Lecture Five Films have both texts and subtexts. The text is basically the plot - what you would tell someone the film was about. The subtext is generally an underlying philosophical point discussed by the film maker. They are not moralistic statement such as "It is better to be happy" or "People shouldn't lie".

Subtexts are often found in one of five areas. These are:

Psycho-sexual (usually Feudian)
Religious
Scientific - Technological
Socio-political
Reflexive (films which have subtexts about art and especially about film making)
These subtexts are not the only ones, nor do all films have only one (some films have none, thus making them more like "fiction:" than "literature"). Some films look at things like science as opposed to religion.

Some genres and sub genres are typified by specific subtexts. Certain horror films for example, often have to do with the "eruption of the represt" a very psycho-sexual theme" while 1950's science fiction films are often seen as films which use aliens as a metaphor for communism and hence have a kind fo sociopolitical theme.

Click on the Frankenstein for notes about that film and subtexts