MovieChat Forums > Sybil (1976) Discussion > The film is abusive in itself

The film is abusive in itself

posted 14 years ago by Lilith-Luna
14 replies | jump to latest

I just finished watching this film again - I had seen it twenty years ago. I found the alleged abuse by Sybil´s mother among the worst horror scenes I´ve ever seen and traumatizing, to say the least.

I then read that there is doubt about if the abuse ever took place to that degree. A documentary is in the making about Sybil and the new evidence, tapes that have been produced.

I´m sure Sybil had a difficult childhood as the mother was mentally ill, but as Sybil herself said in a letter that has been published, "...the worst of it never happened."

Come to think about it, the extreme abuse seems far-fetched and totally over the top. Even if half of it were true, people would have talked. And if Hattie abused other children, she would have been driven out of town.

I feel abused by this film, now that I doubt it really happened.

[–] indy_go_blue44 14 years ago

Yes, this does seem to be an ongoing controversy that's been discussed, cussed and rediscussed at various times on the board. A lot of good stuff is gone from the boards and frankly, I don't feel like looking up the arguments anymore, except to state that the doctors who most strongly oppose Sybil's being a true victim of MPD/DID were involved in helping pedophiles get off when their alledged victims alledgedly used recovered memories. They also didn't start their campaign until a few years after the deaths of the principals, Sybil and Dr. W.

As a nurse, I witnessed worse abuse at the hands of parents than what Sybil suffered; I never witnessed, to the best of my knowledge, DID.

[–] Connie_n_Raymond_Marble 13 years ago

All movies based on a true story are exaggerated for dramatic effect. To say you felt abused by this film is really a slap in the face to all people who have REALLY been abused. It's just a movie. Get over it.

We'll see whose the filthiest person alive! We'll just see!

[–] loumcp 13 years ago

Agree, totally.

[–] litlbit2001 13 years ago

Pretty much alot of the abuse at the hands of Sybil's mother didn't make it into the TV movie. If you read the book, it tells you more detailed events that Sybil witnessed or was subjected too. If they had put everything in the TV movie that's in the book it would of been a mini-series! I read the book and years later they discovered that the lady living as a recluse was the actual Sybil that the book is on, but her name was not really Sybil.

"You're a goddamn *hit sucking vampire, oh you wait til mom comes home!"

[–] Ithilfaen 9 years ago

Come to think about it, the extreme abuse seems far-fetched and totally over the top. Even if half of it were true, people would have talked

I guess it's reassuring to believe that but sadly, you are wrong. Especially back then in a small town. People stayed out of each other's "business".
Even now, with many "safeguards" in place, there is always abuse, even worse than the one she suffered, that goes on for years.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

[–] fiatlux-1 9 years ago

I guess it's reassuring to believe that but sadly, you are wrong. Especially back then in a small town. People stayed out of each other's "business".
Even now, with many "safeguards" in place, there is always abuse, even worse than the one she suffered, that goes on for years.

Agreed. Excellent post.

I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.

[–] Steven_Titchenell 9 years ago

One of Shirley Mason's art students & some people she grew up with, figured out she was the real Sybil, after reading the book If it was all made up, that couldn't happen. If she later stated that the worst of the abuse never happened, I have to wonder if she was really totally cured and maybe that was stated by an alternate personality

[–] Jupiter555555 8 years ago

Thank God that stuff never happened. I wondered but wasn't sure... I really hope it never happened.

[–] fiatlux-1 8 years ago

Who said it never happened??

I am quite wary of all this media blab about everything being made up.

Its very very suspicious that all these so-called claims only came out after every single person who could defend it has passed away.

I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.

[–] baran_erik 8 years ago

C'mon, it's just junk science, perpetrated on the populous by the academic elite!!!

[–] Samuraibro 8 years ago

You can use as many big words as you want, but MPD is very real.

[–] writerchick89 8 years ago

Who said it never happened??

I am quite wary of all this media blab about everything being made up.

Its very very suspicious that all these so-called claims only came out after every single person who could defend it has passed away.

I agree. We can't really know for sure, but I don't necessarily believe that it was all made up or partly made up.

Fiction is a lie, and good fiction is the truth inside the lie.--Stephen King

[–] roreyking 8 years ago

I feel abused by this film

Sigh - some people just aren't happy unless they believe they're victims.

[–] InherentlyYours 7 years ago

Sigh - some people just aren't happy unless they believe they're victims

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