7 Things ANASTASIA Teaches About Childhood Trauma

by Panzer
Jono: Anastasia, she has a very happy life.
She doesn't remember her past, but she knows there's something there, some sort of connection.
Whatever you've been through, if you're running from it,
it becomes even bigger and more powerful in your mind.
Instead of pretending that it didn't happen or I don't want to talk about it...
No, I'm going to talk about it,
because when I deal with it head on, it becomes less powerful,
it becomes less scary, and then I control the narrative.
Anastasia: I couldn't have said it better myself.
Jono: And that helps her to look towards the future and say, but if it happened before, I can create it again.
And that gives her strength and resilience.
Hello and welcome to Cinema Therapy.
I'm Jonathan Decker, licensed therapist who loves movies. This is...
Alan: Alan Seawright, a professional filmmaker who needs therapy.
Partially because of how freaking scary the movie is that we're going to talk about.
Jono: Oh my gosh, how is Anastasia rated G?
The level of gore and viscera and sinews and body horror.
Alan: Three quarters of the movie is a very G-rated, lovely little animated musical.
Alan: And then one quarter of it is [beeping] dark. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: How did this get a G rating?!
♬♬ Things that bother you never bother me, I feel happy and fine, a-ha ♬♬
♬♬ Living in the sunlight, loving in the moonlight, having a wonderful time ♬♬
Jono: So, we're going to be exploring childhood trauma,
including yours, if you watch this movie as a child.
Uh, we're going to be... we're doing a Psychology of a Hero on Anastasia herself
and looking at seven things that this film teaches us about trauma.
Psychologically, the film is actually fairly accurate.
Historically - not even close.
Alan: Not even a little bit. That's okay.
I'll try to contain my rage.
Jono: So, number one is that trauma often involves the loss of feeling safe, but not always.
Anastasia: It plays our lullaby.
Dowager Empress Marie: You can play it at night before you go to sleep and pretend that it's me singing.
Jono: So, on the heels of Beauty and the Beast, casting Angela Lansbury is always a good idea.
Alan: I mean, before Beauty the Beast casting Angela Lansbury was a great idea. Jono: Anytime.
Jono: Yeah, absolutely. I just mean, like, you want...
Alan: In an animated movie. Sure Jono: You want... grandmother... Maternal energy.
♬♬ ...home with me, once upon a December ♬♬
Alan: Production design in this film is so gorgeous.