King Kong & Sigmund

Freud
Casper, Karris, Coyle, Sandy
 Introduction
Our research areas are Freud’s history, his theories, and how they link to King Kong. Our main
sources are Biography.com Authors, Coup Dé Des, Brin D. and Yeffeth G., and CrashCourse.
These are our main sources because of the depth of information they give us on each section.

We chose to split our topic into these sections because Freud’s history and impact on
psychology as a whole are significant; so much so that there are many Freudian interpretations
of King Kong. The main two interpretations of the movie in Freudian terms are related to the
character of Carl Denham and Skull Island itself.
 Sigmund Freud
Fig 1. Sigmund Freud (2014)

Sigmund Freud born May 6, 1856 and died on September 23, 1939. He was an
Austrian neurologist that known for developing the theories and techniques of
psychoanalysis. He would go through the unconscious conflicts based on the
dreams and fantasies of the patient; over time forming the theories that we
know today like the mental iceberg that talks about three layers of conscious/
the Oedipus complex/ the id and much more. Even though these theories of
sexual /social behaviour got him famous for the wrong reason. (Biography.com
Editors, 2014)
 Sigmund Freud
Fig 2. Sigmund Freud (2014)

Fig. 3. Freud’s view of the human mind (2018)

There was also a case dubbed “the rat man” that shows how in a small way how
he was able to build his theories based off of these troubled cases. The rat
man, for example, confused pain and pleasure and even mentioned a Chinese
torture and how all this lead back to a case of childhood sexual curiosity.
(Appignanesi, R. and Zarate, O. 2007).
Psychology
Fig 4. Small-Business-Psychology, (2012),

Psychology is a scientific study of human behaviour and the mind. It includes

many subfields of study of human development including sports, health,
clinical, and social behaviour as well as cognitive process.
 Origin of Psychology
‘’Its earliest history can be traced back to the time of the early
Greeks. During the 17th-century,
the French philosopher Rene Descartes introduced the idea of
dualism, which asserted
that the mind and body were two entities that interact to form the
human experience’’
May 23, 2018 Kendra Cherry
Hysteria
A condition in which the patient shows
physical symptoms like paralysis,
hallucination, loss of speech.
Without a physical cause, it can be
cured by recalling past traumatic
events.
Sigmund Freud changed psychology in a big way, by
introducing the theory of personality that
emphasizes on unconscious mind.
Freud worked with Bertha Pappenheim (Anna O)
suffering from Hysteria, that led him to think that
early childhood experiences and unconscious
impulses. It can influence adult life and the
personality.
Like being more aware of your surroundings at
night while walking in a dark alleyway, or jumping
while being taken by surprise.
The Conscious Mind & Unconscious Mind
Eros
A life drive is concerned with
preservation of life and species.
It seeks basic needs of health and
safety and food. And with sexual drives
it seeks to create life and preserve it

Thanatos
The death instinct it pushes towards
extinction and innominate state of
being. It associated with negative
emotions of fear, hate, anger that lead
to anti social behaviour

Repetition
a strong desire to repeat actions, even
Fig 5. The Unconscious Mind , (2018) to point that is harmful. Like an
addiction.

‘The aim of all life is death...inanimate things existed before living ones’ (Freud 1920)
 Psychology
Fig 6. The Superego, Ego, and Id (2016)

“In Freudian psychology, the Id is the source of our “libido”- that is, the “drive,” typically sexual,
to do things. The Id is fully unconscious, operating on primary processes- namely, the “pleasure
principle.” The Ego and Super-ego are usually at odds with the instincts of the Id, and its
pressures are frequently countered and repressed by the Ego and Super-ego. In a society, the Id
cannot very well achieve full satisfaction. The tragedy of Oedipus- a story where a man is put in a
position to kill his father, gain power, and marry his mother- can be considered as an example of
the social misery caused by Id gratification.” (Coup Dé Des, 2016)
 Psychology And King Kong
In King Kong, Freud’s use of the Superego, Ego, and
Id are said to be found on Skull Island (which is
conveniently split into three parts, each one
representing one of these three features).

Fig 7. Ann, (1933)

The natives on the island are claimed to be the Superego, “separated from the domain
of Kong by a massive gate.” Kong’s domain is therefore the Ego, which subsequently
overlooks the realm of the dinosaurs (the Id). The sacrificing of women to Kong also
references this; socially, it is unacceptable to give into the urges of the ego (of which
the desires are reflected by the Id). The “brides” being offered to Kong keeps him
“from breaking down the wall in search of other ways to satisfy his needs”. (Brin, D.
and Yeffeth, G. 2005).
 Psychology and King Kong
The film is also said to be a metaphor for Carl Denham’s psyche; “Skull Island’s
expressionistic landscapes – fertile, overgrown, reptile-infested, cave-filled – is
Denham’s fantasised sexual terrain, and Kong is a manifestation of Denham’s
subconscious.” (Honeybone, N. 2010)
Kong, as Denham’s supposed animalistic side, is attempting to suppress his urges towards Ann;
his final quote, “It was beauty that killed the beast”, could be in reference to his own bestial
side; “King Kong (1933) and Cat People (1942) opened up the controversial area of the bestial self
and the extent to which the human subject defines itself in relation to the animal.” Scheider, S.
(2009).
Fig 8. Carl Denham(1933)
Such interpretations of the film’s final phrase could also said to be
pinning the fault on the woman; “men’s anguish in the face of
female indifference, the tenderness of masculine desire and the
cruelty of female response”. (Warner, M. 1995)
 Psychology and King Kong
Fig 9. King Kong towers over the city (1933)

• Whether discussing the Denham or Kong interpretation, the concept of

repression comes into play with both; “Repression is a defense mechanism
that’s thought to work by banishing [repressing] any thoughts, feelings, or
memories that cause anxiety into the unconscious.” (Rorschach & Freudians:
Crash Course Psychology #21, 2004).
• In terms of Freud and King Kong and the interpretations of the movie,
repression is significant; both with the idea of Denham repressing his urges
towards Ann, and the metaphor of Skull Island being the cerebral cortex
containing all of the different sections of the Superego, Ego, and Id.
 Conclusion

• Freud’s impact on psychology has been significant.

• King Kong has multiple Freudian interpretations
• The gratification of the Id is an issue in most interpretations of King Kong.

Overall, Freud’s psychological theories have had some impact on how the film has been received, in terms
of how viewers understand the symbolism presented (even if most of the claimed Freudian
interpretations were not intended by the movie’s original directors).
 Illustration List

Fig. 1. Sigmund Freud (2014), [Online Image], At: https://www.biography.com/people/sigmund-freud-9302400 (Accessed on 4 October 2018)

Fig 2. Sigmund Freud (2014) [Online Image] At: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140421-does-freud-still-matter (Accessed on 4 October 2018

Fig. 3. Freud’s view of the human mind (2018). Topography of Mind: Freud's Iceberg Model for Unconscious, Pre-conscious, & Conscious. [online] Available at:
http://www.wilderdom.com/personality/L8-3TopographyMindIceberg.html [Accessed 4 Oct. 2018].

Fig 4. small-business-psychology, (2012), [Concept Art], At: http://blog.fundinggates.com/small-business-psychology-3/, (Accessed: 03/10/18)

Fig 5. The Unconscious Mind , (2018) [Web Image],

At: https://www.simplypsychology.org/Sigmund-Freud.html
(Accessed: 03/10/18)

Fig 6. The Superego, Ego, and Id (2016) [Image] https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2000/1*bpa0vUCNFJbUbRhLr_dUpg.jpeg (Accessed on 4

October 2018)

Fig 7. Ann, (1933) [Film Still],

At: https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--8Hrm5anF--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/tljdlmzzhbrvmgwntdwo.jpg
(Accessed: 03/10/18)

Fig. 8: Carl Denham (1933) [Film Still] At: http://kingkong.wikia.com/wiki/Carl_Denham (Accessed on 4 October 2018)

Fig. 9: King Kong towers over the city (1933) [Film Still] At: https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/kong1933a.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=642 (Accessed
on 4 October 2018)
 Bibliography

Appignanesi, R. and Zarate, O. (2007). Introducing Freud: A Graphic Guide to the Father of Psychoanalysis. Cambridge: Icon Books Ltd. Pages 102-110

Biography.com Editors, (2014), Sigmund Freud [Online] https://www.biography.com/people/sigmund-freud-9302400 (Accessed on 4 October 2018). A&E Television
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Coup Dé Des (2016), Repression of the Monstrous Id in Horror Film. [Online] At:
https://coupdedesart.com/2016/10/07/repression-of-the-monstrous-id-in-horror-film/ (Accessed on 4 October 2018)

Demarko C. (2018), The works of the Conscious, Subconscious, & Unconscious Mind. (Accessed 3 October 2018) AT: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/works-conscious-
subconscious-unconscious-mind-dr-c-demarco-

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Honeybone, N. (2010), Film Review: King Kong (1933). [Online] At: https://horrornews.net/5051/film-review-king-kong-1933/ (Accessed on 4 October 2018)

Kendra, C. (2018), The Origins of Psychology, AT: https://www.verywellmind.com/a-brief-history-of-psychology-through-the-years-2795245 (Accessed 3 October 2018)

Rorschach & Freudians: Crash Course Psychology #21, (2004) [user-generated content online] Creat. CrashCourse, Jul 8, 2014 At:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUELAiHbCxc (Accessed on 4 October 2018)

Saul. M. (2019), Unconscious Mind, AT: https://www.simplypsychology.org/unconscious-mind.html (Accessed 3 October 2018)

Brin, D. and Yeffeth, G. (2005), King Kong is Back!: An Unauthorized Look at One Humongous Ape. Dallas: Benbella Books. Pages 93-94.

Scheider, S. (2009). Horror Film and Psychoanalysis: Freud’s Worst Nightmare (Cambridge Studies in Film). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; Reissue edition. Page 192

Warner, M. (1995). From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and Their Tellers. London: Vintage. Page 295.