Repulsion
Subjektivitet och frågor kring det sociala
The scope of this investigation is the conditions under which readings of Repulsion (1965), and its depicted mental illness, took place in Sweden during the censorship debates in 1965, and also how the reception was related to narration and subjectivity in the film. The reason for this is the strong reactions to the images of the main character?s inner state, and concerns about negative effects in the public, that were raised. One major concern is how the film articulates discourses through which meanings are produced; that is, how it works as social technology. My thesis is therefore structured around two levels; textual analysis and discourse analysis. In this way, I try to locate meaning and power relations both within and outside the film. My work draws mostly on Edward Branigan?s cognitive theory of narration and Michel Foucault?s thoughts on power and knowledge. I have partly deployed the approach presented by Annette Kuhn, to study the relations of power that are put into play in specific instances. To draw any conclusions I have studied Swedish newspaper articles from 1965 and a summary of the discussion within the Board of Censors. The major findings of the investigation show how the struggles to locate and regulate the meaning of Repulsion ended in the questioning of the very practice of censorship, which even seemed to suggest a moment of transition for the Swedish Board of Censors. Another important finding shows that concerns about Swedish mental care were raised; however, only regarding hospitalisation and treatment of patients and not about underlying, deeper social problems