This video offers a detailed interpretation of Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession (1981), viewed through the lens of Lacanian psychoanalysis. My hope is that it works both as a close reading of Żuławski’s film, which can be baffling as much as it is beloved, as well as a primer on the work of Jacques Lacan.
No prior understanding of psychoanalysis or Lacan is necessarily. It’s strongly recommended, however, that you watch Possession first. This is not only because the video contains substantial spoilers, but also because the interpretation will make the most sense after you’ve had a chance to experience the movie on a visceral, emotional level. That is the “real” way to experience Possession, with intellectualization and interpretation coming later.
In fact, watch it twice! 😉
Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction: a competition of fantasies
2:44 - Spy games as queer intrusion
5:19 - Primer on Lacanian psychoanalysis
8:07 - Mark’s fantasy of phallic possession
14:48 - Anna’s fantasy of feminine masquerade
20: 58 - Conclusion: the other’s desire
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