of the articles on archetypes draw from North American myths, and it has been interesting to note the similarities between them and the films I’m analyzing. My research falls short in finding quotes from the film crew to justify my analysis, particularly on “The Silence of The Lambs” as the film was made in 1991. I also do not have enough direct links to my films, which my supervisor suggested I could solve by creating diagrams around the script and shots of the film. This would make my analysis clearer and also justify analysis that I cannot find interviews to support.

I knew that I wanted to write my EE on film villains, specifically what makes the greatest of them engaging and oddly likable. My EE supervisor suggested that I connect the villains of my choice through film theory, and analyze how their greatness was achieved through the exploitation of the aforementioned theory. The of the schools of film theory discussed, I decided to focus on psychoanalytic and auteur theory, as auteur theory provides direct links to the cinematic portrayal of a character, while psychoanalytic theory should provide reasons as to why villains can resonate so greatly with an audience. When discussing possible villains with my supervisor, the two that seemed the best connected were The Joker and Hannibal Lector. While they are both psychopaths, they are iconic, well-liked, and have directly contrasting personalities. I now need to rewatch films with these villains and identify the links to theory, as well as further investigate the possible links to Schreiber theory.