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Chapter 3
41
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-1774-1.ch003
ABSTRACT
The representation of mental illness and individuals sufering from a specifc mental
illness in flms is a phenomenon encountered since the frst years of cinema. Mental
diseases in many flm genres such as horror, science fction, comedy, and crime
are used as scary, laughing, or drama elements. The representations of various
psychopathologies in the flms give an idea about these disorders to the ordinary
viewer. However, these representations can accurately describe the reality and also
have the risk of being defective and incomplete. It is seen that people who have mental
disorders in cinema are generally presented in the way that ‘dangerous, violent,
unpredictable characters’ within the frame of limited and distorted patterns. It is
possible to say that these cliché representations difer according to gender. Female
characters with mental disorders are described as ‘beautiful and troubled women’
in cinema. Related flms were taken as an example in this study and it is aimed
examine the representation of female characters with mental disorders in these flms.
INTRODUCTION
From primitive times until the modern era, all societies have been required to
establish certain systems of norms in order to prevent chaos and disorder. In general
terms, these terms regulating and controlling the social life by defining good and
Mental Illness and
Women in Cinema:
“Beautiful and Troubled Women”
Dilan Tüysüz
Adnan Menderes University, Turkey