From the Film Vault

     Sigmund Freud has long been a controversial thinker. When he introduced his theory of consciousness, it was met with both fascination and skepticism, and debates about its validity continue today. Regardless of criticism, his theories have profoundly influenced psychology, sociology, and art—including the work of legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock.    Hitchcock, best known for psychological thrillers and suspense, frequently incorporated themes that align with Freudian theory, such as repression, guilt, and the unconscious mind. His films often explore the complexities of human psychology, demonstrating how deeply intellectual ideas can shape cinema. Strangers on a Train (1951) exemplifies this, using psychological duality and subconscious motivations to drive its suspenseful narrative.   Sigmund Freud once compared the conscious mind to “a fountain playing in the sun and falling back into the great subterranean pool of the subconscious from wh...