The Origins of Gaslighting
gaslight -- (verb) gaslights (third-person singular simple present), gaslighting (present participle), gaslighted (simple past and past participle).
1. (slang; origin UK) To manipulate someone psychologically such that they question their own sanity.
For our April KnitFlix, I chose Gaslight, a film that won Ingrid Bergman her first Academy Award -- and it is a well-deserved trophy. Bergman is called on to play naive bride, housebound paranoid and avenger. It is a PERFECT film -- from the sets and costumes to the superb cast (you won't want to miss Angela Lansbury, age 18, playing the blowsy maid) to the spot-on direction by George Cukor (just back from military service).
The film was advertised as "the strange story of an international criminal's love for a great beauty," and "the strange drama of a captive sweetheart." The film's plot, faithfully adapted by its screenwriters, was about a diabolical, Victorian criminal husband (Charles Boyer playing against type) who systematically and methodically attempts to torment, menace, and drive his bedeviled, fragile wife (Ingrid Bergman) mad. Its title was derived from the frequent dimming and flickering of the gaslights. The phrase "to gaslight" someone (to deliberately drive someone insane by psychologically manipulating their environment and tricking someone into believing that they are insane), was derived from the film." -- Tim Dirk, AMC Filmsite.
Tuesday, April 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Fresh City Lounge. Check out our full calendar of events and workshops.