Abject Spaces in American Cinema: Institutional Settings, Identity and Psychoanalysis in Film (International Library of Cultural Studies)

American cinema abounds with films set in prisons, asylums, hospitals and other institutions. Rather than orderly places of recovery and rehabilitation, these institutional settings emerge as abject spaces of control and repression in which adult identity is threatened as a narrative impetus. Exploring the abject through issues as diverse as racism, mental illness or the preservation of bodies for organ donation, thi book analyses a range of films including One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Girl, Interrupted (1999) through to cult films such as Carrie (1976) and Bubba Ho-tep (2002). In these films, locations of coherence and order become places where the internal and repressed aspects of the body, individual and social, threaten to overwhelm the individual. Identity is compromised through harsh conditions, extreme discipline, the exertion of absolute control, and above all the restriction of personal space. Symbolically infantilised, forced to reassess aspects of the adult, the only escape is through violence; the eponymous Carrie escapes from her cupboard for a massacre, the women of Girl, Interrupted mutilate and annihilate themselves and Kubrick's Gomer Pyle shoots sadistic patriarch Sergeant Hartman in the 'head'. By analysing scenes of horror and disgust within the context of abject space, Frances Pheasant-Kelly reveals how threats to identity manifest in scenes of torture, horror and psychosexual repression and are resolved either through death or through traumatic re-entry into the outside world. Bringing together contemporary theoretical debates and critical disciplines, Abject Spaces in American Cinema offers a coherent and meaningful analysis of institutonal films and shows that the chaos of the abject space cannot be resolved- only escaped. This readable and engging tour of the abject in the institution of film will be immensely valuable to students of Film Studies, Critical Theory and Cultural Studies. American Cinema Abounds With Films Set In Prisons, Asylums, Hospitals And Other Institutions. Rather Than Orderly Places Of Recovery And Rehabilitation, These Institutional Settings Emerge As Abject Spaces Of Control And Repression In Which Adult Identity Is Threatened As A Narrative Impetus. Exploring The Abject Through Issues As Diverse As Racism, Mental Illness Or The Preservation Of Bodies For Organ Donation, This Book Analyses A Range Of Films Including The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Full Metal Jacket (1987) And Girl, Interrupted (1999) Through To Cult Films Such As Carrie (1976) And Bubba Ho-tep (2002). By Analysing Scenes Of Horror And Disgust Within The Context Of Abject Space, Frances Pheasant-kelly Reveals How Threats To Identity Manifest In Scenes Of Torture, Horror And Psychosexual Repression And Are Resolved Either Though Death Or Through Traumatic Re-entry Into The Outside World. This Readable And Engaging Tour Of The Abject In The Institution Film Will Be Immensely Valuable To Students Of Film Studies, Critical Theory And Cultural Studies.--publisher's Website. Introduction: Institutions, Abjection And Subjectivity. -- Part 1: Becoming A Man/woman: Spaces Of Training. Schooling And The Feminine Body: Carrie ; Training The Athletic Body: Remember The Titans ; Ordering The Military Body: Full Metal Jacket. -- Part 2: Maintaining Self: Spaces Of Discipline. Staying Clean And Proper: The Shawshank Redemption ; Performing Masculinity: Lock Up ; Resisting The Gaze: The Last Castle. -- Part 3: Therapy As Surveillance: Spaces Of Care. On The Edge: Girl, Interrupted ; Maintaining Life: Coma ; Confronting Death: Bubba Ho-tep. Frances Pheasant-kelly. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 261-270) And Index. Includes Filmography (p. 259-260). American cinema abounds with films set in prisons, asylums, hospitals and other institutions. Rather than orderly places of recovery and rehabilitation, these institutional settings emerge as abject spaces of control and repression in which adult identity is threatened as a narrative impetus. Exploring the abject through issues as diverse as racism, mental illness or the preservation of bodies for organ donation, this book analyses a range of films including 'The Shawshank Redemption' (1994), 'Full Metal Jacket' (1987) and 'Girl, Interrupted' (1999) through to cult films such as 'Carrie' (1976) and 'Bubba Ho-tep' (2002). By analyzing scenes of horror and disgust within the context of abject space, Frances Pheasant-Kelly reveals how threats to identity manifest in scenes of torture, horror and psychosexual repression and are resolved either though death or through traumatic re-entry into the outside world. This readable and engaging tour of the abject in the institution film will be immensely valuable to students of Film Studies, Critical Theory and Cultural Studies.