NARRATOR: According to Sigmund Freud, we are all restricted from realizing our full potential due to repressed negative fears, dislikes, and resentments of our unconscious mind. This resonated with Carl Jung. He devised a method using the phenomenon of skin conductance to provide a scientific basis for Freud's ideas. Jung's published work, Studies in Word Analysis, presents his technique of reading a predetermined list of words to the patient, who is connected via hand electrodes to a psycho-galvanometer, a device which monitors changes in the electrical resistance of skin in response to their emotional state.
DAVID CRONENBERG: You be Emma. [LAUGHTER]
I know you can handle this.
NARRATOR: Jung used the galvanometer as a tool for hitting upon unconscious feelings. If a word was emotionally charged, the changes in skin resistance would be reflected on the galvanometer.
STEFAN ISFORT: You start the experiment by pushing this.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Aha! O.K. So it starts it by pushing that. That's very good. So it's turning. So it's literally just the pencil that is touching that?
STEFAN ISFORT: Now, we only improvise for this...
DAVID CRONENBERG: What would be the normal...
STEFAN ISFORT: Some kind of coat paper...
DAVID CRONENBERG: Wax coating or something?
STEFAN ISFORT: Wax, yes, and it would scratch...
DAVID CRONENBERG: Oh, so it will scratch into it?
STEFAN ISFORT: Scratched with a needle sitting here.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Ah!
STEFAN ISFORT: I don't know how to do it. Let me work on this.
DAVID CRONENBERG: It would be good if you could.
STEFAN ISFORT: You need it in black?
DAVID CRONENBERG: That would be really interesting if you could find a way to have a needle scratching it.
STEFAN ISFORT: Yes.
DAVID CRONENBERG: And this string - would it be...
STEFAN ISFORT: A better one.
[LAUGHTER]
DAVID CRONENBERG: It doesn't look very Burghölzli.
NARRATOR: Stefan has two weeks to get the galvanometer proper both camera-ready and fully functional in order for the cast to learn how to use it.
STEFAN ISFORT: Electricity flowing through the body and doing some reaction on this... little lamp, here, throwing a beam on this mirror, which will reflect it over there. See this little thing? And your reaction will move this mirror.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Moving this in accordance with the light, which in turns scribes on to this drum... reactors. [GALVANOMETER SPINS] And that's it. And it's very much a Rube Goldberg kind of device. It was really like a lie detector.
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: Yeah.
DAVID CRONENBERG: And I think what they call it is galvanic skin response, which measure... electricity to your hands.
However, we're not going to do this here, because if you're sitting here, and you're watching the two people who are operating this, which is you two, that's going to affect your reaction. And I realized it was... This is exactly the model that Freud used. Which is, I want you turned away from them. So that you don't see them. There are glances that you would exchange, that you wouldn't, you know... So there are things that can happen when you're not seeing them. So, instead of all of you around the table, it will be like that.
I mean, this is not necessarily the order that I want to shoot it in, but it's: close-up of Sarah's hands going down on those pads, then close-up of those bags being put on her hands to press them down, close-up of Viggo switching it on and it starting to spin...
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: Aha, so there is the...
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yup. It's very static. There's lots of gizmo stuff. And I think that's... What's that?
STEFAN ISFORT: It's the switch to turn the light on.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Ah, O.K.
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: And, am I writing in German?
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yes. All of the writing in this movie is in German.
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: O.K.
DAVID CRONENBERG: All the letters are in German, everything's German. So, it would be. Yes.
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: O.K.
DAVID CRONENBERG: And, you will of course replicate Jung's handwriting exactly.
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: Oh yes. It's already taken care of.
DAVID CRONENBERG: I know it's no problem. [LAUGHTER] And then with Keira, you're...
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Sliding it around.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yes. O.K.?
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Cool.
CREW MEMBER: Let's go straight away.
CARL JUNG: Child.
EMMA JUNG: Soon.
CARL JUNG: Divorce.
EMMA JUNG: No.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Cut!
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: I don't think we should throw any looks somewhere apart from here.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Sorry, what?
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: I don't think I don't think I should throw any looks anywhere apart from here. I think...
DAVID CRONENBERG: It's better off.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: The focus that I've got, "I want to do this perfectly."
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yeah, yeah.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: It's like, completely there.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yes. I think you're right.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: But, I have to acknowledge the fact that they're married. So, possibly on the "How did I do?" That's one little glance. But otherwise, I don't think I... Yeah.
CREW MEMBER: Action!
CARL JUNG: Divorce.
EMMA JUNG: No.
Is that all?
CARL JUNG: That's all.
EMMA JUNG: How did I do?
CARL JUNG: Beautifully. Goodbye.
CREW MEMBER: Cut!
DAVID CRONENBERG: And that was beautiful!
CREW MEMBER: Cut it, please.
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© Recorded Picture Company, 2011
© Recorded Picture Company, 2011
© Recorded Picture Company, 2011
© Recorded Picture Company, 2011
© Recorded Picture Company, 2011
