Charismatic and independent, treacherous and amoral, cruel and violent, the figure of the “psychopath” enables filmmakers to explore the darkest sides of human behavior. He often intrigues, fascinates, and horrifies us… but he can also sometimes amuse us.
Under which light is the psychopath represented in cinema? Is the audience meant to suffer the consequences of a criminal’s action, or to enjoy them? Are we victims, accomplices, or merely spectators of horror?
Through a century of world history and successive artistic movements, this documentary sheds light on cinema’s most terrifying antisocial characters, from the mysterious serial killers of the 1930s to the violent psychopaths of postmodernism.
Series Title: A Life in Movies
Genre: Art & Culture, Documentary Series
Director: Joanna Tabet
Writers: Joanna Tabet, Olivier Roussille
Production: French Connection Films
Year: 2015
Length: 52 minutes
Languages: English, French
Partners: OCS, The French Film Board (CNC)
Broadcasters: OCS
English
Français