Hollywood and The Bigger Picture

[Summer Rose]

My daughter asked me to watch a film with her the other day. It was one of her favourite movies that I had somehow missed called Perks of Being a Wallflower. It was a well scripted, touching, coming of age story that in my opinion dealt sensitively and fairly accurately with mental health and other tricky adolescent issues. My daughter said she loved the film because one of the main characters " is like me".

Like me. The words rolled around in my mind. It occurred to me that there are few film or TV characters that are actually like my beautiful girl, who suffers from anxiety and OCD. It also dawned on me that some of the characters currently on the screen who do have OCD are almost insulting. Take Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, for example. He is a walking, talking billboard for the lighter side of autism and OCD but, in my opinion, his character does nothing to contribute to the community's greater understanding of what these conditions are really like to live with.

I think it's fair to estimate that the global television and movie industry makes billions of dollars annually telling stories about characters with mental health conditions. Oscar winning blockbusters such as, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ordinary People, Silver Linings Playbook and a Beautiful Mind have certainly played a role in raising awareness, but is that enough?

Given that inaccurate film representations of mental illness can profoundly contribute to stigma and the reinforcement of unhelpful stereotypes, does the industry have a community obligation to inform? Or is just entertainment? Or does anything designed to raise awareness do some good? Love to hear what you think.

[Summer Rose]

Hi Mary

Lovely to hear from you. And don't worry about your soapbox, everything you said resonates with many others including me--I'm tempted to hop up right next to you!

Glad you mentioned the 1975 classic, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. We simply couldn't have a credible discussion about mental health and the movies without it. The film actually won all the top five Academy Awards that year and I read somewhere that it's credited with sparking what was then a new sympathetic view of people with mental health conditions. But I'm not entirely certain that's true, does anybody know for sure? And who could ever forget Nurse Ratched? Sometimes I think mental health professionals get just as much of a raw deal as people experiencing mental health conditions do from the mass media.

I share your concern about the Criminal Minds show and others like it. To my mind, they do nothing but reinforce negative stereotypes of the "crazy" violent offender. It's nasty stuff and I simply tune out.

I don't really know much about the "people with an intellectual disability journey" that you refer to. All sounds really interesting. Were you involved in helping to shape the new legislation or compile the dictionary? Are you able to share some examples of the positive portrayals in films or on TV? It would be interesting to see how accurate film representations contributed to combating stigma and positive change and how that fits in with our mental health and the mass media discussion.

[Summer Rose]

Hi Mary

Lovely to hear from you, welcome. I really got a lot out of your post and wrote you a reply last night but it hasn't yet appeared. It was late and I was tired, so maybe I used an inappropriate word or something. I hope it's okay with you if I wait to see if it pops up before rewriting becaus I had actually put a lot of thought into it. Arghhh!

[Summer Rose]

Hi Birdy77

Thank you for your very touching review of Infinitely Polar Bear. I am definitely going to try and find time to watch this film. I also loved the Black Balloon--an Australian great. I liked it because it seemed so authentic and it made me laugh and cry. What was it that resonated with you?

[White_Rose]

Hello Summer Rose

Your post has not yet appeared and I wonder if it has disappeared. I also wrote to someone and could not see my reply after the usual time so perhaps it's a technical difficulty.

I wanted to check if it had appeared but I cannot remember which thread I posted to. Oh dear,my memory is not good. I'm told this is caused by stress and I do have a huge amount ATM. But then I am also told that eating the wrong food can increase your depression leading to stress etc and I know I have fallen off the diet wagon in the past few days.

Mary

[Summer Rose]

Hi MsPurple

Thank you so much for this post. I think you've demonstrated very clearly how complex the issue of mental health depictions on film and TV really is. And you've beautifully highlighted that the complexity is tied to so many things, the use of humour, reliance on stereotypes and script writing.

I think what you're saying-and please correct me if I'm wrong-is that you like to see characters with mental health conditions but only if it's done well. And herein lies the rub.

What is "done well" for one person, isn't for the next. Take our various views of Silver Linings Playbook and Sheldon Cooper for example. And, as Paul pointed out, Hollywood is driven by money. They tell the stories that make money so they don't necessarily have the motivation to be concerned with doing it "well". Should they be?

Hollywood literally has the power to change society. Some people would argue they should have a social conscience and I have to confess I'm one of them. What do you think? Would this kill creativity and fun? Or as romantic_thi3f points out, would this miss the whole point of escapism and why we often watch movies/TV in the first place?

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Summer Rose and all,

I feel this is an interesting thread 🙂

I must admit that I haven’t read the whole thread. I’ve only skimmed bits and pieces here and there but I thought that I might chime in anyway...

Personally, I feel consumers also have a role to play. I feel the reality is it’s ultimately and predominantly about the bottom line for producers (as others have mentioned). So I think as long as people keep watching, and producers and film companies are making huge profits, there is little incentive for them to do things differently.

So perhaps another way to look at it is to educate people to be selective and critical film “consumers.” If consumers are demanding different content, producers gradually will “follow” where the money is and this will be reflected in their films...

Anyway, this is just my personal opinion. Others may feel differently but I still wanted to share my thoughts 🙂

Pepper

[Summer Rose]

Hi Mary

I think you are right and that it has disappeared. I just checked my email and there is no notification that it has been held up for moderation, so fingers crossed for better luck this time...

I thought your post was very insightful for a many reasons. I dropped Criminal Minds and others shows like it for exactly the same reasons. I particularly found their heavy reliance on stereotypes nauseating. An episode featuring a person driven by OCD to become a "crazy", dangerous murderer was the last straw. I'm glad to know it wasn't just me who found this show unhelpful.

And thank you for mentioning the 1975 classic, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which picked up all five major Academy Awards that year. I don't think we could have a credible discussion about film and mental health conditions without talking about this one.

This film sure ticked the box for raising awareness (who could ever forget Nurse Ratched?). It is also said to have brought about change; however, not all of it was positive. According to The Guardian the film has been given credit for "irreparably tarnishing the image of electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, and quickening its departure from mainstream mental health care". However, a 1983 American study involving university students found that after seeing the movie people had "considerable negative changes in attitude" towards people with mental health conditions. Makes you wonder if there is one film that can do it all well, as MsPurple and I'm sure many others would like. Has anyone ever come across one?

I don't know a lot about the "the journey of people with an intellectual disability" that you referred to. Maybe you could provide some examples of positive media portrayals to assist our understanding? I'm also wondering if you think legislative change and a dictionary or maybe a Code of Practice could be useful in the context of helping to nudge the film industry in a more helpful direction on their treatment of characters with mental health conditions?

[Just Sara]

Hi again Summer; (waves to everyone posting/reading)

Thankyou for the lovely welcome; it's a pleasure engaging with you again I must say. I love the way you express your thoughts/opinions. This thread's a credit to your passion and caring for your daughter and the wider community. Great work!

My background's in health, disabilities, mental health, addiction and govt services like housing. The story of your daughter touching the car roof 60 times is so sad. I'm sorry you're both faced with these incredibly cruel and frustrating symptoms.

I've seen first hand how people react to 'different'; in some cases, really different. There seems to be 3 types of 'witnesses'. The compassionate ones, the ignorant ones and the offended ones.

Battling stigma's only one aspect of educating the masses. It's 'people' who're at the core of acceptance and understanding. The unfortunate reality is, unless it happens to them or someone they love, things will continue to change slowly.

To me, Sheldon represents a shadow of reality. It's subtle, yet still provides a taste of the world around us. He has no self awareness either. This aspect of his behaviour's rare and for sure isn't 'real' as we know it to be. The fact we're talking about him though, is a positive imo.

Asperger's is on the autism spectrum yes, but there are high functioning sufferers like my ex who blend into the community well; a spectrum within a spectrum. It again comes down to being outwardly 'different'. I think this is where inclusion and participation requires attention.

Sigh.. sorry for steering away from topic. As always, media of any type will get a reaction that's for sure; when art depicts life..

Have a great day..

Sez x

[Summer Rose]

Hi Peppermintbatch

I'm so glad you popped in, welcome! And thank you for your insightful contribution to the discussion. We haven't yet really talked much about the role of the consumer.

I think you are spot on. The producers will follow the money and that ultimately means they will follow us. We all have the power to simply turn the telly off. To choose a different film. To walk out of the movie theatre. A really interesting thought to consider who guides and educates us to make informed choices.

I can only think of the film critics. In Australia people like David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz and their colleagues at the Australian Film Critics Association have played a key role. Interestingly, David has identified A Dangerous Method as one of the his best films ever. This 2012 film looked at the origins of psychoanalysis. I've never seen it but will now check it out!

I think the film critics may have more power than I'd ever considered until you chimed in, what do others think?

For anyone else out there who is maybe time poor but interested in joining in, we are discussing the intersection of mental health and the film and TV industries. We are looking at the good and the bad of how film/TV can impact stigma, which films/shows work in our opinion and why or why not, the use of humour as a creative device, the power of documentaries--all things mental health and film. Join us if this theme resonates with you.

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Summer Rose and all,

Thank you for the warm welcome 🙂 A wave to all...

I’m glad you seem on board with my point about the role (film) consumers can play. Yes, absolutely, I agree that we can each play a part in influencing film content based on the films we choose or choose not to watch.

Sorry, I don’t know much about Australian Film Critics Association. But I sometimes feel critics’ comments/criticism usually come from an artistic and entertainment angle rather than a “social conscience” angle. So I’m not sure their goals and interests necessarily align with yours?

Perhaps, I wonder if all this starts in school. As in educating children from a young age to be critical thinkers who are taught not to take things at face value. To learn to unpack media, and to be taught their consumption decisions have power and influence. To be taught to critically assess what is presented to them regardless of whether it’s a movie, TV series, online article, opinion piece, academic piece, etc.

Great thread!

Pepper