Films Illustrating Psychopathology Danny Wedding Mary Ann Boyd ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

214 Movies and Mental Illness Dopamine (2003) Drama/Comedy ΨΨ Independent film explores the chemistry behind male-female relationships. One character uses amphetamine pills and large quantities of caffeine. Interesting debate on how physical attraction emerges. “Most people don’t know how they’re gonna feel from one moment to the next. But a dope fiend has a pretty good idea. All you gotta do is look at the labels on the little bottles.” Matt Dillon reflects on the pleasures of drugs in Drugstore Cowboy Drugstore Cowboy (1989) Drama ΨΨΨΨ Matt Dillon leads a group of junkies who rob pharmacies to support their habit. William Burroughs plays a junkie priest. Easy Rider (1969) Drama ΨΨΨ Classic film of the late 1960s with Jack Nicholson as an alcoholic lawyer and Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper as marijuana-smoking, LSDusing free spirits. The film is dated but still worth seeing. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) Fantasy ΨΨ Terry Gilliam’s adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s Gonzo journalism classic. The book is better than the film; although the movie does not glorify drug use, it clearly models the behavior and tacitly condones the practice of driving while intoxicated. Half Baked (1998) Comedy Ψ Exaggerated comedy about smoking “weed.” Interesting for its classification of different types of marijuana smokers: “you should have been there smoker,” the “scavenger,” the “enhancer,” the “medicinal,” the “after school special,” the “father, I’m 40 and still cool,” the “MacGyver smoker,” the “straight-up potheads,” and the “I’m only creative if I smoke” smoker. Hatful of Rain, A (1957) Drama ΨΨ Melodramatic film about the life and problems of a drug addict. This was one of the earliest films to honestly examine the problem of drug addiction. High Art (1998) Drama/Comedy ΨΨ Realistic, well-acted independent film about several people who’s lives intersect for drugs, support, and conversation in a New York City apartment. I Don’t Buy Kisses Anymore (1992) Comedy/Romance Ψ Lightweight but entertaining film about an obese male who falls in love with a woman using him as a subject for her master’s thesis. I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982) Drama ΨΨ Jill Clayburgh plays the role of a high-powered documentary filmmaker who becomes addicted to Valium and requires hospitalization in a special program for addicts. Based on a true story. Jungle Fever (1991) Drama/Romance ΨΨΨ Interesting film about race relations and sexual stereotypes, with a subplot involving Gator, the crackhead brother of the protagonist, who is destroying his middle-class family. “The governor of Louisiana gave me this. Madame Tinkertoy’s House of Blue Lights, corner of Bourbon and Toulouse, New Orleans, Louisiana. Now, this is supposed to be the finest whorehouse in the south. These ain’t no pork chops! These are U.S. Prime!” Jack Nicholson plans for his trip to New Orleans in Easy Rider La Femme Nikita (1990) Action/Drama ΨΨ Sociopathic and drug-addicted woman is sentenced to die for murder and then is transformed into a government agent. Most memorable for the drugstore robbery that opens the film. Lady Sings the Blues (1972) Biography/Musical ΨΨ Diana Ross plays heroin addict Billie Holiday. From: Wedding, D., Boyd, M.A., & Niemiec, R.M. Movies and Mental Illness: Using Films to Understand Psychopathology © 2005 Hogrefe & Huber Publishers (www.hogrefe.com)
Appendix G: Films Illustrating Psychopathology 215 Long Day’s Journey into Night (1962) Drama ΨΨΨΨΨ Katharine Hepburn plays a morphine-addicted, histrionic mother with an alcoholic son (Jason Robards). One of O’Neill’s greatest plays; one of Hepburn’s greatest roles. Hepburn’s character is a good illustration of a histrionic personality disorder. Love Liza (2002) Drama/Comedy ΨΨΨ Philip Seymour Hoffman skillfully plays a man who huffs gasoline in response to his wife’s suicide. A rare and tremendous depiction of inhalant abuse and intoxication. Luna (1979) Drama Ψ Disappointing Bernardo Bertolucci film, with Jill Clayburgh playing the mother of a drug addict son. The film hints at an incestuous relationship between mother and son. MacArthur Park (2001) Drama ΨΨΨ A crack addict struggles to leave drug dependence and his home in the park to live with his estranged son. A quality independent film. “What the fuck do I need to be sober for so I can see how fucked up shit really is, please. High is how I am gonna be. I’m high till I die” A crack addict in MacArthur Park Man with the Golden Arm, The (1955) Drama ΨΨ Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak in a dated but interesting portrayal of drug addiction. Good example of the challenge of “cold turkey” withdrawal. Mask (1985) Biography ΨΨΨ Bogdanovich film with Cher as the mother of deformed but spunky teenager Rocky Dennis. Sympathetic portrayal of motorcycle gangs. Cher struggles with her angry father and her compulsive use of alcohol and drugs as she works hard to be a good mother. Mighty Wind, A (2003) Comedy ΨΨ Hilarious Christopher Guest parody of folk music. One character displays significant remnants of years of drug abuse. Naked Lunch (1991) Drama/Science Fiction/Fantasy ΨΨ This film is based on the novel by William Burroughs and deals with drug abuse, paranoia, and homicide. New Jack City (1991) Action/Crime ΨΨ Wesley Snipes and Ice-T in a realistic movie about the business of drugs. Good introduction to cocaine addiction and Narcotics Anonymous. “If the First Amendment will protect a scumbag like me, it will protect all of you.” Larry Flint on free speech in The People vs. Larry Flint People vs. Larry Flynt, The (1996) Biography/Drama ΨΨΨ A good movie about a controversial figure, the film forces the viewer to examine his or her views on pornography and free speech. The film is included in this section because of the effects of drugs on the lives of Flynt and his wife, Althea (Courtney Love), after he is shot and becomes addicted to narcotics. Platoon (1986) War ΨΨΨΨ Vietnam veteran Oliver Stone directed Platoon, one of the most realistic of dozens of war movies. There is an interesting juxtaposition of “boozers” (those who use alcohol to escape) and “heads” (those who take refuge in marijuana and other illegal drugs). Postcards from the Edge (1990) Comedy/Drama ΨΨΨ Mike Nichols’ adaptation of a Carrie Fisher story about life as the daughter of a famous actress. The mother is alcoholic; the daughter abuses multiple drugs, including cocaine and sedatives. There are brief scenes of therapy and a terrific cast. Pulp Fiction (1994) Drama ΨΨΨΨΨ Quentin Tarantino film about drugs, crime, depravity, the underworld, and life in urban America. One especially memorable scene involves John Travolta smashing an adrenaline-filled needle into Uma Thurman’s chest From: Wedding, D., Boyd, M.A., & Niemiec, R.M. Movies and Mental Illness: Using Films to Understand Psychopathology © 2005 Hogrefe & Huber Publishers (www.hogrefe.com)
Page 1 and 2: Films Illustrating Psychopathology
Page 3 and 4: Appendix G: Films Illustrating Psyc
Page 31: Appendix G: Films Illustrating Psyc

Films Illustrating Psychopathology Danny Wedding Mary Ann Boyd ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?