IndexIntroduction to the filmSynopsisImpact on critics, audiences and public receptionAnalysis of the filmEditingArt directionNarratingAnalysis of the DSM-5 criteriaDSM-5 criteriaAnalysis of the fulfillment of the criteria DSM-5ReflectionAlthough mental illness has a high prevalence rate, the prevalence rate of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders is relatively low. Because the media, such as movies and television programs, are the public's largest informants today, characterizations of the mentally ill, such as those suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder or a related disorder, can create or negate stigma and stereotypes. In an effort to reduce stigma around mental disorders and encourage the mentally ill to seek help, visual media's portrayals of the mentally ill must be evaluated for accurate portrayals. The Aviator is one such film that features a mental illness, specifically obsessive-compulsive disorder. The main character, Howard Hughes, is analyzed to determine whether he meets the criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder and whether his portrayal further destigmatizes or stigmatizes mental illness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although the lifetime prevalence of any mental disorder is 50% and the one-year prevalence is 25%, the prevalence of different mental illnesses varies within these statistics (Sue, Sue, Sue, Sue, 2013 ). For example, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), characterized by anxiety-producing obsessions and anxiety-reducing compulsions, has a one-year prevalence of 1% in American adults, an estimated 2.2 million people (“Facts and Statistics” ). Approximately 50.6% of these cases are labeled as severe, with an average age of onset of symptoms of 19 years (“obsessive compulsive disorder among adults”). According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the classification of disorders to which obsessive-compulsive disorder belongs, anxiety disorders, is the most widespread mental disorder in America is 6 times more likely to be also hospitalized for a psychiatric illness. Anxiety disorders may be comorbid with bipolar disorder, eating disorders, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, sleep disorders, substance abuse, adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia (“Facts & Statistics”). Although obsessive-compulsive disorder has a low prevalence rate, the term “OCD” can be heard in common conversations. However, the growing recognition of this mental illness may not be due solely to the large number of people affected by this disorder, but rather to its introduction through various forms of media. Although mental disorders as a whole have a high prevalence rate, the relatively low prevalence rate of OCD (1.6% lifetime prevalence) means that many people get their information from the media, particularly films and television programs . However, digital media consumers not only acquire whatever information is presented about mental disorders, but also the stigma and positive or negative associations related to the disorder. Because a community's perception of a mental disorder can impact an affected individual's treatment-seeking, in order to reduce the stigma of various mental disorders, the accuracy of describing a mental disorder in communities must be assessed.media representations of people with mental illnesses in order to correctly inform the public perception of mental illness in a destigmatizing way. Introduction to the Film Synopsis An example of media representation of mental illness is the representation of obsessive-compulsive disorder in The Aviator. This film was directed by Martin Scorsese and was released in the United States on December 24, 2004. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Howard Hughes, Cate Blanchett is Katharine Hepburn, John C. Reilly is Noah Dietrich, and Kate Beckinsale plays Ava Gardner (“The Aviator (2004)”). This film is a biopic about the life of director and aviator Howard Hughes from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s. The Aviator chronicles Howard Hughes' great successes, such as producing the movie Hell's Angels, breaking aviation records, flying around the world in record time, flying Hercules, and creating Trans World Airlines, among his growing anxiety, fears, and compulsions. The film depicts both Hughes' public life, including the public perception of him, and his private life, containing his relationships with Katharine Hepburn and Ava Gardner. The film had an estimated budget of $110,000,000, but only grossed $858,021 in the United States during its opening weekend. However, The Aviator won 5 Academy Awards, 3 Golden Globe Awards, 4 BAFTA Awards, 1 Screen Actors Guild Award and 1 AFI Award for Film of the Year ("The Aviator (2004)"). Howard Hughes was a businessman, a film director, a record-breaking pilot, an engineer and was known as one of the most financially successful people during his lifetime. Of course, many victories were evident in his career, but Howard Hughes' life was not always glamorous and seductive. He developed problem after problem that he carried with him as he grew up. This did not make for an easy lifestyle for him. The need for everything to be perfect was inconvenient for both his workers and himself. This began when Hughes was a young boy and gradually increased until the disease took over his life. Throughout the film, Hughes presents his illness and the obstacles he faced because of it. Impact on critics, audiences and public reception The Aviator currently has 7.5 stars out of 10 on the Internet Movie Database and 4 stars out of 5 on Amazon. Although reviews on the Internet Movie Database have praised the film's cinematic craftsmanship and the actors' performances, a common criticism of the film is summarized in a review titled "Falling Short of Greatness…Again," which was published close to the date of release of the film in 2004. . According to this reviewer, whose review is considered the most helpful, The Aviator does not fully satisfy audiences because the film appears to have no unifying theme. The author highlights the absence of a real emotional journey. The only reference to obsessive-compulsive disorder is Hughes's indulgence in “personal obsessions” (“The Aviator (2004)”). Amazon reviews similarly openly praise the art direction and acting, marveling at the portrayal of Howard Hughes himself, rather than obsessive-compulsive disorder. The only obvious review that addressed the depiction of mental illness was a 2-star Amazon review titled “A Fantastic Life – A Mediocre Movie.” This particular review described Howard Hughes as a Jekyll and Hyde character, "paralyzed by madness one moment... and fighting for his business another moment." This review highlighted some discrepancies in the film's portrayal of obsessive-compulsive disorder and called for explanations for Hughes' paranoia regarding the illness. However, the review still states that it is worth itThe film is worth watching despite its 2 star rating (Ujnat). Manohla Dargis's article in the New York Times describes The Aviator as a "disappointingly empty account of Hughes's early life" (Dargis). Although the review does not mention the depiction of obsessive-compulsive disorder, it praises the film's use of camera movements and cuts to portray the characters' thoughts. Roger Ebert's review, which gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, also does not mention obsessive-compulsive disorder, but praises the use of special effects and cinematography. Because The Aviator is a biopic whose director is known for superb use of editing, art direction, and storytelling, reviews have largely focused on historical accuracy and cinematography, rather than the depiction of obsessive-compulsive disorder , in the film. Film Analysis Editing Just as most reviews praise Martin Scorsese's cinematography, anyone, with or without a basic knowledge of filmmaking, can appreciate the making of The Aviator. While there is general consensus on the film's cinematic success, the primary concern is the portrayal of obsessive-compulsive disorder: how the editing attempts to explain the causes and effects of the disorder in a real and destigmatizing way, free of stereotypes. In this regard, reviewers such as Carlo Cavagna, state that Scorsese “has once again made a film about man against himself,” implying that the film has successfully captured the internal struggle related to mental disorders (Cavagna). Effects editing is distinctly used in an attempt to illustrate possible explanations for Howard Hughes' obsessive-compulsive disorder. The film's opening scene attempts to present an etiological view of the disorder by illustrating social, psychological, and biological factors that may have contributed to Hughes' expression of OCD symptoms. The film begins with Howard Hughes' mother bathing him as a young boy, with the first image being the use of soap, a typical and widely known association with OCD (1:50). It demonstrates aspects of social and psychological factors, such as cognitive distortions, parental control, and modeling, that influence the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder. For example, Hughes' mother verbalizes her fear of diseases, such as cholera and typhus. Instill fear by asking questions like, “Do you know what they can do to you?” and stating, “You are not safe” (2:10). Model coping with these obsessive thoughts by bathing, washing, and writing down words, such as “quarantine.” The effects of these early experiences are shown later in the film, through parallel shots demonstrating the increasing severity of Howard Hughes' handwashing and spelling of words such as "quarantine" and the verbal repetition of phrases. The public is able to gain a cursory etiological view of obsessive-compulsive disorder by visualizing the connection between early teachings and subsequent obsessive-compulsive responses to stress, in the hope of reducing the stereotype that a mental illness is a controlled choice of an individual. the montage sequence is used later in the film to contrast the interactions of Howard Hughes and his competitor, Juan Trippe. A door separates the two men in each frame to demonstrate how Howard has isolated himself from the world due to his growing anguish (135:05). This montage sequence illustrates the impact that Hughes' symptoms had on his life. The contrast between Trippe and Hughes also serves to give a sense of the degree to which Hughes's life has changed: in the prime of his life, Hughes was Tripp, well-dressed, confident and aserious competitor. His mental disorder contributed to his isolation and impairment of the social and work aspects of his life. These scenes help illustrate how pervasive a mental disorder can be. The audience knows that he would not choose to live Hughes' lifestyle, naked, urinating in bottles and unclean. This combats the stereotype of mental illness as a “choice.” While this depiction of obsessive-compulsive disorder combats stereotypes, it may not fully stigmatize this particular mental illness due to viewers' inability to relate to the main character, Howard Hughes. Art Direction Two components of art direction, light and sound, were used in Howard Hughes' chronicle of obsessive-compulsive disorder. During the film's opening, when Howard Hughes' mother models obsessive-compulsive behavior, the light is soft, low, and amber in color. This may represent the beginning of Hughes' immersion in obsessive-compulsive behaviors. The soft, warm light reflects maternal comfort and stress relief associated with performing compulsions. Throughout the film, light intensity and color will symbolize the pervasiveness of Howard's OCD symptoms. During this opening scene, the obsessions and compulsions do not affect Howard to the extent that they affect his mother. The obsessions and compulsions at this point are external. Throughout the middle of the film, during Hughes's success as a director, the light becomes harsh, glaring, and bright white. When he walks the red carpet after the release of Hell's Angels, the bright white flashes of cameras and reporters represent Hughes' anguish (11 p.m.). Hughes' growing discomfort on the red carpet is paralleled throughout the film to highlight the progression of his obsessive-compulsive disorder (54:22). During these scenes, Howard Hughes' inappropriate responses in conversations and hand-washing rituals are amplified. However, the bright white light isn't just paired with red carpet scenes; when asked to make decisions regarding airplane design, Hughes must retreat to his car where he repeats the word "quarantine" (100:37). A burning white light, indicating the intensity of his disorder, illuminates his face. Towards the end of the film, once Hughes has isolated himself, his obsessive-compulsive disorder is represented by a red light that's not quite soft, but almost. This light represents how all-encompassing Hughes' mental illness has become. Instead of flashes of light, each scene is lit in red. His OCD affects every aspect of his life, just as the brown light represented the impact of OCD on his mother. The color red represents his feeling, the need to act out his compulsions and the total control of the disorder over his life. Therefore, The Aviator uses light to record Howard Hughes' struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Soft, brown light accompanies maladaptive learning in childhood. The bright, white light with increasing frequency documents his struggle with OCD symptoms, while remaining largely functional. The constant red light depicts Hughes' complete capitulation to obsessive-compulsive disorder, to the point where he is unable to function in all areas of his life. Narration The Aviator has many perspectives, one for each character and how they see and are affected by Hughes' mental illness. While these views influence viewers' views on mental illness, an interesting form of narration used by the film is the voiceovers of thejournalists. A reporter's voice overlays the scenes and provides the public's perception of Howard. The public will tend to adopt the same point of view as the journalist; although the reporter does not comment on Hughes' expression of obsessive-compulsive behaviors, the public's and public's feelings toward Hughes may generalize to their feelings toward the disorder he represents. When the media is against him continuing to spend money on his film after the stock market crash and the deaths of three pilots, the public is against him too (10 p.m.). However, when the media supports his release of Hell's Angels, saying, "It costs four million dollars and has four million emotions," the audience is somehow influenced by his character (26:20). However, the most impactful perspective is that of Hughes' two lovers, Kate Hepburn and Ava Gardner. Kate Hepburn's initial support and maintenance of a relationship with Hughes, illustrated by his reassurance that he will "take the wheel," clashes with the stereotype that mentally ill people cannot have healthy working relationships (51:18 ). However, this stereotype is later reinforced when both Hepburn and Gardner leave Hughes and Gardner's statement of "You're too crazy for me" (141:30). The points of view in The Aviator encompass and portray many aspects of mental illness; however, the film attempts to use a different perspective to combat the stereotypes and stigma of mental illness and succeeds in some cases, while failing in others. Analysis of the DSM-5 criteria DSM-5 criteria The diagnostic and statistical systemThe Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition) classifies obsessive-compulsive disorders and closely related to anxiety disorders. Disorders related to obsessive-compulsive disorder include body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, trichotillomania (also known as hair-pulling disorder), excoriation disorder (picking of the skin), drug-induced obsessive-compulsive disorder substances or drugs and related disorders, and other specified and unspecified disorders. obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, 235). The diagnostic criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorders The disorder includes the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions. Obsessions are thoughts that occur repeatedly and continuously, which the individual considers unwanted and destructive, and which are combated through other thoughts and actions that cause anxiety and distress. Compulsions are the repeated actions or mental steps that the individual feels compelled to perform in response to the obsessions. Repeated behaviors include hand washing, checking and ordering, or mental acts, such as praying, counting, repeating words silently. Compulsions are intended to combat anxiety and discomfort, although they are not realistically related to obsessions. Although obsessions and compulsions differ between individuals, the most common symptoms include cleanliness (obsession with contamination and compulsions to clean), symmetry (obsession with symmetry and repetition, compulsive ordering and counting), forbidden thoughts or socially undesirable (obsessions with aggression, actions, or religion and complementary compulsions) and harm (obsessions with fear of harming self or others and associated controlling compulsions) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, 235-236 ). The next criterion for obsessive-compulsive disorder is that the obsessions and/or compulsions are time-consuming (taking an hour or more per day) or cause distress or dysfunction in social, occupational, or other settings. function areas. The symptoms cannot be the physiological effect of one substance or some othermedical condition. Finally, the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder cannot be better explained by some other disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, 237). Analysis of fulfillment of DSM-5 criteria The first criterion of an obsessive-compulsive disorder is the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions. Although repeated stressful thoughts can be difficult to convey through visual media, The Aviator successfully communicates Hughes' stressful thoughts to the audience. These obsessions are conveyed by Hughes' mother's verbalization of his fear of cholera and typhus and his refusal to travel to certain places due to the risk of contracting a disease (4:10), Leonardo DiCaprio's furrowed brow, and from stressed facial reactions throughout the film (31:00), Hughes' statements about cleanliness, such as the statement "It has to be clean," when it concerns his planes (30:40), his explanation of avoiding "crap on people's hands” for the cellophane on the steering wheel (37:50), his expression with which he perceives things that may not be there and fears he is going crazy (51:18), his indication of his inability to pass a towel in the bathroom ( 56:00) and his statements of paranoia (89:35, 98:07, 114:20). Howard Hughes' presence of repetitive and distressing thoughts allows him to meet the first criterion of obsessive-compulsive disorder, the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions. However, Hughes also demonstrates compulsions, repetitive physical actions and mental processes, in response to his obsessions. His compulsions include the strict separation of peas and meat on the plate and his refusal to eat when the food is disturbed (35:42), his repeated tracing of flat rivets (42:15), his rigorous hand washing, to the point that his hand cuts and bleeds (56:00, 87:00), his clothes burned (79:21), his repetition of phrases, such as "Show me all the plans" (99:41). and " I need to sleep" (124:50), his spelling of the words "quarantine" and "lama" (119:40, 130:50), his distress about detectives touching his things (117:07), and a fingerprint on the glass (120:35), dictation of his actions (125:30), counting on his fingers (130:20), germ-free zone and the use of handkerchiefs to open door handles doors (138:15, 139:09). These repeated behaviors in response to stress also meet the first criterion of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The second criterion for obsessive-compulsive disorder is that the obsessions and/or compulsions take a long time, at least an hour a day, or cause significant impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of life. Howard Hughes also meets this criterion. His compulsions take up so much time that his media comment on the amount of time it took to finish Hell's Angels, his inability to produce planes on time, and the amount of screen time devoted to manifesting his obsessions and compulsions. Throughout the film, and particularly towards the end, Hughes is unable to function socially, professionally, and in many other aspects of his life. His relationships are interrupted by his obsessive-compulsive disorder, he repeatedly puts his hand over his mouth to stop repeating sentences and the culmination of the disorder in his life is when he isolates himself in his room, without even going out to do his business in a bath. Analysis of Howard Hughes' character leads to the conclusion that he can be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder because he meets all the criteria for the disorder, including the presence of obsessions and compulsions, their time-consuming nature, and their impairment in every sense. areas of his life, and his symptoms do not appear to be a physiological effect of one.