When Nietzsche Wept

I am somewhat conflicted about posting the movie below. On the one hand, since philosophy deals with ideas and abstractions not easily captured through a visual medium, it's difficult to find video material that I can use to expose my intelligent audience to ideas and thinkers with whom they might not yet be familiar, which normally means I want to jump at any opportunity that presents itself. On the other hand, the following film is a far cry from an accurate representation of 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, or his ideas (which require a lot of philosophical and historical background to be properly understood... and seldom are).

Here, then, is a disclaimer in the form of explanation. The film, as I understand it, is an adaptation from an interesting book written by a psychoanalyst who has made a hobby out of writing fictional accounts of historical figures, philosophers primarily, as they embark in a process of self-discovery through psychoanalysis. In this particular case, many of Nietzsche's own philosophical and psychological insights (though often cited out of context) are used as the conceptual framework through which Nietzsche and his therapist can both overcome their personal demons and weaknesses. You might call the film an exercise in biographical and philosophical fiction.

Incidentally, these ideas also play the role of seeds that will germinate in the articulation of a psychological revolution by a now young Sigmund Freud, or as they call him in the film, Siggy :)

And in case you're wondering, for those of you in the know, Lou Salome is a central character in the film and, as is to be expected, she's pretty hot :)

Check out more serious accounts, and some humor, on Nietzsche.