Hello ! Today I'm going to be discussing how horror movies have been known to use mental illness as a stigma to create the "mentally-ill" character.
Many horror movies have used the stigma of the "mentally-ill" character as a way to delineate the character as having real-life mannerisms.
This creates a more personal experience because it uses a real experience that people have and uses that as a way to scare people.
"Split", a horror movie released in 2016 by M. Night Shylamalan, created a story of a man with dissociative identity disorder who abducts three girls.
The depiction of the mental illness is used to be a reason for the abduction of the three girls.
This makes those watching think that because of his mental illness, he was motivated to abduct these three girls.
This film received a lot of backlash because of the misrepresentation of people with mental illnesses. CNN reported that the demonization of people with mental illnesses makes those uneducated on the matter believe that DID always makes people violent.
This use of mental illness as a use for scary content is an exploitation of those with mental illnesses.
This creates a stereotype around mental illnesses that is damaging to those who are included in that group.
Another movie by M. Night Shylamalan, "Split", creates the same stigma behind mental illnesses.
The stigma doesn't stop with those with DID, but branches out toward those with schizophrenia.
The film, "The Visit", by M. Night Shylamalan, portrays an elderly couple taking in two kids who have never met their grandparents, and pretending to be their grandparents.
Throughout the film, they portray the elderly couple as dangerous and scary.
It isn't until the falling action in the film that the kids find out that these aren't their real grandparents.
This film uses mental illness as a way to demonize the characters and make it seem that their reasoning is because of their mental illness.
So the question is why do they portray mental illness as a monstrous thing when everyday people have mental illnesses?
Studies show that 8 out of 10 students have experienced some form of mental health difficulty whilst studying, according to the NUS website.
Many people with mental illnesses aren't the violent people depicted in horror movies but are everyday people like you and me that face challenges.
Movies like Shutter Island, Psycho and Split, use mental illness as a way to increase the stigma.
Here are some positive portrayals of mental illness in films:
"Girl, Interrupted," released in 2000, is an American psychological drama film.
Angelina Jolie plays a character that faces problems with mental illness.
Having actors who are well-known play roles of people with mental illnesses could create a different stigma for those uneducated on the matter.
The positive portrayal of actors with mental illnesses may encourage those in real life to seek help because of the positive stigma placed on those with mental illnesses.
The positive portrayal on mental illnesses in films can lead to a new way of thinking for audiences and provide a new perspective for those uneducated on mental illness.
"It's Kind of A Funny Story," released in 2010, is an American comedy-drama film.
Keir Gilchrist plays the role of Craig, a character who seeks medical attention because of suicidal thoughts.
The movie stresses the importance of others helping you and understanding him with those thoughts.
Both of these films positively portray mental illness and negative thoughts and show how the other characters interact positively with those characters.
There is always room for improvement when it comes to progression.
Have you watched a movie where mental health was not properly represented?
Yes
No
What are some questions filmmakers and directors can ask before producing a film to ensure mental illnesses are portrayed positively/correctly?
Why am I telling this story?
Asking this question allows the director to process the message that could be sent if the movie was released.
2. Is the mental health condition used as a plot device?
This is a good question to ask because it lets the director step back for a second to observe and see if there is a negative message behind the use of mental health for their plot.
3. Is the mental health condition used for humor?
Sometimes, mental health is used in films as being comedic. Sometimes it can be unintentionally done, so to avoid this a review from another person's perspective would be beneficial.
4. Is there any unnecessary stigma depicted?
A director can also use different stigma in a derogatory way when it comes to mental health. By asking this question it ensures that even though the use of stigmas is necessary at times, when it is used to be comedic or negative, it should not be used.
5. Is help-seeking depicted?
It is important to include this in the film because it shows that those with mental health issues should seek help. It removes that stigma of being embarrassed because of their mental health.
After discussing mental health and its importance in being properly represented in films, the next topic will focus on the longevity of positive health effects of horror movies.
Next week I will be discussing if watching horror movies has a long-term advantage on your mental and physical health.
Follow me by clicking the Instagram and Twitter Icons below!
コメント