Awakenings The Movie Essay

Awakenings, (1990) directed by Penny Marshall, is a drama film based on Oliver Sacks memoir of the same title. Penny Marshall, an American actress, director and producer. And also a dancer. It tells the true story of British Neurologist,Oliver Sacks. Oliver Sacks as American Malcolm Sayer, who discovered beneficial effects of drugs L-Dopa. Sayer administered it to catatonic patients who survived the 1917 28 epidemic of encephalitis lethargic. And one of this patients is Leonard Lowe. Leonard Lowe, becomes one of many victims of an epidemic of an encephalitis lethergica that spread worldwide from 1917-1928. As Lowe’s sickness progresses, Lowe is no longer able to spend time with his friends, for fear of spreading the disease,and perhaps to prevent

As a character of Lowe, An inexperienced in staying “forever” in the hospital without doing anything is boring and a pity way. Lowe, a handsome guy and a loving son with her mother, is an energetic person that always read books and always write letters. Lowe became a patient at Beth Abraham Hospital when Lowe started to feel that sickness in him. In the movie, when the time goes by, and Dr. sayer cured Leonard at first, Lowe, is adjusting to his new life and becomes romantically interested to Paula, a nice and beautiful lady and the daughter of another hospital patient. Leonard grows more agitated, a number of facial and body tics are starting to manifest, which Leonard is difficulty controlling it. Leonard, is the first to demonstrate the limited duration of this period of “awakening”.Leonard soon begins to suffer full body spasms and can hardly move. Lowe puts up well with the pain,and asks his Dr, Sayer,to film him. That Lowe makes him think that maybe someday it can contributes to research that eventually may help others. And afterwards, Leonard returns to his catatonic state. This fiim ends with Dr Sayer standing over Leonard at the back of the Ouija board, with his hands on Leonard’s hands which are on the planchette. “Lets begin” Dr Sayer