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By Eoin Robert Shortiss In the world we live in today, a surprising amount of information is conveyed through fictional television and film, whether it is a hospital drama trying to capture the symptoms of a certain disease or sci-fi film attempting to describe the insides of a supercomputer. Believe it or not, sometimes these portrayals fail to present the things they talk about accurately. As viewers, you cannot fully blame directors or actors for this, as they clearly do not have the time to study up on a full science for every single production they are involved in. That being said, it can create widespread misconceptions, as I believe it has with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD as it is more commonly known, is something that I have had the unfortunate experience of seeing affect someone I care about. I have watched it take apart all things secure in someone’s life, and leave them haunted by their worst fears, forcing them to do physically and mentally strenuous rituals to keep those fears away. Left untreated, it can be very damaging, and leave someone plagued with crippling fear and anxiety on an everyday basis. After witnessing it affect someone I know personally, I gathered my own horrific definition, and assumed that was how the rest of the world saw it. I quickly learned, however, that to the outside world OCD was not the big scary disorder that I thought it was. Rather, it was used as an adjective to describe a disposition to be neat, as in, “I’m so OCD about open doors,” or, “I’m really OCD when it comes to cleaning my bedroom.” I am not at all bothered by the usage of it this way--I actually find it kind of fun. What I am curious about, however, is seeing how it originated, and seeing how film and television have reinforced these narratives in the past. To do this, I will analyse several examples of film and TV that portray characters confirmed to have the disorder, and see if they are in fact closely linked to the common perceptions the public have of the disorder. These stereotypes are what I have gathered to be the public’s interpretation of someone with OCD: a good, righteous person who is content when they are impeccably neat and tidy, has a habit of doing several actions multiple times, and are terrified of disorganisation or messes, particularly germs. To clarify, I am not intending to offend anyone with the disorder in writing this, nor am I claiming any of the portrayals in my examples are entirely incorrect--OCD manifests itself differently in everyone. I simply wish to examine how films may have had a hand in creating the general misconception that all manifestations appear in mostly the same way. The first portrayal I will tackle is arguably the most standout of all the examples I will list in terms of popularity. This is, of course, the TV show Monk. Monk is a TV show that I can vividly remember watching growing up. It revolves around a man named Adrian Monk (commonly referred to as Monk) with a strong form of OCD working for the San Francisco Police Department on murder cases. As this is a long TV show, boasting many seasons, I just viewed the first two episodes as I figured this would be where the vast majority of setup for the character would take place. It seems I was right, as these episodes had more than enough detail to allow an analysis. Though I believe Monk leans far too heavily towards stereotypes, it still has some positives that need to be noted. The most unique part of this portrayal is in how it makes reference to triggers for OCD that can worsen the disorder for those who have it. It is made clear in the first episode that the protagonist had his OCD become far more problematic after the sudden death of his wife. This is accurate, as the death of a loved one can indeed be a trigger that brings out more severe OCD, along with many other stressful or traumatic events. OCD is also shown as serious in Monk, in how the viewer learns that it has cost the protagonist his job working for the police. This is a very good aspect of the show, as it shows the potential for OCD to be disruptive to someone’s life, which is often not expected of it. I also appreciate how Monk’s OCD causes him to stand out in public in some scenes, as happens to many people with the disorder who are forced to do their rituals in public. The most humorous example of this when Monk attends a reading for children at a library to question a woman who is connected to his murder case. Monk dramatically interrupts this reading due to his disgust of witnessing a child pick his nose, clearly triggering his fear of messes and/or germs. A piece from the first scene of the first episode touches on another unique aspect of OCD, which has earned it the title of “The Doubting Disease.” Sufferers of OCD tend to be more prone to doubt, most often about aspects of themselves. Monk is investigating a crime scene, and finds himself doubting that the stove in his house was turned off properly. He is reassured by his carer that the stove is, in fact, off, but he is still fixated on the thought and this doubt distracts him from staying fully focused on the job at hand. I find it very innovative that the show added this, whether it was intentional or not. Monk could be seen as the worst of all my examples for showing the stereotypical manifestations of OCD, however. Monk loves cleaning, organising, and is terrified of germs. He enjoys symmetry and things being neat as well. As far as the rituals he does to try and manage his OCD, these episodes show them as primarily being touching objects repeatedly. This is actually one of the rituals that I personally have seen, so obviously there is some accuracy to this manifestation. However, as the scope of possible rituals is infinite, and as I have seen this ritual several times before on screens, this show choosing to display this ritual is no way innovative or new. From what I have seen of the show, there is absolutely nothing new in terms of OCD’s manifestation that hasn’t been seen before, which greatly impacts my opinion of its portrayal overall. Though not awful, the form of OCD shown in Monk certainly falls short in displaying any of the physical elements of the disorder, and therefore can be seen as feeding into the general stereotype. As Good As It Gets (James L. Brooks, 1997) is a movie that revolves around several characters, each with their own story and struggles. One of these characters, Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is a famous author diagnosed with OCD, who lives a mostly isolated life in his apartment. As far as the positives seen in this portrayal of the disorder, the best aspect of it by far is how Melvin’s OCD is made take a backseat to the narrative. When compared to other works where OCD is displayed, a large portion of the story, if not the entire story itself, is focused on how that character deals and learns to cope with living with the disorder. By making OCD appear as just another feature of Melvin, I believe it captures what it’s like for those forced to live with the disorder. It is not at the forefront of their minds all the time, but rather it is something that they just deal with, as everyone else does their own burdens. On top of this, Melvin is made out time and time again to be an incredibly rude and inconsiderate man, disposing of the “virtuous do-gooder” stereotype I mentioned before. However, though these representations go against the misconceptions of the public, Melvin’s rituals to keep the OCD in check most certainly do not. His perfectly organised medicine cabinet fulfils the organisation stereotype, all the while his excessive hand washing habits perfectly capture the paralysing fear of germs people with OCD are believed to have. We also see him repeating various actions multiple times, in him locking and unlocking the door and turning on and off the lights, which is again another stereotypical ritual. As far as originality goes for showcasing rituals, they seem to have used every stereotype they could find. In reality however, the rituals that people do because of OCD stem from fears. A ritual could be any action at all, it all depends on what someone is afraid of. For example, Melvin locking the door multiple times could be a sign of him being afraid of someone breaking in because he did not lock the door properly. Melvin’s rituals, though very possible for people with OCD, fail to showcase the element of fear involved and seem more like uninspired stereotypes rather than attempting to show the potential for variety with these rituals. Matchstick Men (Ridley Scott, 2003) tells the tale of a professional con-man, Roy Waller (Nicholas Cage), whose life is turned upside-down when he discovers he has a teenage daughter named Angela (Alison Lohman), who is eager to become a part of his life. Roy suffers from OCD, and watching him juggle his obsessive behaviour while keeping up his dishonest profession is a fascinating dynamic in this film. The portrayal of OCD is this film is strong in multiple aspects. Firstly, Roy’s OCD is shown as actually being problematic to him. It gets in the way of his job, it is annoyingly time consuming, and the movie is very clear in showing the amount of distress it brings with it. Roy is a very good example of someone who actually suffers from the disorder, which is exactly what happens to those unfortunate enough to be diagnosed. OCD can easily be perceived as beneficial, what with all you see about being very hygienic and incredibly organised, but it is rare that the condition itself is viewed as such by someone who has it. I also praise Matchstick Men for being creative in how the disorder manifests itself in Roy. Multiple times throughout the film, when someone swears in front of Roy, it visibly bothers him, and he requests that they stop using that kind of language. Though this is a vague detail, I believe it is intentionally made to look out of place, given that Roy himself is a con artist who should at the very least be used to this kind of talk. I believe his irrational dislike to these words stems from OCD. Though it is impossible tell for sure, all of the fears and thoughts that come from OCD are naturally irrational, and Roy’s hatred for bad language could very well be one of them. I also have to give the movie credit for being the first example of OCD on a screen I have seen that managed to accurately show obsessive thinking, a huge part of the disorder for anyone who suffers from it. Someone with an obsessive compulsive mind can frequently get stuck on a thought, particularly one which cause pain or discomfort, and can dwell on it in a process often referred to as ruminating. When talking to a therapist about his OCD, Roy manages to verbally communicate one of these obsessional loops his mind went on when cleaning his carpet. His thought process ends exactly where it began, causing an eternal loop that perfectly demonstrates ruminating in a mind with OCD. As good a job as this film did with capturing the disorder, the usual tropes sadly remain. Roy is impeccably organised, as seen when his daughter goes through his house, and finds every item stored away neatly. On top of this, he demonstrates the usual fear of germs in his excessive stockpile of disinfectants, and his extreme cleaning sprees. Matchstick Men is more adventurous in showing Roy’s OCD, and I feel it certainly pays off in terms of realism, capturing what most depictions don’t even come close to. That being said, it still relies on the ‘old reliables’ of cleaning and organisation to get its message across. All other aspects of the disorder that I pinpointed, such as the ruminating and his dislike of swearing, could easily go unnoticed to a regular viewer. All in all, though innovative, the unseen elements of OCD they showed took a backseat to the stereotypes in this film, which I only managed to notice after specifically looking for them, and this really leaves their portrayal not much better than your average stereotypical view. Scrubs (NBC-ABC, 2001-2010), a hospital comedy which I hold in incredibly high regard, also made an attempt to portray OCD in its episode, “My Catalyst.” In this episode a visiting professor, Dr. Kevin Casey, arrives at the hospital: a man who has both specialties of a medical attending and surgeon, all while suffering from pretty severe OCD. All things considered, this was a very good portrayal of the disorder. The first thing that really stood out was the attempt it made to show what all the previous examples I have discussed failed to grasp: rituals. Upon introducing the character, he is immediately attempting, and failing, to complete one of his rituals, chastising himself in saying, “How hard can it be for me to step in here left foot first and simultaneously exhale as my right foot plants?” This immediately shows the complications that are often associated with these rituals. He is not washing his hands, or closing a door, but rather walking into a building. By doing this ritual, though a fear may not necessarily be the driving force behind it, he may simply be doing it to make the action “feel right.” Why doing it a certain way makes it “right” is unexplainable even for those with the disorder, but regardless, it is certainly innovative that they showed this aspect of rituals in particular. The frustration he shows towards himself is again creative for a portrayal, as this is often the case for someone who can’t complete their rituals correctly, getting them stuck, often on a simple errand. This is most evident at the end of the piece, where he finds himself washing his hands repeatedly post-surgery, with nothing but rage being shown at how he just cannot seem to stop doing it. This example of OCD is also innovative in how Dr. Casey refers to obtaining his talents as a doctor, by doing all of his studies “over and over.” Though this is another reference to a repeated action, a stereotype I have faulted before. I have never seen it be applied to reading or work related activities in any manifestation yet, so this is certainly unique. For negatives, the condition finds itself steering into a few stereotypes. One of these is in the usage of a few standard rituals, in him washing his hands or turning the light switch on and off, but as I have previously stated, these rituals are entirely possible; the only problem is that this depiction reinforces the idea that this is common among all people with the disorder. The bigger problem with this portrayal however is in the way the disorder is treated as an advantage. Granted, what Dr. Casey refers to is entirely possible: being forced to do the same study repeatedly as you find it very difficult to stop, thereby forcing you to learn the material well. What this fails to capture, however, is how problematic this behaviour would have been in reality. If he found himself spending all of his spare time re-reading the same few pages of his textbooks, he would have had no time for any other work of his, not to mention any breaks, or even the slightest hint of a social life. Painting the disorder in this light adds to the idea that it can be beneficial to those who have it, which many people who suffer from it would disagree with vehemently. Overall, this portrayal was very well executed and innovative, but in painting the disorder in a positive light, it reinforces one of the most inaccurate stereotypes, wounding its realism a considerable amount. From what I have examined, it is clear that the public’s perception of OCD and how it is portrayed in film and TV are at the very least closely connected. I believe that if TV and film were not the original creator of the stereotype, it certainly is vital in keeping it alive. Painting the disorder the way it is portrayed today, as something that turns people into “neat freaks,” though harmless on the surface, could lead to it being passed off by the public as something minor and inconsequential. I do also believe however that it being repeatedly added to narratives is something that is raising awareness of its existence as a disorder, which should help educate those who think it is nothing more than what I described in my opening. I hope that these depictions grow more accurate as time passes, and are one day able to properly capture what it means to live with the disorder.
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By Eoin Robert Shortiss In my mind, the perfect film industry revolves around one thing: ideas. They can come from anyone, and I believe they have the ability to change people’s lives forever. Film is one of the best and most approachable mediums to convey these ideas to people. I believe the perfect film industry is one that is fueled by many different perspectives, and which allows the most powerful and meaningful ideas to be expressed freely.
My first ideal image of film industry is one where those behind the creation of films are appropriately protected by freedom of speech. In a world where there is seemingly an ever-growing “outrage culture” on the internet, any form of artistic expression that strays from the norm could be seen as controversial or offensive towards some group. This attitude is one that greatly stains the art of filmmaking. Creativity is infinite, and with it comes infinite concepts and ideas that can inspire or change the lives of thousands. Nobody should stifle this creativity for fear of certain films causing disturbance among the public. We have seen time and time again the effect film has on society, my favourite example being the major increase in navy recruitment sign-ups after the film Top Gun (1986) was released. The right film could change the minds of millions for the better. We cannot afford to let anything stand in the way of this. Freedom of speech is invaluable. The second aspect of my ideal film industry would be one that has widespread equality. Of course, a non-discriminatory system which allows a large variety of people from different communities, with varying religious beliefs, etc. would be amazing. Firstly, this would promote equal opportunities for all, as well as inspiring and educating many on the similarities between people, no matter what their background. More important, however, is that it expands the scope of ideas being poured into the film industry. Any oppressed or impoverished group in this world are those who have not yet had the opportunity to express their ideas appropriately are perhaps the ones that need access to the film industry the most. They have messages that have not been heard yet. The more brains we have behind creating different forms of art through film, the more the film industry will be able to intrigue and inspire people all over the world for the better. Finally, I believe the ideal film industry would be one that fully allows the arts to thrive without limits. As I have already said, I truly believe the right idea can change the world. A film industry that has more freedom in it would be the most efficient way of allowing ideas such as these to take hold. There are many ways to do this, such as having good quality of equipment be more affordable for new filmmakers, and making it simpler for films that simply cannot get equal publicity to be seen by the public. I would also like it to be easier and cheaper for filmmakers to get permission to film on the locations they decide on. A film industry with less limits on those working in it is one that would surely flourish more than it already is. |
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