One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest

[kittiecris]

I really need everyones help. Please!

Im doing a my dissertation on Perceptions of Maddness. I'm analysing the film One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest as a cultural text. But I'd Like to know (for research) firstly what other films or television programs you have seen which depict madness and how they have shaped your perception of the word mad, or mental.

I know this is very un PC but i'm interested in the conotations of the words that I am using.

I would really appriciate anybodys help in this. Thanks in advance.

[gary baldy]

Heres Johnny!

The Shining is a classic exploration of the descent into madness.
OFOTCN however is a portrayal of clinic 'madness' and perhaps the correct term should be mental illness. Most films such as The Shining, have to rely on dramatic situations, portray 'madness' as a manic episode - usually with violent consequences.
Good subject for a dissertation and therefore this we dont have the space (and i dont have the time) to go into this.
I think it would be useful to differentiate between depictions of 'clinical' and 'psychotic' madness.
From there you can find examples of each and compare and contrast.
Some examples?
Clinical - The Fisher King, Rain Man, Awakenings, Falling Down (although that could fit into psychotic - like wise Taxi Driver) Vertigo.
Psychotic - Psycho, Silence of the Lambs , Straw dogs, Clockwork Orange.
Could go on but far too complex to cram into a small post but hopefully that should give some pointers.

[jon1968]

'Taking over the asylum' was a fantastic series back in the 90's where Ken Stott is a DJ in a Psychiatric hospital, very good at not portraying all patients as 'nutters' and very funny with it. Think it may be too un-PC for todays telly though, get a copy if you can......and Spike Milligan (famous Manic depressive if you didn't know) had a cameo.

[kittiecris]

Thanks very much. Some very helpful pointers. i was going to focus mainly on the institutional side of things. But these suggestions have given me some fresh ideas. I'd better start writing it. Final Draft due in at the end of March!

[veda]

girl interupted - angolina jolie and winona ryder, set in the 1950's to 60's about how young women adapted after having been labeled mad and the consequences of the title they have been given,

[ade33uk]

loving walter http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383046/ with Ian McKellan is a really good film about mental illness