Massimiliano Morandi

The symbol as a form of dialogue in the psychological thriller genre

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy

For several decades, at all levels of film production, audiences have become familiar to the
increasingly use of symbols in films and television series. The symbol can be an object, an image or
even a scene. The greatest screenwriting professors, such as John Truby or Robert McKee, taught
how to best use the power of symbols. The opening scene or Tag Line are just two of the many
narrative expedients used in screenplays that express symbolic power with words or images.
Often the general audience does not immediately understand the meaning of a symbol in the story
line, in some cases the audience will never catch it. But screenwriters and directors from all over the
world continue to use them. They are convinced that symbols can exert a power of attraction on the
viewers, much stronger and more incisive than dialogue. The symbol remains an important element,
which, even if the audience doesn’t understand, gives depth to the narrative. This explains, in part,
how cinema genre films such as psychological thrillers – which make heavy use of symbols –
continues to attract directors’ and actors’ interest.

Often the symbol is an addition, something that goes beyond the structure of the narrative. But what
happens when the symbol has a fundamental value in order to understand the dynamics of the story
line? In my paper I would like to examine two films belonging to the psychological thriller genre.
Two great directors, Gilles Villeneuve and Robert Eggers, used the symbol as a real substitute for
dialogue.

Enemy (2013), the film directed by Denis Villeneuve, shows an exasperated use of the symbolism.
The symbols become a substitute for the internal dialogue of the protagonist – played by Jake
Gyllenhaal. The film grossed only $4.6 million, despite positive reviews from critics (Prisoners,
released the same year and directed by Villeneuve, grossed $122 million). The Lighthouse (2019), a
film directed by Robert Eggers, used the symbol in a more instrumental and less invasive way, but
still of great impact to appreciate the profound meaning of the movie. Again, despite the excellent
reviews from critics, the film had low earnings at the box office: 18 million dollars, on a budget of 11
million (The Witch, the last film directed by Eggers in 2015, had grossed 40 million).

Massimiliano Morandi studied at the University of Bologna where he graduated with a thesis in
history of philosophy on Spinoza. He completed his university studies in Parma, graduating with a
thesis in Philosophical Anthropology. He then obtained a Master’s degree in “International
Screenwriting and Production” at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Today he is a PhD student in
Semiotics at Università Statale di Milano and continues his research in the field of dramaturgical
theory at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in the working group of professor Armando Fumagalli.