The Machinist
Freudian Psychoanalysis Film Studies
The Machinist (2004) was directed by Brad Anderson and starred Christian Bale. A film that revolves around a character, a man named Trevor Reznik who works in a machine parts shop, visits an airport cafe most nights and has frequent visits with a "hooker". The film develops as the audience is shown that the main character is not in his right mind shown through the actor being emaciated. Reznik is struggling to come to terms with a hit and run incident and his mind causes paranoia and incidents. Reznik is warned frequently through the film by various manifestations of the Super Ego.
In the Machine Shop we can see how his bosses are split with a middle manager and a head of department. We can assume that the abuse that the middle manager hurls at him is the severe punishing side of the super ego, the drive to get things done and efficiently, whilst the head manager is concerned of the self saying that Reznik looks sick and should get help. The role of the super ego being split as real people is then repeated within his own mind where he creates another version of himself who is also fed up and drained. Initially this new side of him represents the Id the impulsive rough ball of a force that is shown smoking, wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket to emphasise his rebelliousness. Technically in the screen capture shown below we are introduced through a medium close up low angle shot giving this mental break the power. The shots framing is loose, enough so that we can see the outline of car and the focusing is deep enough so that you can see the character against its background and feel the distance between him and the wearhouse.
The Ghost Ride scene after Reznik has offered to look after the boy, of the waitress in the airport cafe, is a scene where his subconscious Super Ego comes through in the attraction. Shown in the miss-en-scene there are words and images that have the guilt and retrubutional side of the mind become real as he slowly passes by on the railed cart. The hanged man because he was "Guilty" of his crimes but alone by a tree signifies a self punishment. The Sheriff's office is shown as a way out for Reznik the dead man already hinting that he should hand himself in. Technically shot in deep focus so that you get all the meaning that you can from it and whilst all is seen it is in the background for the audience to see that it is not in his Ego the forefront of his mind.
There is then a simulated car accident which mirrors what happened in real life, his Super Ego reminding him overtly but through an almost comical means that he ran over a kid. After this there is a choice in the tracks, tracks in of its self signify a planned route, where he pleads to the child to take the path of hope and forgiveness but through his actions he is forced only to take the highway to hell. His choicelessness could be considered the impulses of the Id which caused the actions and the need to carry on after the accident and the Super Ego reusing this fact to instil guilt making him have no choice in which path just as the boy had no choice in being ran over. Letting the boy have this choice in the scene is a symbolic way of supporting that idea.
Prison becomes the resolution for Reznik's story as after he has faced his previous actions and realised that it was his mind telling him to repent he relents and heads to the police office. As he arrives and decides on his decision he glances out of the window to see his other self bidding farewell or a greeting as the split is no longer needed now he is atoning for his transgression.
When Reznik is taken to his cell the super ego's repentance is shown technically by having white, clean colour on the walls and surroundings and having three persons in shot is a realised identity and a complete mind again. He is placed in his cell which is framed in thirds again to show that he is the Ego the one in control again but with the thirds that was shown before the other elements are still there but back in the subconscious. Finally that character is laid down on his bed, which in the white room looks holy or religious, so after being denied sleep for so long his is given his rest.
Freuds theory of the Id, Ego and Super Ego is around this film and unlike many films where people are shown to stay mad where they reside within their Id, kept impulsive and untamed, The Machinist focuses on the discovery and making up with the mind by owning up to transgressions made.
In the Machine Shop we can see how his bosses are split with a middle manager and a head of department. We can assume that the abuse that the middle manager hurls at him is the severe punishing side of the super ego, the drive to get things done and efficiently, whilst the head manager is concerned of the self saying that Reznik looks sick and should get help. The role of the super ego being split as real people is then repeated within his own mind where he creates another version of himself who is also fed up and drained. Initially this new side of him represents the Id the impulsive rough ball of a force that is shown smoking, wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket to emphasise his rebelliousness. Technically in the screen capture shown below we are introduced through a medium close up low angle shot giving this mental break the power. The shots framing is loose, enough so that we can see the outline of car and the focusing is deep enough so that you can see the character against its background and feel the distance between him and the wearhouse.
When Reznik is taken to his cell the super ego's repentance is shown technically by having white, clean colour on the walls and surroundings and having three persons in shot is a realised identity and a complete mind again. He is placed in his cell which is framed in thirds again to show that he is the Ego the one in control again but with the thirds that was shown before the other elements are still there but back in the subconscious. Finally that character is laid down on his bed, which in the white room looks holy or religious, so after being denied sleep for so long his is given his rest.
Freuds theory of the Id, Ego and Super Ego is around this film and unlike many films where people are shown to stay mad where they reside within their Id, kept impulsive and untamed, The Machinist focuses on the discovery and making up with the mind by owning up to transgressions made.
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