Movies About Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a technique that people can use to explore the subconscious mind.

It’s a very powerful tool that allows one to get in touch with their deepest fears and desires.

Hypnosis is also used by therapists to help patients deal with various issues such as stress, anxiety, addiction or phobias.

You may have seen hypnosis being used as a clinical tool or even as a form of entertainment to make audiences laugh. 

In this article we’re going to look at the most popular movies that explore hypnosis within their themes.

A topic like hypnosis opens itself to plenty of comedic and dramatic takes. Keep reading to find out your favorite movies have made it on our list. 

Donnie Darko 

Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko was released in 2001 and is part thriller, mystery and teen-drama. It is reminiscent of David Lynch’s work.

Often people note that they don’t understand what’s happening, but you will feel it.

Hypnotic in and of itself, this movie contains themes of hypnotism and not fully being in one’s control. 

Though puzzling, Donnie Darko makes up for any lack of logic by using deep feeling.

Throughout the whole film Donnie Darko, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is aware of an upcoming catastrophe, because of this the movie contains a terrifying and unsettling, existential sense of foreboding.

Counting down to the pivotal day in a way that is ominous and uneasy. 

Oldboy

Oldboy (2003) is a Korean drama directed by Park Chan-Wook. The story revolves around Oh Dae-Su who has been imprisoned for 15 years in a strange apartment.

After being in captivity all this time, he is suddenly hypnotized and released. 

The movie is a cult classic, and for very good reason. It can be quite difficult to watch due to its uncomfortable subject.

With this movie Chan-Wook created a masterpiece that will continue to be studied and analyzed.

It has a unique style and the filmmaking techniques are revolutionary. Definitely check this one out if you don’t mind disturbing imagery. 

The Curse Of Jade Scorpion

The Curse of Jade Scorpion (2001) is a Hong Kong action comedy starring Jet Li.

The film has been directed and written by Woody Allen, this movie is full of martial arts fighting scenes.

The plot follows an efficiency expert and an insurance investigator, both are then hypnotized by a strange hypnotist who is involved in a heist. 

This film is classic Woody Allen, it is full of eccentric characters, clever dialogue and outrageous banter.

There are also plenty of plot twists along the way to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Set in the 1940s, this movie does a great job of demonstrating how hypnotism can have negative consequences when used by the wrong person. 

Stir Of Echoes

Stir of Echoes (1999) is a horror/thriller written and directed by David Koepp.

It depicts a man, played by Kevin Bacon, who is extremely skeptical of everything supernatural.

At a dinner party, he is unsuspectingly hypnotized by his sister. Once hypnotized, he starts to experience things that he can’t quite explain. 

Later, he finds himself hallucinating about a missing person. The effects used can actually be quite terrifying.

The way this movie uses its effects makes this small horror movie a classic that can be placed alongside movies such as The Sixth Sense. 

Get Out

Jordan Peele’s Get Out was released in 2017 and was instantly a hit amongst audiences.

Peele is now making a name for himself as one of the greatest horror writers of all time, specifically exploring the trials and tribulations that the black community face in their everyday lives. 

Get Out is about a black man who stumbles into a very white and very dangerous world.

Later in the film, the titular character, played by Daniel Kaluuya, is hypnotized by his wife’s mother and what follows is a series of disturbing and thrilling events. 

Definitely check this one out if you haven’t already. They’ll be talking about this for years. 

K-PAX

K-PAX (1994) is a hilarious drama starring Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey.

It follows a psychiatric patient, played by Spacey, who is convinced that he is an alien from a planet called K-PAX.

Bridges stars as the psychiatrist in this movie and works with Spacey to find the truth behind his condition. 

Bridges uses hypnosis to get to the bottom of the problem, taking him through his past regressions.

This movie is humorous, moving and even sometimes heart-breaking. If you want to be reminded of how fragile the human psyche is, then check out K-PAX. 

Dead Again

Released in 1991, Dead Again is a small classic directed by Kenneth Branagh. The movie revolves around a private detective played by Branagh himself.

He investigates a woman with amnesia, played by Emma Thompson. As well as this, the plot involves as murder which took place in 1949.

In order to find out more details about the murder, Thompson’s character has to undergo hypnosis. 

The initial session does not work, but further sessions help Thompson’s character delve into the details of the murder.

Dead Again was a small success at the box office and was one of Branagh’s first projects as a director. 

Loaded with great dialogue, intrigue and tremendous performances, including that of Robin Williams as a disgraced psychologist, Dead Again is one to watch. 

Conclusion

There are so many films that contain themes of hypnosis and these were a few of them.

Some people like to use it to create suspense or build tension while others like to see it in more comedic movies.

Hypnosis is a very intriguing topic, so why not explore these themes whilst enjoying a movie.

Here, we have covered everything from comedy to horror, so there’s definitely a film that everybody can enjoy. 

Happy Watching!

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