Reader Jon tips us off to the news that Viggo Mortensen has replaced Christoph Waltz in Cronenberg’s new film, The Talking Cure, based on the Christopher Hampton play. The Dark Horizons, via DHD, says that Mortensen will play Sigmund Freud, while Michael Fassbender will play his conflicted pupil, Carl Jung.
DHD’s Tim Adler poses the question, “If the movie‚Äôs going to be as hot as the producers hope, I can‚Äôt help but think that as a title The Talking Cure is a little flaccid. Surely the filmmakers can come up with something better?”
One of the commenters chirped, “How about calling it ‚ÄúPenis Envy‚Äù?
The ways Freud and Jung diverge are interesting, and each is responsible for varying approaches to psychoanalysis. I know, for instance, that Woody Allen has always been under the care of a strict Freudian, which probably explains a lot when you think about it. I myself did time with a Jungian many years back. Big on dreams, not so much into the blaming of the mother for everything.
Watching Witness the other day I was reminded again of Viggo Mortensen’s immediate star power. He probably had one line in that movie and yet you can’t take your eyes off of him. Mortensen, I feel, gave the best performance of the year last year, but unfortunately there just wasn’t room in the Best Actor race to accommodate him.