Freud

The DVD package ordered arrived in a timely manner. It's condition was almost like new, just as described

The more knowledge of Freud you have before watching this talkative docudrama, the more absorbing you may find it. Writer Carey Harrison (son of Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer) presents the pioneering psychoanalyst from age 28 to 83, struggling to launch his career, marrying, embracing cocaine, evolving daring theories and arguing with his opponents, having a chaste relationship with his sister in law, moving for his last 15 months of life to England beyond the Nazi threat. This project is tagged as revealing Freud "warts and all," including his "suspected homosexuality." One waits in vain for a strong narrative drive, warm humanizing emotions, the arc of drama, but the six segments have a sameness of tone. Freud mostly seems to be on the job.Each of the six installments is framed by simple scenes of feeble Freud in his English residence during the last day or two of his existence. Indeed, David Suchet is at his most moving here, in heavy makeup: restless gray lips speaking with difficulty because of the large prosthesis in his mouth ravaged by 16 years of operations for cancer. The prolonged suffering, with Freud continuing to work and smoke, has no part in Harrison's script!, or at least in the final film. Though the film was shot in sequence in the studio, all of this scattered "last day" footage was conglomerated into the last three days of shooting.The filming took eight months, including location work in the countryside and ancient ruins. Beyond Suchet's indefatigable excellence in fulfilling the script's (too narrow) demands, I was intrigued by three other performances: Michael Kitchen as deathstruck addicted Fleischl (not Fleiss) who exudes a wild poetry; Miriam Margolyes as the plump Baroness, hysterical in both senses of the word, an oasis of genuine comedy in this overall dark exercise; and Michael Pennington as the Swiss Jung, tall and loud, reminiscent of a brash American--he's a bright spot too, until he has to switch gears.Everyone remains suffocatingly clothed, except for two startling moments: (1) Fleischl, high, morose, labile, suddenly rises naked from the tub and throws his arms around Freud's neck. (2) A line of very young girls and boys, covered only from waist to hip, are to be examined by Dr. Freud; as he places his hands here and there on a pretty little girl's innocent flesh, there seems something sensuous in his manner.Program 6 incorporates a montage of extracts from earlier sequences, sometimes imparting changed meanings, as if Freud's memories are gushing haphazardly. One may surmise that such cannot be strictly scripted, but is the outcome of debate among director, writer, and editor. The close of the film may seem prolonged: Freud's request for his doctor, the blessed shot of morphine, Freud's joking about the flies to come. He does not want his wife present, he speaks a brief message for daughter Anna. Then several recollections affirm his achievement and enduring reputation. The drama was shot tv camera-to-tape in the studio and the location sequences were filmed in 16mm, the present offering now exhibiting subdued color and slightly overexposed effect. So just adjust the parameters for the tv image.Suchet's 35 minute interview (January 2010) is revelatory and entertaining. The subtitles are not foreign, but for the hearing impaired. Harrison's novelized version (1958) of the script is still available, mostly second hand.

With some faded university knowledge background on Freud (about 30 years ago) I watched this movie three years ago, rented from Blockbuster at that time. Sinse then would return to it in my thoughts again and again. It is deep, sophisticated, it is mesmerizing. I loved it. Wanted to rent again through netflix and then thought that I should buy it, because this is a type of movie you come back to, it is too philosophical and penetrating to ignore and forget.

I enjoyed it immensely. I have read almost nothing on psychoanalysis and Freud, and through this excellent mini series, I got an overview of his way of thinking, so I understood better how he ended up with his theories. I also found the actor's interviews very helpful in getting to know the man.

I used closed captioning as some of the dialogue was hard to follow with the English accents. Otherwise it does a fairly accurate portrayal of Freuds, blemishes and more. The background music is more reminiscent of a horror movie and distracted from the film. Freud purists may be upset how Freud was depicted but the actor who plays Freud does an excellent job , both in manner and in visual appearance.

I came to the DVD for the story and stayed for the terrific acting.

The problem with older BBC productions - this one was filmed in 1984 - is that they seem to have been filmed through a gauze curtain. The color is washed out. The film switches from outdoors to mostly stage sets and it is hard to become involved with characters when these factors distance you from the story. The nuances of the acting are often lost, even with as fine an actor as David Suchet. Another problem with this particular mini-series is that the story switches from the dying Freud to the young lover to the lab to the friend to the mentor, on and on, without explaining much. I have read about Freud and read his own works, taught his theories and watched documentaries on him, so I knew what was going on in the story. But I can see those who are coming to Freud's life for the first time being terribly confused as to who these people are and what is going on. I gave it three stars for David Suchet. He did get an award for this role. My advice: Rent it first if you're interested.

Very good dramatization of this period and Freud's enormous contribution to psychology/psychotherapy. David Suchet gives a remarkable performance. It's helpful to have some background on Freud and psychoanalysis prior to watching this.