MovieChat Forums > Melancholia (2011) Discussion > What depression feels like - the meaning...

What depression feels like - the meaninglessness of existence

posted 11 years ago by JeopardyLeyton
45 replies | jump to latest

I just finished this and it is incredible!

To me, it first depicted depression really well- how difficult it is for those without it to understand. 'Just BE happy' etc etc. Even when she tries to act the part and smile, they know she's lying and that infuriates her family even more - it's not enough to act happy, she has to be happy. Everyone else thinks it's easy to get into a bath, but it is overwhelmingly difficult and pointless - when will you ever stop bathing, why do people bathe, to be clean, but why be clean when there is no point to life?

The end of the world - complete annihilation of all life, justifies the depressive in the face of all this criticism and the failure she feels she is to her family - this is why Justine begins to come around as the planet moves closer - it affirms that her inertia and hopelessness were warranted.

When you're deep dark inside depression, something as catastrophic as the collision with another planet can feel like it would be the only thing to really show people how meaningless existence is for you. There is no enjoyment, no love, no pleasant tastes (the meatloaf becomes ashes).

The depressive is completely consumed in this viewpoint, without the neurological capacity to experience anything else - this is why Justine thinks she 'knows things' and that she sees how alone everyone is and how pointless everything is when nobody else can, now confirmed by the impending destruction of Earth.

Towards the end though, Justine does grasp something about life - she takes the child and begins building the 'magic cave' with him - they give themselves something to do to occupy their last couple of hours. To take their mind away from what is happening, they create purpose, and that is what we are all doing throughout life, through imbuing our acts and gestures, feelings and circumstances with meaning. All our lives consist of building a 'magic cave' to keep out the pointlessness of existence - we structure meaning from whatever we stumble across along the way, or we strive to find meaning for building our cave, and we sit inside it until the end comes.

[–] Adept296 10 years ago

Everyone here has some very well felt/thought out insights. Great thread.

[–] manco82 10 years ago

Nah, it's just another example of "rich white girl depression". Think of starving African kids with flies in their eyes who aren't beautiful like Kirsten Dunst. Would we care?

[–] JeopardyLeyton 10 years ago

Depression and starvation are different things. Suffering is suffering - if you are white and rich it doesn't mean you are incapable of suffering, or that your suffering is inconsequential. I'm not sure what your point is.

[–] manco82 10 years ago

Check your privilege.

[–] JeopardyLeyton 10 years ago

You're silly!

[–] HenryCW 10 years ago

It is true that both the rich and the poor could suffer, but it is also true that depression is largely a rich man's illness and that I think is the point the poster was making. Mental issues and problems tend to be pushed to the background for people who are so destitute that they have to labor for their very physical existence from day to day. You don't expect many emo boys (and girls) in poor Third World Countries where many children are forced to work in sweat shops twelve hours a day.

[–] Desufnoc_chick 10 years ago

Thank you all for such an intelligent and moving thread.

I've been drawn back to this movie time and time again, and along with Vertigo it is the only movie where I've watched again immediately after seeing it the first time. I think it's because both do convey some very deep-set and somewhat dark feelings in an exrremely subtle, and true, way against a very interesting visually constructed backdrop that is extremely eerie, even ethreal.

Many people may comment that the wider context of the celestial body about to hit earth is unrealistic, or that people's reactions to it are unrealistic. But I presumed that was the whole point - isn't our whole existence here unrealistic and our seeming obliviousness to our inevitable demise unrealistic? I've toyed with this premise and ultimately have tried to pursue the option that that's the precise reason why we should feel lucky and hence try and make the most out of even the smallest pleasures while we can. But I can totally empathise with those for whom that concept makes everything seem pointless, and why I can empathise with Justine.

[–] eng_fadi77 9 years ago

I think most of the first world problems, the real ones I mean loneliness, isolation, social anxiety, existential fears are as valid as third world problems including hunger, disease and poverty. In fact, as I've lived in both worlds, I see that 3rd world problems will give rise to 1st world problems as long as they disappear. Meaning if people didn't suffer to get what to eat at this day, they eventually will have larger problems. There's no escape from that - it's our human condition.
You can relate this to Maslow's pyramid of needs, I truly believe it.

[–] lukas1985 10 years ago

Yes, cause only poor people can be born with mental illness. Facepalm.

If you love Jesus Lizard and are 100% proud of it, copy this and make it your signature!

[–] garyw2w 10 years ago

this movie can be interpreted by different people to different messages and meanings. and this is what an artistic movie is.

I don't think Justine was depressed all along. she was happy and normal before she entered the church on her wedding day. I think the 2 hours delay to the church was because they went to somewhere they wanted to go, just 2 of them. then she saw the missing red star, and that is when she knew everything is going to end soon. she couldn't accept this fact her happiness is going to end soon. so she would rather let Michael to hate her than see how he reacts when he finds out what is going to happen in a few days time. she would rather ruin the wedding and let everybody blame her. the rest of the movie just shows how she has been dealing with her sadness and eventually walked out of it and found peace. and Claire, obsessed with all the material things couldn't.

[–] rica1710 10 years ago

wow sir, what a great analysis. cheers

[–] JeopardyLeyton 10 years ago

Thanks! I'm not a sir though :-)

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] chiaro_di_luna 10 years ago

Agreed.

[–] shinrahunter 9 years ago

Having just watched Antichrist and already having seen Nymphomaniac vol 1&2 (which blew me away) I was having a look at Melancholia and thought I'd read some reviews, and then I saw this.

What a great post, as someone who's been diagnosed with depression for the last 8-9 years (and definitely suffered in silence for a few more) I can't state how true your post is.
I mean, I handle it well, I take medication and life goes on, but the bleakness of what reality is, you just can't explain to people who haven't had to battle with it too.
Pointlessness and the strive to find something you can deem worthwhile.... most people could never begin to comprehend.

anyway, just wanted to say what a fantastic post that was and now I think I'll download Melancholia and give it a whirl.

[–] stelladeli 9 years ago

Yes. 10/10.