Awakenings (DVD)

In 1969 dr malcolm sayer played by robin williams began working at bainbridge hospital, he discoveres a group of people who survived the 1916 sleeping sickness epidemic who the rest of the world seems to have either forgotten about or just simply given up hope on. The sleeping sickness virus turned its victims into lifeless statues Dr sayer experiments with drugs and new techniques to bring these people back to normal functioning human beings, during his quest to this he also opens himself up to his own sleepyness when it comes down to human affection and friendships. This is a beautifully moving film based on a true story that will be ...  Read the complete review

A good film is one where you cannot drag yourself away, where you don't notice the things going on outside of the TV screen and you can't help but feel a churning in your gut as you proceed to feel the raw emotion of the characters. I'm not one for soppy films, I hate anything that contains a massive amount of violence without reason, and I dislike anything that lacks any sort of plot. But this film is different, this film grabbed my attention and brought me into the story at the expense of Dooyoo... only football matches have succeeded at this in the past. MY EXPERIENCE: Whilst sat on my now beloved Dooyoo, the Mrs. was flicking ...  Read the complete review

Awakenings is a little masterpiece of a film, that I discovered late one night while channel surfing. I was immediately taken back by the depth of the film and purchased the DVD for a very low price on Amazon the following day. The film stars Robert De Niro and Robin Williams and is based on a non-fictional book written by neurologist Oliver Sacks. Awakenings follows Dr Malcolm Sayer who takes up a post at a hospital in New York. The Doctor played perfectly by Robin Williams, discovers some of his patients - who survived the 1916 sleeping sickness epidemic can be helped to awaken from their existence as living statues (Encephalitis) through the use of an ...  Read the complete review

WHAT IS IT ABOUT: An encephalitis epidemic in his childhood has left Leonard Lowe catatonic for most of his life, yet Dr Sayer finds a mix of medication that 'unlocks' Lowe and others with the same condition. All of a sudden, these paralysed people can move again, sparking radical changes in their lives. THE STARS: The one and only Robert De Niro co-stars as Leonard Lowe, with Robin Williams taking the role of Dr Sayer. QUALITY OF STORY: This amazing story is based on real events, and is both profound and moving in all the right ways; it's an incredibly touching tale of one Doctor's refusal to accept the status quo, and the fruit ...  Read the complete review

Imagine living in a state of nothingness, where no one can reach you, and where most of the world has written you off as a vegetable. Imagine having no-one that actually believes you have worth. This film is an interesting one, and one that I have on video and will keep in my library, because it is about the forgotten people. Based on a book by Oliver Sacks, I believe that the direction of this movie is good, because the pictures that it conjures up upon our screens is one of reality, and the don't care less attitude that doctors and hospitals face when having a ward full of patients that they seemingly can do nothing for, nor reach, and have arrived at that ...  Read the complete review