Exploring the Dark Side of Inside Out Horror

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Film Theory: The Inside Out Analog Horror Gets DARK...

The Film Theorists

Oct 13, 2024

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Film & Animation

Inside Out horror explores dark mental themes

  1. The text introduces the concept of an analog horror series based on the Pixar film Inside Out, created by Venezuelan animator L30K72. This series is a dark reinterpretation of the original film's themes, focusing on the character Riley Anderson and her emotions.
  2. In this horror series, Riley's mind is depicted as being controlled by a new, sinister entity that manipulates her emotions and memories. This entity contrasts with the original film's portrayal of emotions that aim to help Riley, as it seeks to harm her instead.
  3. The series explores heavy and mature themes such as trauma, mental health issues, and self-harm, making it one of the darkest topics covered by the Film Theory channel. The content is not lighthearted and is intended for viewers who can handle such serious subject matter.
  4. The narrative of the series involves Riley's emotions being transformed into monstrous versions of themselves due to the influence of the malevolent entity. This transformation is central to the horror aspect of the series.
  5. The text emphasizes the importance of understanding and identifying the entity causing chaos in Riley's mind as a means to help her and her emotions regain control. This forms the crux of the series' plot and its resolution.

Dark entity corrupts emotions in Riley's mind

  1. Riley repeatedly relives a traumatic memory of being in a car before an accident, which deeply affects her psyche. Joy, one of her emotions, tries to suppress this memory but encounters a dark entity within Riley's mind.
  2. This dark entity ambushes Joy, transforming her into a terrifying figure that wreaks havoc in Riley's mind. The other emotions attempt to contain the corrupted Joy but fail, resulting in the deaths of Sadness and Anger.
  3. Disgust, Envy, and Embarrassment become infected by the entity, while Fear, Ennui, and Anxiety manage to escape, pursued by the corrupted emotions.
  4. The entity plants a suicidal thought in Riley's mind, but she is saved by her mother at the last moment, indicating her parents are alive despite Riley's confusion about their fate.
  5. The narrative raises questions about Riley's well-being, the nature of the dark entity, and the future of her emotions, with the story hinting at a car accident as the catalyst for Riley's mental turmoil.
  6. Riley's confusion about her parents' status suggests a disconnect between her perception and reality, as her mother physically intervenes to save her, contradicting Riley's belief that her parents might be dead.

Entity creates false memories in Riley

  1. Riley believes both her parents died, but this is a false memory. There is a disconnect between her perception and reality, as her mind is filled with memories that never occurred.
  2. The narrative reveals a pile of 'false thoughts' in Riley's mind, indicating memories of events that never happened. The memory of a car accident is one such false memory, featuring a monstrous silhouette outside the car, which is a manifestation of an entity.
  3. This entity is responsible for creating false memories and influencing Riley's emotions. It can control Riley similarly to her emotions but is not an emotion itself, as it seeks to harm her, unlike the other emotions that aim for her well-being.
  4. The entity is not a personification of trauma, as initially suspected, because the car accident memory is false, and the entity's influence predates this event. Trauma typically impacts emotions negatively, but this entity's presence is unrelated to any real traumatic event.
  5. The entity's nature is hinted at through a cryptic title, 'KITITJIGABIDIDIT,' which is a Caesar cipher. This suggests that the entity's identity or purpose is hidden and requires deciphering, aligning with the theme of uncovering hidden truths.

Inside Out tapes explore psychosis and bipolar disorder

  1. The title 'Psikosis' is derived by shifting each letter in the original title back by one in the alphabet, translating to 'psychosis' in Spanish. This is emphasized by a QR code in the video leading to a medical site about psychosis.
  2. Psychosis is a condition where individuals struggle to distinguish reality from hallucinations or false beliefs, often linked to brain tumors, diseases like Parkinson's, or psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
  3. The video series suggests that the character Riley from Inside Out is experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder, supported by a teaser titled 'bipolar' and the alignment of symptoms shown in the tapes.
  4. Bipolar disorder is described as a spectrum with two main extremes: manic episodes, where emotions and thoughts are heightened, and depressive episodes, characterized by low mood and disinterest.
  5. In the Inside Out tapes, manic episodes are depicted through the 'infected emotions' becoming overly energetic, while depressive episodes are shown through Riley's external and internal experiences of fear, anxiety, and lack of interest.

Riley's mental health complexity explored

  1. The character Hanwi in the story symbolizes a lack of emotion, often associated with depression, rather than intense sadness. This reflects a common description of depression as emotional numbness.
  2. Riley, the protagonist, is experiencing psychosis due to bipolar disorder. This psychosis manifests as an entity in her mind, negatively affecting her mental health and emotional state.
  3. The narrative explores the complexity of psychological issues, emphasizing that even with professional help, finding the right treatment can be challenging due to the brain's complexity.
  4. The text compares psychological diagnosis to diagnosing physical illnesses like COVID, highlighting the difficulty in identifying mental disorders based solely on symptoms, which can be similar across different conditions.
  5. In psychology, two individuals with the same diagnosis might exhibit different symptoms and receive the same treatment, or have identical symptoms but require different treatments, illustrating the complexity of mental health care.
  6. Riley's symptoms align with another psychiatric disorder, schizophrenia, which includes delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, catatonic behavior, and reduced emotional expression. Riley exhibits up to four of these symptoms.
  7. The story suggests that Riley's decreased ability to express emotions is evidenced by the loss of her extreme emotions such as sadness, anger, and joy, aligning with symptoms of schizophrenia.

Riley's treatment needs adjustment for effectiveness

  1. Riley struggles with expressing emotions due to the absence of guiding emotions in her mind, possibly linked to bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
  2. Her treatment plan involves antipsychotic medication, specifically Quetiapine, which is used for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
  3. Despite having a prescription, Riley hasn't taken her medication, complicating her treatment process.
  4. The effectiveness of psychiatric medications varies, and they can have significant side effects, sometimes worsening the condition.
  5. Riley's current treatment isn't working, either due to ineffectiveness or adverse side effects.
  6. Early diagnosis is beneficial, allowing for multiple treatment attempts to find an effective solution.
  7. Riley can collaborate with her doctor to adjust her treatment plan, exploring different dosages, medications, or therapies.

Support and hope for mental health

  1. Riley has a strong support system in her parents, who prioritize her safety and well-being, indicating the importance of a supportive environment in overcoming mental health challenges.
  2. With proper support, medical care, and time, Riley can find a balance of medication and therapy to manage her mental health issues, highlighting the potential for recovery and personal growth.
  3. Emotional blunting or numbness is a common side effect of mental disorders, but it is not permanent, suggesting that emotions can return with effective treatment and coping strategies.
  4. The Inside Out tapes illustrate the possibility of recovery and hope for those struggling with mental health issues, emphasizing the importance of education and awareness in mental health.
  5. The narrative encourages individuals facing similar mental health challenges to seek help, reinforcing the message that they are not alone and that resources are available globally.