Inception

The film Inception deals with the notion of dreams within dreams. In fact there are three levels of dreaming within the plot and even a fourth which is limbo. This raises such questions as to what extent we can be said to have an existence within a dream, to make choices, exert morality or have free will. And to what extent is being immersed within a film similar to being in a dream state as we resonate with characters in the dream or become caught up in the story. And then later that night as we begin to drift off to sleep do we recall the dream and maybe become confused between what we have seen in the cinema, or TV, and what we experienced in real life.

There is element and that is the significance of dreams themselves. For Freud they were “the royal road to the unconscious”, in his early career Jung tended to agree with this but then felt that dreams may have less significance since the dreamer had low energy is sleep and the dreams may be more shadows of unconscious content and favored what he called Active Imagination. In active imagination we reflect or stay with a mood or feeling while not indulging in rational, analytic thought. As we enter into such a state we may hear words spoken within the mind, or see a visual image. As we continue the imagination may become more activated like a waking dream. In this context engaging and interacting with a film could become a sort of active information when we resonate with a character. Certainly the film “Black Swan” would give plenty of opportunities for a viewer who was female to imagine the condition of the dancer.

What other films come to mind when you think of dreams, dreams within dreams and waking dreams.