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#### **Abstract**
This dissertation explores the 1990s straight-to-video film label **Full Moon Pictures** through the lens of R.D. Laing’s existential and phenomenological philosophy. Founded by Charles Band, Full Moon Pictures became synonymous with low-budget genre films, particularly in horror and science fiction. These films, often dismissed as exploitative entertainment, reflect deeper explorations of identity, madness, and alienation that align with Laing’s critiques of modern society and psychiatry. Through an analysis of Full Moon’s thematic content, aesthetic strategies, and cultural positioning, this work argues that these films are cinematic expressions of Laingian thought, particularly his ideas about the "divided self" and the alienation of modern existence.
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### **Introduction**
#### Full Moon Pictures: An Overview
Full Moon Pictures, a successor to Charles Band's Empire Pictures, rose to prominence in the 1990s with a focus on low-budget, high-concept horror, science fiction, and fantasy films. Iconic series such as *Puppet Master* (1989–present), *Demonic Toys* (1992), and *Subspecies* (1991–1998) capitalized on the burgeoning home video market. The label’s output was characterized by:
- Micro-budget production values.
- Gothic, surrealistic aesthetics.
- Themes of transformation, madness, and oppression.
#### R.D. Laing: Key Philosophical Concepts
R.D. Laing (1927–1989), a Scottish psychiatrist and existential thinker, critiqued mainstream psychiatry for its pathologization of mental illness and its failure to recognize the social and interpersonal dynamics at the root of psychological suffering. Key ideas include:
- **The Divided Self:** The conflict between an individual’s "true self" and the "false self" imposed by societal norms.
- **Alienation:** The fragmentation of the self due to oppressive social structures.
- **Madness as Insight:** Laing proposed that madness can be a legitimate response to an insane world, a way of navigating and surviving existential crises.
This dissertation argues that Full Moon’s films, intentionally or not, dramatize Laing’s philosophies, providing a cultural mirror to the alienation and madness of late 20th-century society.
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### **Chapter 1: Full Moon’s Cinematic Aesthetics as Laingian Landscapes**
#### 1.1 The Gothic and the Fragmented Self
The Gothic aesthetics of Full Moon films often externalize internal conflicts, turning psychological trauma into physical horror. For example:
- In *Puppet Master*, puppets controlled by a necromantic force represent the manipulation and fragmentation of the self, akin to Laing’s concept of the "divided self."
- *Subspecies* explores vampirism as a metaphor for alienation and the parasitic nature of oppressive social relationships.
#### 1.2 Surrealism and Madness
Films like *Head of the Family* (1996) and *Doctor Mordrid* (1992) embrace surrealistic imagery that reflects the breakdown of rationality, much like Laing’s suggestion that madness can be a journey through an altered reality rather than a pathological deviation.
#### 1.3 The Video Aesthetic
The low-budget, straight-to-video production values contribute to a sense of disorientation and unreality. This aligns with Laing’s notion that modern societal structures create artificial realities, which individuals must navigate while struggling to maintain their authenticity.
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### **Chapter 2: Themes of Alienation and Oppression**
#### 2.1 Characters in Crisis
The protagonists of Full Moon films are often outsiders, misfits, or individuals in existential crisis. For example:
- In *Dollman* (1991), the titular character, a miniature-sized alien cop, struggles with feelings of powerlessness and alienation in an unfamiliar environment.
- *Castle Freak* (1995) presents a disfigured, imprisoned man whose physical isolation mirrors his psychological torment.
#### 2.2 Oppressive Systems
Laing critiqued institutions that enforce conformity, such as the family and the medical establishment. Full Moon films often depict such systems as corrupt or malevolent:
- *The Pit and the Pendulum* (1991) critiques religious dogma and institutionalized cruelty, echoing Laing’s views on the dehumanizing effects of oppressive social systems.
- *Demonic Toys* features children’s toys as both protectors and destroyers, symbolizing the duality of societal structures that nurture and oppress.
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### **Chapter 3: Madness as Insight**
#### 3.1 Monsters as Expressions of the True Self
Many Full Moon monsters, such as the titular characters in *Demonic Toys* or the vampiric Radu in *Subspecies*, serve as external manifestations of repressed emotions or societal pressures. These "mad" figures, while frightening, often possess a deeper understanding of the world, embodying Laing’s idea that madness can be a path to insight.
#### 3.2 The Liminal Space of the Video Store
The cultural context of Full Moon films—marketed for video rental stores—mirrors Laing’s critique of societal alienation. These films existed outside the mainstream cinematic system, appealing to marginalized audiences who found solace in their exaggerated portrayals of isolation and rebellion.
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### **Chapter 4: Full Moon and the Late 20th-Century Psyche**
#### 4.1 Neoliberal Alienation
The 1990s were marked by the rise of neoliberalism, a period characterized by individualism and systemic alienation. Full Moon’s narratives often reflect the anxieties of this era:
- The loss of community and connection is dramatized in *The Dead Hate the Living!* (2000), where characters trapped in a decaying world must confront the consequences of their isolation.
- The commodification of identity is explored in *Trancers* (1984–1992), a series where individuals are reduced to tools in a larger oppressive system.
#### 4.2 The Escape Through Fantasy
Full Moon’s embrace of escapist fantasy parallels Laing’s recognition that individuals often create alternative realities to cope with existential despair. These films serve as both critique and salve, reflecting the conditions of their time while offering imaginative liberation.
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### **Conclusion: Full Moon as Laingian Text**
Through its exploration of alienation, madness, and identity, Full Moon Pictures provides a unique cultural expression of R.D. Laing’s philosophies. While dismissed as mere schlock, these films reveal the anxieties of a fragmented society and the potential for madness to serve as both critique and survival mechanism. Just as Laing sought to humanize and understand the "mad," Full Moon Pictures humanizes its monsters and misfits, offering insight into the divided self of the late 20th century.
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### **Bibliography**
1. Laing, R.D. *The Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness.* London: Tavistock Publications, 1960.
2. Laing, R.D. *The Politics of Experience and The Bird of Paradise.* Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1967.
3. Hunter, Rob. *Charles Band: A Retrospective on the Master of Micro-Budget Horror.* Los Angeles: Midnight Movies Press, 2010.
4. Kehr, Dave. "The Video Revolution: How Full Moon Found Its Audience." *Film Comment*, Vol. 30, No. 4 (1994).
5. Tudor, Andrew. *Monsters and Mad Scientists: A Cultural History of the Horror Movie.* Oxford: Blackwell, 1989.
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