Awakenings. I appreciate that this film challenges the helping profession's perspective on the mentally handicapped. It seems like the doctors were not open to new possibilities and explanations as to the diagnosis of these patients seeing Dr Sayer's ideas as invaluable and unnecessary. Even coming from the patient itself, when Leonard requested that a pleasure such as a simple walk outside the premises of the hospital would be granted to them, was suspiciously evaluated and doubted across the various members of the board. The film shows the progression of how the caretakers and doctors began to work together to solve this natural phenomenon, serving an important lesson to all that every patient deserves to be treated as a human being despite the lack of mental attendance.
I also applaud Robert DeNiro's performance in this film, allowing himself to immerse in the demanding character that is Leonard Lowe. A high point to this film (to me) was between the spastic moments of Leonard's 'protests' and the final dance with Paula. Awakenings can be set as an example of a film that provides its audience a reason to ponder on the meaning of life, to appreciate living even to its smallest detail and that the story eventually ends somewhere. Why do people actually like having to watch films like this? At times we choose to watch certain films due to a selective nature linked to our emotional experiences (Shiota & Kalat, 2012). Emotions were already set to motion without us (the audience) realising it; the feeling of fear and confusion (maybe a little bit of awe?) from Leonard's initial rebellious speech to the swelling of melancholy in the quiet and deliberate shift of the physical and mind that is the vicious by-product of the disease. Emotions evoked in films gives a person the pleasure of entertaining themselves with a multitude of emotions and and maybe help (for some people) to extend the awareness of their emotional spectrum.
In Awakenings, what I admire most was the character development of Leonard. He was able to gather himself together as a person, decided on things that were crucial to him at that point of life, fall in love and understand his own impending exit. Although I have to say that after losing 30 years, it would be farfetched for someone to be able to have that quick of a recovery from the fact that they've lost that many of years off their lives (however, I suspect that the film over emphasises on the value of hope to build up the plot plays a role in this). Leonard's increasing level of physical and cognitive maturation allowed him to express himself throughout the film. It is when he first saw himself as the man he has become in the mirror for the first time, and it is that self-recognition that allowed him to feel what he was feeling and understand that he was no longer the boy that he was (Shiota & Kalat, 2012). It is something of a moment of realisation for us that he is free. As freedom is a recurrent goal and theme of the film, it is expected to anticipate these patients to finally break free from the catatonic spells, to take a firm grasp on their life back and to get their basic need for freedom (Glasser & Glasser, 1999). Alas, it was not the winning ending we had hoped for.
We acknowledge that memories are the central development of self. Alzheimers is a fear that strikes deep within me, and although it can not be compared with this disease, I realise, as Leonard turned catatonic once more trapped within the unconscious of his mind in his adult diapers, that there is no longer the development of the self and I would be much more grateful to have Alzheimers in my genes rather than this tragic disease that claims Leonard and those others in the hospital. They keep on breathing, yet no memories (present, past or future) would ever allow them to show their emotions, thoughts or behaviours ever again. Death would be a finer end than this.
Siti Nur Asyiqin
Referenced:
Glasser, W. & Glasser, C. (1999). The language of choice theory. New York: HarperPerennial.Shiota, M. N. & Kalat, J. W. (2012). Emotion. United States Of America: Wadsworth.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Weekly Film Blog (#1)
Cinema Paradiso. I feel like it is an irony to be watching a classic film that delivers the story of an era of traditional stop motion films through a modern digital projection. Cinema Paradiso centers around the lives of those living in a remote village of Giancaldo where the very few source of entertainment for its’ town is the old Cinema Paradiso building with a projection booth manned by Alfredo, the projectionist.
A central theme of the film that keeps coming back to me is the perseverance of innocence. This can be seen in many scenes throughout, from the mother’s denial of the husbands’ death when mentioned by Toto, to Alfredo describing the lonely nature of being a projectionists and himself as a ‘nitwit’ who ‘never had any luck’ in hopes that Toto would reconsider his interest in the projection machines, and to Alfredo’s interference of Toto’s love life. It is not only the innocence of Toto but also the town of Giancaldo through the eyes of the local priest that cloaks any form of amore to preserve his virtuous little town.
Love, an emotion, a state of being, a thread that cements the people of the town. The towns people’s love for film brought the whole generation together, from children to the elderly. A priest to the town. A man to the towns’ square. A town to the cinema. A child to the films. Mother to child. Passionate youths to each other.
I believe that love is a powerful emotion and although Alfredo was not the father of Toto, it certainly seems like it was the kind of love that has been portrayed throughout the whole film. Gestalt explains that proximity and similarity are one of the accounts for the success of an interpersonal relationship by having them close by and having likenesses with others (Brownell, 2010). Maybe it was the small town and high occurrence between Alfredo and Toto, or maybe it was how much Alfredo sees himself in Toto, either way, it made their relationship and Toto grew up with a father figure (as it seems) to look up to. This loyal friendship, an unconditional love that Alfredo has proven from the moment he helped Toto with the missing money, allowed Toto to grow up into the man that he is. Despite the death of his father, the loss of Alfredo’s eyesight, the young love that shredded his naive heart and the simple life as a projectionist and all these helped the little child to dream, to hope and to look only at the bright side of things.
It is unlikely that many can agree with the notion that all these scenes were to portray the perseverance of the innocence of a child as we can see that despite his career success as a film maker, ultimately, he did not find the same feat in his intimate life. This is where the element of reality sets in in this film, that despite the effort that we put in (i.e. standing under someone's window for 99 days straight), does not put everything into the motion that we desire it to be.
A classic film such as this delivers a renewed perspective on how films were shot and conveyed back in the days. The film shots of this movie mainly focused on close ups; photos on the wall, video of Elena, the hands that thread the projection machines, the facial close shots of Toto. It shows progress, it shows nostalgia to the audience of the film, highlighting the important aspect of conveying the message of intimacy (an emotional distance between the actors and the audience). The soundtrack was also the major highlight of the production, providing the additional mood transitions to the scenes. Such as the unadulterated beauty of the final kissing montage threaded by the late Alfredo, that after leaving Giancaldo and holding on to the promise of “Do not give in to nostalgia, forget us all” made to him by Alfredo, finally, then was Toto able to give in into his 30 years of nostalgia (delivering to us, the audience, the same emotions as to the song and of Toto).
Siti Nur Asyiqin Samsudin.
References:
Brownell, P. (2010) Gestalt therapy: A guide to contemporary practice. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
A central theme of the film that keeps coming back to me is the perseverance of innocence. This can be seen in many scenes throughout, from the mother’s denial of the husbands’ death when mentioned by Toto, to Alfredo describing the lonely nature of being a projectionists and himself as a ‘nitwit’ who ‘never had any luck’ in hopes that Toto would reconsider his interest in the projection machines, and to Alfredo’s interference of Toto’s love life. It is not only the innocence of Toto but also the town of Giancaldo through the eyes of the local priest that cloaks any form of amore to preserve his virtuous little town.
Love, an emotion, a state of being, a thread that cements the people of the town. The towns people’s love for film brought the whole generation together, from children to the elderly. A priest to the town. A man to the towns’ square. A town to the cinema. A child to the films. Mother to child. Passionate youths to each other.
I believe that love is a powerful emotion and although Alfredo was not the father of Toto, it certainly seems like it was the kind of love that has been portrayed throughout the whole film. Gestalt explains that proximity and similarity are one of the accounts for the success of an interpersonal relationship by having them close by and having likenesses with others (Brownell, 2010). Maybe it was the small town and high occurrence between Alfredo and Toto, or maybe it was how much Alfredo sees himself in Toto, either way, it made their relationship and Toto grew up with a father figure (as it seems) to look up to. This loyal friendship, an unconditional love that Alfredo has proven from the moment he helped Toto with the missing money, allowed Toto to grow up into the man that he is. Despite the death of his father, the loss of Alfredo’s eyesight, the young love that shredded his naive heart and the simple life as a projectionist and all these helped the little child to dream, to hope and to look only at the bright side of things.
It is unlikely that many can agree with the notion that all these scenes were to portray the perseverance of the innocence of a child as we can see that despite his career success as a film maker, ultimately, he did not find the same feat in his intimate life. This is where the element of reality sets in in this film, that despite the effort that we put in (i.e. standing under someone's window for 99 days straight), does not put everything into the motion that we desire it to be.
A classic film such as this delivers a renewed perspective on how films were shot and conveyed back in the days. The film shots of this movie mainly focused on close ups; photos on the wall, video of Elena, the hands that thread the projection machines, the facial close shots of Toto. It shows progress, it shows nostalgia to the audience of the film, highlighting the important aspect of conveying the message of intimacy (an emotional distance between the actors and the audience). The soundtrack was also the major highlight of the production, providing the additional mood transitions to the scenes. Such as the unadulterated beauty of the final kissing montage threaded by the late Alfredo, that after leaving Giancaldo and holding on to the promise of “Do not give in to nostalgia, forget us all” made to him by Alfredo, finally, then was Toto able to give in into his 30 years of nostalgia (delivering to us, the audience, the same emotions as to the song and of Toto).
Siti Nur Asyiqin Samsudin.
References:
Brownell, P. (2010) Gestalt therapy: A guide to contemporary practice. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
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