For a long time I have thought about doing a class on the portrayal of therapy in movies. Our local library has a film series and it occurred to me that I could propose a series and have discussion after each film. So I started to gather titles. I thought about calling it Psyche goes to the Movies, but my husband tells me people might not get the point from that title. A friend suggested Shrinks in Flix. What do you think?
I am reading Celluloid Couches, Cinematic Clients: Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in the Movies edited by Jerrold Brandell and Psychiatry and the Cinema by Gabbard and Gabbard just to see what is out there.
Some films I am considering:
1. What About Bob?
2. Analyze This
3. Ordinary People
4. Mumford
5. Prince of Tides
6. Don Juan De Marco
7. When a Man Loves a Woman
8. The Caveman's Valentine
9. Girl Interrupted
10. Behind the Lines
11. What Dreams May Come
12. The Three Faces of Eve
13. Agnes of God
14. The Sopranos: selected episodes
15. Prime
16. The Treatment
17. Selected episodes of In Treatment
Now some of these films offer interesting looks at mental illness more than at therapy, but I like them so I have them on the list. My very favorite, "Lady in the Dark", is, alas, not available on DVD.
Got any suggestions for other titles? I think I have more than one series here, if a series runs for 6 weeks or so.