‘Weaving a Myth’: Magnolia and the Psychology of Religion in Film

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8 word format

document in english

film studies

school essay

published 02/10/2007

review : not yet assessed

level : Advanced

requested 6 times

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Summary

Imagination is fundamental to human life. Indeed, all the ‘humanities’ are manifestations of the creative instinct that finds its origin in imagination. One creative imagination communicates its images to another in an attempt to bridge the perceived space between two minds. Hillman suggests that, just as painting in the Renaissance made the imaginative leap from flat representation to spatial perspective, when deeper imaginable dimensions are achieved through the evolution of art forms, the viewer reaches “a new relation with the image and closer participation ‘in’ its ‘reality’ (212).” In modern times, film represents another such leap; it is a medium that augments visual art with the temporal dimension, allowing the direct projection of entire narratives into the psyche of another, by means of creating a reality that is more authentically shared between the creative mind and its audience (of other creative minds).

Imagination is fundamental to human life. Indeed, all the ‘humanities' are manifestations of the creative instinct that finds its origin in imagination.
The film Magnolia, written and directed by P.T. Anderson, presents an array of psychological issues that can be interpreted according to theories of the object-relations, analytic, and depth-psychological schools of psychology.
Magnolia opens with a montage of pseudo-historical events, each so extravagantly coincidental as to imply that ‘something else' is at work.
The first lead character that the viewer of Magnolia meets is Frank TJ Mackey, a TV performer whose program ‘Seduce and Destroy' enjoys a cult-following in its audience of sexually frustrated men.
In a scene inter-spliced with ‘Seduce and Destroy' seminar footage, Mackey is interviewed by Guinevere, a female reporter who uncovers information implying the psychological mechanisms of the TV-cult.
After the relationship between Mackey and Earl has been introduced, the audience of Magnolia meets another family with psycho-sexual issues.
The last film character the audience meets is Jim, a Christian police officer who, after offering a short prayer under a crucifix, claps his hands like he's ready for action.
When Jim is called to investigate Claudia's house after a neighbor complained of noise, he is forced to hide his immediate sexual attraction under the guise of official business.
Directly after the surreal musical number, the rain that has drizzled in the background for the entire film clears up, and the characters begin to take control of their lives.
This archetypal scene influences each of the characters towards self-realization.