I saw Eastern Promises this weekend, and as I might have guessed, given it was directed by David Cronenberg — the Director of The Fly and other amazing films — it is firmly rooted in the same unconscious cultural material that concerns us in this class. I won’t go into too many details because I don’t want to ruin it for those of you who plan to see it, but its plot is centered on at least three things that should be of interest to us: a codex diary that is so prominently part of the narrative that it is almost a character in its own right (everyone in the film wants to take possession of it), a parentless Baby, and writing on the body. Writing on the body is actually one of the main plot points!! On the allegorical level the film is very clearly attempting to re-write and update the Biblical story of Moses (and other abandoned infant myths) for our time. Moses is the first person in the Hebrew Bible to mention writing. The Bible is strictly an oral, matriarchal culture prior to his appearance. Moreover, there are no mothers in the film, but lots of Fathers — literally and figuratively. Another point of connection for our class is that Naomi Watts, who was catapulted into stardom by her performance in The Ring (in which she plays a single mother atttempting to save her son and rescue Sadako/Samara from the well, plays an unmarried surrogate mother-figure who tries to rescue an infant. Indeed, although for a moment the film flirts with making Naomi Watt’s character a sexy, single woman, she becomes the film’s primary embodiment of the Maternal/Imaginary early on. Indeed, she is the only maternal figure in a film dominated by Patriarchs. Moreover, there is a spectacularly vivid birthing scene in the film, despite the absence of mothers — a plot point that will become clear when you see the film. Beyond all of this, it is a remarkably well-made, intense, and gripping film. Dr. B.