Awakenings (1990)

Life-affirming

"having or showing a positive outlook that encourages optimism about life"
- Collins Dictionary

'Awakenings', as it is aptly named, is a movie intended to give its audience a sort of "wake up call" towards what we tend to overlook and/or take for granted in life:

"... That the human spirit is more powerful than any drug.  And that is what needs to be nourished. With work, play, friendship, family."

"These are the things that matter.

This is what we've forgotten.

The simplest things."

- Dr. Sayer

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Every few years or so, there will come films that give you a sense of life-affirmation; films that make you take a step back & really put things into perspective, showing what should really matter to you & to stop focusing on what you could've done differently but rather what you can do now.

One such film that springs to mind is 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'.

It's about a man named Walter Mitty who has let a good portion of his life pass idly by.
He daydreams about unrealistic scenarios in his head, referred to by people around him as "zoning out", which he does quite often.
It isn't until he's about to be forcefully retired & faced with the task of developing the negative film used by a renowned photographer for the last issue of Life Magazine, that he is forced into situations he only dreams of ever doing while trying to track down the photographer to complete his career's final work.

In an interesting twist, the negative that was meant to be cover for the final issue was in fact a picture of him.  The irony of this is that Walter Mitty didn't really have much of a 'life' until he was thrown into one unpredictable adventure after the other.

These adventures reconnected him with his previous interests & he realizes that it's time to stop thinking and dreaming, & to finally just do; to live life.  At the end of the movie he finally gets the courage to ask out the coworker he had been secretly crushing on.

The parallels in the two films are quite interesting:
It usually begins with an unlikely scenario that pushes the main character (and/or other characters) out of their mundane routines.  Somewhere down the road someone who is a (not very integral) part of their life confronts // presents them with 'wise words of wisdom' that jolts them awake from the 'trance' that they were in, making them reflect on how they've been living, or lack thereof.  Finally, in the end the main characters get a happy ending in their own personal life, but not for the movie per say, which essentially portrays what is like in real life: sometimes we win some, & other times we lose.

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Life & Death

The message from this movie is quite simple & straightforward, & there are many scenes in this movie that will make a person do a quick evaluation of their life and their priorities, wondering if they have lost sight of what is truly important in life.
At one point in the movie, this message about life is blatantly pointed out that it would be difficult to ignore:

"We've got to remind them how good it is ...
People have forgotten what life is all about.
They've forgotten what it is to be alive.
They need to reminded of what they have, of what they can lose."

- Leonard Lowe

This movie was set during the period of the Vietnam war, judging from the brief scenes with protesting hippies.  Almost 50 years later and these words are still relevant today, even more so with more distractions, more worries, and even higher and tougher demands.

It is very easy to take things for granted nowadays.  The world is so fast-paced that many people get swept up in it, settling into routines that do not add quality to their lives.  Their spirit worn down from doing things because they should be done & not because it makes them happy, and yet everyone yearns for happiness, wishing that they're living a different lives, thinking of all the 'what ifs' and 'if onlys' they could have done [counterfactual thinking] (Epstude & Roese, 2008).

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We have all been Dr. Sayer at one point or another in our lives: unable to step out of his comfort zone, hesitating & over deliberating simple things because we lacked the courage to act on it or because of the unpredictability.  In situations like these, some people never really do and opportunities just pass them by.  Some eventually are able to muster up the courage to just do it, while some need a 'Leonard' in their life to remind them to seize whatever opportunity is presented to them instead of over-analyzing it due to the element of uncertainty.

"No look at yourself.  I have a sickness ... But you have no excuse."

- Leonard

Through Leonard, Dr. Sayer finally lets go of his inhibitions & asks nurse Eleanor out for coffee.

Parkes, Lasker & Marshall (1990)

Similarly, many of us are also like Leonard pre-awakening:

"The rest of the time he remained as you see him here, in a metaphorical, if not physiological, equivalent of sleep, or even death."

- Dr. Sayer

We may not have a "sickness" like Leonard, but metaphorically speaking we are in many ways just like him: functioning on autopilot from out day-to-day lives, doing things that have become so habitual that they've become part of our subconscious.  Unfortunately, it is how we humans are wired.  If we had to consciously process the constant abundance of stimuli around us, our brains won't be able to handle the cognitive overload.  As a result, we do many things on a subconscious level as it is our brain's way of being efficient.

Even when we are asleep, our brains are still subconsciously reorganizing and processing information that we've taken in throughout the day.  Whenever we are mentally stuck on a problem and we decide to come back to it at a later time, our brains are also subconsciously still working on the problem, leading to those "Ah-ha!" moments.

Dr. Sayer's "Ah-ha!" moment

When we do snap out of the 'zombie-like' state that we're so used to and notice the finer things in life, for a short moment it can feel as though we have just been born again and are experiencing something familiar differently as if it were the first time.

Leonard's first steps out of the hospital in 30 years

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In life, we are also like Mrs. Lowe:
When good things happen we usually don't ask why it happens, we just appreciate and accept things as it is.  Conversely, when bad things happen, humans have a tendency to question why it has to happen, as they gradually try to make sense of it and get over their disbelief (or not).

"When my son was born healthy, I never asked why ... But when he got sick, you can bet I asked why, I demanded to know why."

- Mrs. Lowe

There are also other perspectives and approaches (mental attitudes) to life are portrayed through the characters in this movie:

Optimism

Miriam when told her husband divorced her

Pessimism

Frank when asked "How's it going".

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All in all, ultimately it is your decision on how you want to live your life.

You can choose to long for something that cannot happen:

"I just need it to be"
- Lucy Fishman

Or you could spend it with your friends and family:

Rose & her friends

(Assuming) Frank's grandson

Rolando & his cat

And cherish every fleeting moment:

Paula & Leonard dancing together

Just remember that no matter you decide to do with your life, eventually:

"It's [Life] given and taken away from all of us."

- Eleanor Costello

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- Extras -

Did you catch this? 😏
Keep your eyes on the house of cards.

Operant Conditioning

Remember Waheedah?  She does not like pens.

As can be seen she has a very unpleasant reaction when she saw the pen.  Thus, through negative reinforcement, everyone has been conditioned to hide their pens to avoid her screaming (Ciccarelli & White, 2014).

- End-

 

References

Ciccarelli, S. K., & White, J. N. (2014). Psychology (4th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Epstude, K., & Roese, N. J. (2008). The functional theory of counterfactual thinking. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 12(2), 168-192. doi:10.1177/1088868308316091

Life-affirming. (n.d.). In Collins Dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/life-affirming

Parkes, W. F., & Lasker, L. (Producers), & Marshall, P. (Director). (1990). Awakenings [Motion picture]. United States: Columbia Pictures.

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)

"Cinema Paradiso // Nuovo Cinema Paradiso" [Paradise Cinema // New Paradise Cinema]
is centered around the key influences in Salvatore Di Vita's [Toto] childhood to young adulthood which led to him becoming the famous film director that he is now.

The story is told through flashbacks, with glimpses of Toto's friendship and apprenticeship with Alfredo, his first love, and how he went on to pursue his dreams by having to leave behind the people closest to him.

How I shall I begin?  Hmm, let's start with...

Father Figure, Mentor, & Friend

Throughout his formative years, Toto's relationship with Alfredo was the main influence in his life.
Ever since Toto was a child, Alfredo had recognized that he was too bright & had too much potential to be stuck in a small projection room in the small town of Giancaldo, Sicily. (Cristaldi & Tornatore, 1988).

This was depicted in multiple scenes throughout the movie:

"It's no kind of job for you.  You're like a slave, and always alone."

- Alfredo

 

"I choose my friends for looks, my enemies for intelligence.  You're too foxy to be my friend."

- Alfredo 

Alfredo advising Toto to continue studying instead of quitting school to work full time at the newly rebuilt Cinema Paradiso.

Alfredo also became a father-figure; someone he looked up to & respected:

Alfredo bailing Toto out of trouble when he spent the milk money to go to the cinema.

Alfredo feeling guilty and responsible when Toto's stolen films almost burnt down the house.

Alfredo telling the story of a soldier and a princess when Toto asks him for advice on how to woo Elena.

 Together, they also got into some mischief:

 

Alfredo helps Toto distract the priest so that he may talk to Elena by hiding in the confession booth.

Alfredo begging Toto to help him. 
In desperation, he finally agrees to teach Toto how to work the projector machine in return.

In my opinion, the greatest piece of advice given in this movie was the one Alfredo gave to Toto on how difficult it can be to escape from a small town life, & how attachments can hold one back.

"Get out of here.  This land is cursed ...
You're young ... the world is yours."
"I don't want to hear you talk, I want to hear talk about you."
- Alfredo

For a person who has never ventured out of the small town he was born in, the urge to return to the comfort of a familiar place and the resulting sense of security that comes with it can be very strong when faced with the adversities of the harsh world.

Alfredo's final parting words to Toto

"Whatever you end up doing, love it.  The way you loved the projection booth when you were a little squirt."
- Alfredo

Looking at attachment from an evolutionary approach, Alfredo's intentions behind saying such things were to hopefully dissuade him from ever coming back to the "cursed land" - cursed because it can be difficult to leave the comfort, familiarity & security of a place you've always known as it gives you a sense of safety (Bowlby, 1969).
The simple, easygoing life of a small town can be very appealing when you first leave it, especially when the only people you know are there while you are out in the world trying to establish yourself.
I relate a lot to this, being a small town girl myself.  The more stressful it gets, the stronger the urge is to just drop everything & go back home permanently where life truly is simple and honestly easier, and especially when you do not have to worry about everyday responsibilities of being an adult with family at home to take care and provide for you.

Nostalgia

Nostalgia is a very strong emotion, and depending on how it is utilized, can be either beneficial or detrimental to a person (Burell, 2016).  In the case of Toto, Alfredo believes that nostalgia will be detrimental to his future coupled with the attachment he feels towards Alfredo.  Although it saddens him that his actions may lead to him never seeing Toto again, Alfredo tells him with conviction to:

"Don't give in to nostalgia.  Forget us all."

- Alfredo

Case in point it's been 30 years that Toto has not been back to Giancaldo, & now Alfredo has passed away.  Alfredo's wife later tells Toto that even on his deathbed Alfredo still refused to let word get out to Toto.
As the funeral procession stops at the town square, Toto expectantly looks up but was shocked to see that state that his beloved Nuovo Cinema Paradiso was in.  As he glances through the group he spots many familiar faces that have been weathered by time.  As he converses with Cicilio about the cinema, he is perturbed as to why Cicilio addresses him with such formality.  Seemingly as if for old times sake, Cicilio addresses him as Toto as their conversation ends.

Salvatore gazing upon the iconic lion head

The final scenes of the movie really drive home the feeling of nostalgia in the audience, as we are able to empathize with what Salvatore is feeling: seeing his once grand Cinema Paradiso in ruins, rewatching the first movie he made, etc.  Though time may have passed some things will never change, giving us "a sense of continuity in life" (Burell, 2016).

According to Burell (2016), nostalgia is about what we felt and not what was occurring at a point in time.  The way this film was shot enables us to feel all that Salvatore was feeling as he reminisces and visits all the places he used to frequent when he was young.  Watching his progress made it seem as though we actually went through those experiences with him, despite the movie being only roughly 2 hours long.

As Cinema Paradiso is demolished, I feel it signifies the end of all the strong attachments he has in his hometown of Giancaldo, hopefully allowing him to move on and like his mother pointed out:

"Here there are only ghosts.  Let go, Toto"
- Maria Di Vita

 

 

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- Extras -

 

Inattentional Blindness

The literal 'smoking gun'
Did you know that a prominent-looking man was assassinated in the new cinema?
If you've watched the movie & missed it, take a look at the clip below to see if you can spot it:

(Cristaldi & Tornatore, 1988)

Still can't see it? Look towards the area near his left bicep as he gradually keels over.

How could you had miss something that was right there in plain sight?
That's probably because you were too preoccupied with the sudden death of a man, combined with the quick changing of scenes & his seemingly old age, that you brushed off the death as him having a heart attack from all the excitement.
It often happens in everyday life, when you either aren't paying enough attention or are paying too much attention to something, that you'd miss obvious events or details that are present (Carpenter, 2001).
When I asked a friend if he had noticed, he thought that the gun was a lighter or cigarette.  He had quickly dismissed what he had seen without conscious processing [schema: people were constantly smoking throughout the movie] as his focus & attention were elsewhere.

Kübler-Ross 5 Stages of Grief

The movie is set post-WWII, and in scenes with brief dialogues, it is implied that Toto's father went to fight in the war.  Young Toto no longer remembers his father, though he still asks his mother why he has yet to return from Russia when the war is over.
This model is depicted through Signora Maria's (Toto's mother) loss of her husband.

Denial
Though he is a child, Toto knows that his father is dead & says so to his mother in one of the intense emotional scenes where his treasure trove of films nearly burns down the house and his sister.  Frustrated & at her wits end, Signora Maria exclaims: "God grant me this.  Send your father home to whip you!", to which Toto replies: "Papa won't come back, and I know why.  He's dead."
Taken aback by his words, Signora Maria unconvincingly says that he will return, though she knows that there is truth to Toto's words.

Acceptance
Later on, a list of soldiers, who were before considered missing, are pronounced dead is released.  Among them were Toto's father.  Unable to deny it any longer, Signora Maria grieves, accepting the fact that her husband is never coming back, while a puzzled Toto walks along next to her.

Toto's confused expression can be attributed to the fact that, being the smart child that he is, perhaps he instinctively knows that he should be sad but is unable to grieve for a man he no longer remembers.  In addition, he has Alfredo now whom he identifies more as a father.

Orbitofrontal syndrome

Based on what little there was to go on, the closest diagnosis I came to which matched the local square "crazy" person's behaviour was orbitofrontal syndrome.  The scar across the right side of his forehead possibly indicates a subset of this syndrome, which is the pseudopsychopatic personality disorder, which is characterized as a change in personality after suffering damage to the right frontal lobe area (Zald & Rauch, 2006).

- FINE -

 

 

 

References

Bowlby J. (1969). Attachment. Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Loss. New York: Basic Books.

Burrell, T. (2016). Wistful thinking. New Scientist, 231(3092), 36-38. doi:10.1016/s0262-4079(16)31747-x

Carpenter, S. (2001, April 21). Sights unseen. Monitor on Psychology, 32(4), 54.

Cristaldi, F. (Producer), & Tornatore, G. (Director). (1988). Cinema paradiso [Motion picture]. Italy: Les Films Ariane.

Zald, D. H., & Rauch, S. L. (Eds). (2006). The orbitofrontal cortex. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198565741.003.0023