Research Information System
RUPKATHA JOURNAL ON INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES IN HUMANITIES, vol.16, no.1, pp.1-16, 2024 (ESCI)
Abstract
Freud’s “unconscious,” a lauded seminal psychological contribution, has transitioned into an efficacious
narrative device in cinema, evolving into a paradigmatic relationship. This article scrutinizes Inception (2010),
a quintessential psychoanalytical film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. It explicates the director’s
linkage to psychoanalysis and reveals how he demystifies the unconscious through its utilization both as a
cinematic form and thematic device, manifested in discernible dream layers. It is ascertained that these
layers perform a bifunctional role as cinematic and narrative elements. Intriguingly, this multifaceted
structure extends to character development as well, exploiting the complexities of the characters’
pathologies. Since the filmic structure leverages the pathologies exhibited by the characters, they constitute
secondary data for the analysis. The pathologies are aligned with the mental disorder classifications the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR
TM ) (American
Psychiatric Association, 2013). Pertinent character data are analysed in the Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (SPSS). The findings, subsequently subjected to psychoanalytic film analysis, enrich a deeper
understanding and fuller appreciation of the representation of the unconscious in the cinematic domain.
Keywords: Christopher Nolan, Inception, Psychoanalysis, Unconscious, Film Criticism.