Feeling lonely can be a difficult experience to bear, which is why filmmakers have attempted to capture the experience of loneliness through films.
If you’re struggling with feelings of isolation or just want to see how others have managed it, these films offer the motivation you need.
The Match Factory Girl
The Match Factory Girl, a grim tale about an impoverished girl striving to rise out of poverty, is the concluding chapter in Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki’s Proletariat Trilogy. It takes its time but ultimately manages to make its point without fail.
The film follows Iris (Kati Outinen), a young factory worker who earns her living as a quality control drone watching boxes of matches pass by. Her life is punctuated with glimpses of hope – her pink party dress, the attention of an attractive bartender and, eventually, her pregnancy – but these fleeting moments are quickly dispelled with devastating force.
Iris lives with her mother and stepfather in a cramped two-room apartment on Factory Lane. The door of their shabby apartment opens onto an unassuming street full of cigarette smoke and machines that pass by in monotony. Her dad (Esko Nikkari) spends his days reading or watching television while Iris smokes mechanically.
Unfortunately, Iris feels constantly alone and dehumanized by those around her. She lacks meaningful activities to do and no real friends to turn to for support.
But she does have the chance to break free from her isolation when she becomes pregnant after a one-night stand with a wealthy man. However, when he rejects her, she resolves to exact vengeance on him and all his tormentors.
The film’s lingering shots and long moments of silence give it the feel as if it could have been made as a silent movie, making it an engaging study in loneliness that is eerily similar to Chantal Akerman’s Silent Naruse, whose protagonists also live in isolation while searching for relief from their daily burdens.
Fear Eats the Soul
Rainer Werner Fassbinder paid tribute to his cinematic hero Douglas Sirk with this 1974 movie about loneliness. It’s a remake of Sirk’s All That Heaven Allows, but with more biting edge than Sirk’s original.
The plot revolves around a lonely German widow (Brigitte Mira), who meets and falls in love with an Arab worker named Ali (El Hedi ben Salem). Unfortunately, their romance is disapproved of by both families and friends alike.
But they soon discover that they have found true happiness in each other. As their relationship progresses and develops, they must overcome their prejudices against one another as well as those from their respective cultures.
Unfortunately, they often face racist attacks from strangers or family members, leading to a profound sense of isolation for the couple as they attempt to integrate into their new lifestyle.
Fassbinder skillfully balances this heavy subject with subtle style and direction, restricting his characters’ dialogue while making sure the camera work reinforces the feeling of isolation.
Fear Eats the Soul is an evocative, honest, and insightful movie that beautifully illustrates loneliness, anxiety, and perception.
The title of the film, “Fear Eats Soul Up,” may seem incorrect at first glance; however, it’s meant to reflect Ali’s accent and how he speaks with an accented German that only foreigners understand. This sentiment is further amplified in its English subtitles.
The Silence of the Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs is an intense film about a woman struggling to stay alive in an increasingly violent world. It also serves as an iconic example of loneliness’s devastating effect on one’s mind. As one of cinema’s most beloved films, its message has resonated profoundly throughout history and continues to inspire many individuals today.
In this classic movie, Clarice Starling stars as a FBI trainee sent to help track down serial killer Buffalo Bill. The killer shoots women and then skins them – something unusual for a serial killer; this prompts the FBI to become very suspicious of this individual.
Clarice encounters Hannibal Lecter, a psychopathic doctor who has been caged for many years. He does not want to help with this case but Clarice attempts to convince him otherwise. She is willing to do whatever it takes in order to solve the case and this helps her confront her own fears.
Throughout the movie, Clarice begins to fall in love with Lecter – which is a terrible thing, yet it does not stop her from solving the case.
What makes this movie so great is that it does not sensationalize or romanticize the darkest elements of its story. This is because it does not want to make viewers feel uncomfortable; rather, it wants them to understand that these characters are very real and much more than they appear at first glance.
The movie does a great job of depicting men as both violent and human at the same time. This is essential, as it conveys that not all men are evil. This message is desperately needed in our society today.
Taxi Driver
Robert De Niro stars as Travis Bickle, a lonely taxi driver in New York City. A Vietnam veteran with insomnia, Travis struggles to adjust to his newfound busy life as a chauffeur due to lack of education and social skills. This hinders him from succeeding professionally and personally.
Taxi Driver is an impressive film that explores loneliness through various mediums. Bernard Herrmann’s dark score adds to the atmosphere, sounding like the city breathing a damp and murky air. Taxi Driver also emphasizes society’s decline as seen through its character’s interactions with those around him.
Aside from this, the film explores the relationship between a lonely man and a prostitute. Travis Bickle meets a young prostitute who is being abused by her pimp, and he then attempts to rescue her.
The movie serves as an inspiring illustration of how loneliness can shape one’s perspective on life and make one feel small in a vast universe. Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece remains popular to this day; Sight & Sound even named it their 31st best movie ever in 2012.
Lost in Translation
One of the most beloved movies about loneliness is Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation. This film has been around for nearly two decades and continues to be a beloved work of art. It demonstrates the value of having an inner purpose and sense of direction in life – something everyone can relate to.
The film takes place in Tokyo, a vibrant and dynamic city but also filled with darkness. This contrast is important to the theme of the movie because it illustrates Charlotte’s experience when she arrives here; surrounded by people and all that goes on around her, yet feeling alone because she doesn’t feel connected to anyone or anything around her.
Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is an internationally acclaimed actor who comes to Tokyo for a filming session. He’s unsatisfied with his career and feels at a crossroads; he’s unhappy in his marriage and searching for something new in life.
He feels lonely and misses his family back home. At the same time, he strives to become a better man by taking action towards improving himself. To combat these feelings, he finds solace in Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson).
They begin as strangers but quickly become friends during their stay in Germany. They manage to overcome the language barrier and find a way of connecting with one another. It is an intimate relationship, showing just how much you can bond when faced with similar circumstances.
This film emphasizes the significance of having a sense of purpose and being connected to others. It also portrays loneliness through various elements such as cinematography, camera angle, sound design and perspective – all used to bring alive this idea and give depth to the narrative.
