Movies/Scenes
Representing Despair
- Signs (2002)
- Rev. Graham Hess experiences doubt and despair after the death of his wife.
- The Shipping
News (2001)
- Before he moves to Newfoundland, Quoyle is the definition of despair. He has seen himself in relationship to others who have hurt him.
- Almost
Famous (2000)
- The emptiness/loneliness of fame. (see review at Cinema in Focus)
- The Sixth Sense (1999)
- The scene of Cole's conversation with Malcolm in Cole's living room, beginning where Malcolm makes a game to read Cole's mind, and Cole steps forward when he's wrong and backward when he's right. Ends with, "You're nice. But you can't help me." (DVD chapter 5)
- The Blair Witch Project (1999)
- See review at Shoot the Messenger
- American Beauty (1999)
- "The movie is about a man who fears growing older, losing the hope of true love and not being respected by those who know him best."
- A Simple Plan
(1998)
- Beginning scene to "I was a happy man..."
- Lulu on the Bridge
(1998)
- After he is shot and loses a lung (and thus his art), saxophone player Izzy Mauer sinks into despair.
- The Game (1997)
- Father has committed suicide on his 48th birthday. Emotionless son sinks into depression as he nears 48. Brother gives him a gift - The Game.
- As Good As It Gets
(1997)
- Simon Bishop: "The life that I was trying for is gone, and I'm feeling so damn sorry for myself that it's difficult to breathe."
- Kolya (1996)
- Louka's life before he cares for Louka.
- Enchanted April (1996)
- The lives of the women before they visit San Salvatore.
- Leaving Las Vegas
(1995)
- Ben's ultimately suicidal despair.
- Apocalypse Now (1979)
- "The whole movie is a journey toward Willard's understanding of how Kurtz, one of the Army's best soldiers, penetrated the reality of war to such a depth that he could not look any longer without madness and despair." (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times Review)
- Psycho (1960)
- Norman: We're all in our private traps - clamped in
them. And none of us can ever get out. We scratch and we claw, but only
at the air, only at each other, and for all of it we never budge an
inch.
Marion: Sometimes we deliberately step into those traps.
Norman: I was born in mine. I don't mind it anymore.
Marion: Oh, but you should. You should mind it!
Norman: Oh, I do. But I say I don't. (DVD ch 8)
- Norman: We're all in our private traps - clamped in
them. And none of us can ever get out. We scratch and we claw, but only
at the air, only at each other, and for all of it we never budge an
inch.
- Grapes
of Wrath (1940)
- Tom Joad: If there was a law, they was workin' with maybe we could take it, but it ain't the law. They're workin' away our spirits, tryin' to make us cringe and crawl, takin' away our decency.
