MovieChat Forums > Shock Corridor (1963) Discussion > Colonization of the mind

Colonization of the mind

posted 14 years ago by educatedviewer
2 replies | jump to latest

For very sad reasons, I've done some reading up on "brainwashing techniques" as well as the concept of "breaking" people, midlife crises, and "breaking" people. I suppose that's been in the news since around 2004 considering the torture scandals but I'm not sure if people know some of the origins of these programs.

That being said, apart from the absurd characterizations of mentally ill individuals (or even what constitutes mental illness), I found the film interesting on various levels. The film makes references to extreme electro-shock and sensory deprivation (the bathtubs) as "cures" for certain brain illnesses, something that might seem ridiculous now but probably in use "backwards" to harm persons.

In addition, I found it fascinating that the film made references to Korean War "brainwashing" though I don't know if I agree with that characterization either.

With regard to the title of this post, I found that the African American guy was very interesting. His taking on the persona of the persons tormenting him was interesting but more than that, even in his lucid moments his mind was colonized. As he sits there paying the price for *other people's* problems (racism, conceptions of what is American, etc.) he still believes that it was his own fault for not being brave enough. The victim takes the responsibility for the actions of the others. He was not the one who had the problem to begin with... it was the hate mongers who have the problem, he bears the brunt of it and even as his whole life is destroyed he still believes he has to take responsibility for their actions. Amazing.

I don't know if anyone else read the film this way. It seems they were trying to make very political statements with the film (I read the film more as a "politic" than as a storyline about a reporter.) There's the whole bizarro sister thing too, but anyway, that was my take on the film.

[–] flanger216 13 years ago

Definitely political --- Americana seen as hysterical and unhinged in the face of a changing world. Loved the scene with the African American as well, and you're right --- 'colonization of the mind' is a great way to put it, because he was still insane even when he was 'lucid,' alternating between blaming himself for his aggressors and simply assuming their identity.

I think the reference to 'Korean brainwashing' was intended ironically, as that patient clearly seemed to believe that his own parents and community had already brainwashed him in his childhood, anyway.

Shock-treatment was certainly still in use back in the 60s, and usually to disastrous ends. A family member of mine was diagnosed with acute alcoholism in the 50s and was given shock-treatment; not only was his alcoholism completely unaffected by the procedure, he was also plagued with delusions and schizoid breakdowns for the rest of his life. You did *not* want to end up in psychiatric treatment then.

[–] essex9999 8 years ago

Shock-treatment was certainly still in use back in the 60s, and usually to disastrous ends

ECT is still in use today as a last-resort treatment for intractable depression. It remains controversial, but it is quite effective by the imperfect standards of treatment for mental disorders. ECT leaves some patients with long-term memory loss (not total amnesia, but loss of chunks of memory). On the other hand, the side effects of the high-dose combinations of drugs used to treat severe depression can be very bad, too.

However, the methods used today are much more refined than those used in the 50s, which undoubtedly had worse side effects, and it is only very rarely used - at least in Western countries - for diseases other than depression.

Here's a good, if rather lengthy, summary. It's from Wikipedia, but it's well sourced:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroconvulsive_therapy#United_States

You did *not* want to end up in psychiatric treatment then.

Well, ending up in treatment for psychosis is something most people would probably want to avoid today, too. :-) It is worth pointing out that, as barbaric as some of these treatments may seem to us, in fact, psychiatry had advanced enormously by the 60s, particularly with the development of antidepressants and anti-psychotics. Shock Corridor is not a documentary.