From Substance to Phantasm: Poison Motifs in Narrative Cinema

Abstract

This chapter gives a short overview of the characteristics of the poison motif in narrative cinema. It shows how elements from historical discourses on poison were incorporated into the medium of film. While in those discourses poisons figure as substances which have certain effects, film definitely shifts the focus from the material to the phantasmatic. Since it can only be shown indirectly (hidden in drinks or food), poison has to be named, thereby gaining the qualities of a magic spell. It seems to guarantee power over life and death, but leaves nothing and nobody untainted—‘poisoning’ the protagonists as well as the atmosphere. As a consequence, in film, traditional poison narratives translate into visuals that profoundly undermine ideas of stability and identity.