Paul Watson has a lot to answer for (The Family probably started the reality trend) but Rain in my Heart made up for a lot. It is not a pleastant sound. Nonetheless, I think that Paul Watsons work is justifiable and I do not consider him to be selfish. Critics also believe that the tragic scene of when Nigel dies in front of the camera is too much to be shown to the public eye and that he took full advantage of the emotional situation for his own benefit. Print this design in the 3.5 x 5" size. The problem suddenly doesnt become the alcohol, but their mental state, which is something I learnt from the film. In many instances Watson reflects on his project and notes the issues he is creating by making this documentary; however it does not effect his ability to complete the film. However to me I felt that this is in some sense of vital information that we needed as viewers to understand and try to identify and sympathize with the reasons to why this person relies on alcohol. I think to use the word exploitative to describe the techniques used by Watson to film Rain in my Heart upon his subjects is an unfair judgment. There are multiple narratives that composes the documentary surrounding each alcoholic; delving into their health, issues and families through interviews and visual representations of their effects. Alcoholism is a very sensitive subject for some and as a viewer I felt he was exploiting his subjects; to a certain extent. However, Watson once again denies accusations of exploitation for when he arrives at Vandas to see the door open and clarifies his reason for waiting by stating of course you wait, you dont just go in and more importantly, when the action begins to unfold with a drunken Vanda, Watson says that he must regain his job as someone there to just film what they do to their selves and reassures her that when she begins to talk delicately about her abusive past, that he will not use this footage in the future if she does not want to. The veins in her legs have contracted because of alcohol, making walking difficult. Rain In My Heart is not an easy documentary to watch. This in essence in the subject saying that they are feeling exploited by the filmmaker and the documentary project. And youd be a hypocrite if you didnt think it. Probably. This bereavement card features rain only over a tree with a figuring sitting beneath it. I also believe Watson tried his best to tackle these accusations, baring in mind that overdoing it throughout the documentary could appear to undermine the actual traumas of the patients and their families. In all of these I recognise issues which could be perceived as exploitative. Obliging by the rules of observational filmmaking, Watson, on the whole, assumes a fly-on-the-wall position and captures the destruction as it unfolds. It brought more power to the issues of alcohol and their lasting effects on the psyche. Rain in my heart is very clinical in its approach to a very tough subject matter, as if Watsons approach matches that of the grief caused by alcoholism for his subjects. This scene is perhaps one of the more uncomfortable in the film as Watson is merely documenting Vandas relapse back to alcohol and the range of mood swings she encounters. family and friends. This allowed the subjects to be themselves around him as Mark said that he didnt hide his bottle of wine from Watson and the camera because this is what the film is all about. - My Last Drunk Home About Us Alcohol Abuse Affects Your Health Alcohol Abuse Affects Others My Last Drunk Alcohol Abuse Rain in my Heart (Full). Seeing the filmmakers process on screen is great when theyre doing something that you need to see. When researching the film I found a web page (which is a old BBC one). An example could be when Vanda talks about the monsters in her head, one of the monsters being her abusive father, that pushed her into the terrifying world of self-harm. She was also married to him. In addition, it appears that Watson is aware of the delicate nature of the documentary and embraces this by stating that all the filming was agreed by the sufferers, in order to shy away accusations that he is exploiting the individuals which he observes. It becomes less objective, and much more personal between him and Vanda. That is something which I felt could have been left out, as it only showed her weak points and did not help in the documentaries focus on her alcohol problem. Another point in this film is when Paul Watson films a drunk subject who discusses the, monsters in her head, which she previously was not ready to do. With that being said, I do feel that Paul W has exploited them to some extent. He leads the interviewees go into their deep heart and gradually express their ideas. So yes, as we saw during the screening, he was primarily affected by alcohols effect on his father and then consequently, his entire family. I realised after I posted this! No need . Filmed over the course of a year, Paul Watson's camera follows them from Gillingham . Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Watson used creative techniques through editing of previous footage of Vanda. Twenty-nine when he appeared in. This is distressing viewing, so bear that in mind if you plan to watch it but I thought it was also great reminder to keep on doing what i'm doing and staying off the booze. However, this scene does give greatest insight in to why Vanda is an alcoholic, and given the nature of the documentary, this is a critical point that must be conveyed to the viewer to give most depth to the understanding of alcoholism. She then replies with a smirk, Obviously. Frank Sinatra Lyrics "Rain In My Heart" My eyes are dry, my love, since you've been gone, I haven't shed a tear, I'll never cry, my love, though every day seems like a hundred years, For I'm just a fool who clings to his pride but when I'm alone, I can hear the sound of rain in my heart, of the tears that I hide, It was arguably and subtly manipulative how he often said would you like to carry on? as he was probably aware that the answer would be yes due to the state of the interviewees. As for Nigel, it can be said that he was exploited less than others, because his wife was constantly present, therefore she could control the actions of the filmmakers. But if some of us dont record it, no one else will learn about it. Watson states from the very beginning of the film that he is working with the only four patients who have agreed my intrusions and me filming their hell. It was really uncomfortable scene to me, Paul trully showed the seriousness of alcohalism and it must influence to the audience. On the one hand, Paul Watson did get these peoples consent to be filmed. Rain in My Heart over steps the line between subject and film-maker relationship and Paul Watson in the end exploits his subjects. Even if that wouldve been the case either way, I think as an observer you shouldnt encourage it. As he sits and tells the audience his own personal views, this for me, made him seem more human. The edit involves numerous repeats of dialogue from the patients, which is played at random and juxtaposing episodes, some even without the visuals which make it seem part of the dialogue (for example, when Vanda slams the phone down in anger). Watson is not overly invasive at any point, and if anything my only criticism would be that he sometimes gives too much insight into how he feels about what is happening during filming, which I find unnecessary. Overall, I believe Watson does not exploit his subjects because they knew roughly what they were getting themselves into and because Watson simply observed with the camera the tragic events of the subjects that would gain the empathy of the audience towards the effect of alcoholism. It is true that his documentary can be judged and considered as an observational one: the filmmaker lets the interviewee talk about his or her problems and express all his or her weaknesses. One example from the documentary which I felt that could have made some people to view as Watson exploiting his subjects would be when one of his subject revealed (when she was highly intoxicated) that she had been sexually abused by her father. However, i was impressed by this documentary. There were a couple of moments where I felt that he distracted from what we really should have been looking at. Overall were the subjects happy to be on film? All Watsons subjects agreed to being filmed whilst they were drunk before the filming commenced, and so the question is not should Watson have kept filming?, but rather should Watson have included that part of the footage?. To watch this sequence of Watson, truthfully revealing his professional flaw, for me, was quite humbling. Rain In My Heart by Edgar Lee Masters There is a quiet in my heart Like on who rests from days of pain. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. A prime example of exploitation was the most vulnerable and interesting subject-Vanda. Although we see Paul telling Vanda that he will ask her later whether he should use this footage in the film, we do not know if he actually did it. As with his other films, Watson established a relationship with the subjects during filming. The decision to include this part of Vandas drunk dialogue is one that is certainly questionable, especially since we are not given evidence as to whether or not she did consent to the inclusion once sober. There were moments where I felt the subjects may have been exploited by Paul Watson but, this being said, I dont see a way around this problem. On the positive side of the argument I agree that Watson, through the cut away shots he includes throughout the film, allows himself to be more personal with the audience. I felt that already Watson was too close to his subjects to represent them how he originally intended to. (LogOut/ To judge whether or not Watson exploited the people in his film wed have to know exactly how hes profited from them. Rain in my Heart(TV Movie) Opinion Awards FAQ User Reviews User Ratings External Reviews Metacritic Reviews Details Full Cast and Crew Release Dates Official Sites Company Credits Filming & Production Technical Specs Storyline Taglines Plot Summary Synopsis Plot Keywords Parents Guide Did You Know? Finally, the article posted below discusses Rain in my Heart alongside other documentaries of Paul Watson. I think this leads them to be manipulated easily. 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. Otherwise it would not have been so real and touching and would not have had such an effect on those who watch it. Watson stated at the very beginning of the film that he would not intervene in the lives of the people he was filming and would not stop them from drinking if they relapsed. I think that Watson when immersed with these subjects he formed a friendship with, learning to really like some of them and he himself tries to stop some of his subjects from drinking because he wants to see the best happen for them. Watson observes the subjects but chooses not to intervene but to simply probe the subjects including their families. Synopsis. There are certainly points in this film in which I believe that the subjects were exploited. This however does not detract from the fact that I believe some of what Watson did, did push the boundaries on what is ethical and moral within a documentary. The film charts the traumas faced by the alcoholics as they bounce between Gillingham Medway Maritime Hospital and their homes, and highlights the emotional impact their struggle has had on those around them. If we are to look at films that exploit horrors/suffering then we must idenfity the certain aesthetics and language that are used to do this. Here I refer to when he would talk to the viewer/camera about how he felt at certain points of the film it drew away from the importance of what he should have really been filming and instead became self indulgent within the context. When he interviews his subjects when they are drunk, the woman speaks of her monster inside, she used to suffer from sexual abusing by her father. This is also something Watson shouldnt go into. Once Watson sees this he is distinctively appalled and shocked that Vanda, after promising in a previous shot that she would fight to stay sober in the future, has gone back on her words and is drunk again. This for me over steps the boundaries of ethical filming. he felt that to put this material in the same documentary as his musings about the problems of getting the film made seemed glib and inappropriate. (http://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2006/nov/05/sheffielddocfestaredocument). Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. We ask a lot of our hunters as many times we will pass 200 inch deer to pursue true giant deer. The seriousness of the topic in the documentary is emphasised through the filmmakers intimacy and relationship with the subjects. Outside, the sparrows on the roof Are chirping in the dripping rain. This was a devastating and emotional sequence for me. For example, Vanda(I think its her name) points at her head and say it is there. I personally believe that the word exploit is quite a harsh word to put on the filmmaker without full justification, its made clear that the subjects wanted to be filmed, Watson treats this permission with a good amount of respect both for the subjects and the topic of the documentary whilst at the same time sustaining his role as the stand back and sympathetic-ear presence. The world was slowly healing. The truth of this film is that it brings attention to parts of life that as a society we tend to stay quiet about and so by being a representation for people who go through something so scary, life changing and threatening it can never appear wholly ethical. However, as an observational filmmaker, Watson has a certain obligation to the truth. Personally, I would much rather watch Robert Winstons documentary series on the human body which ended with the filming of a mans death, from cancer, than go Watsons questionable film techniques. Also, I think he had a desire to understand his characters and the reasons of being whothey are. The person who created this page shares thoughts of sympathy for Tonis family (who died during filming) and Vandas family who consequently died after filming. I feel as though Watson was trying to be as ethical as possible, baring in mind his need to capture this shocking footage in order to create the Documentary. Voyeurism this is not. /Users/abgsaniya/Desktop/hqdefault.jpg. By making such a real and baring all film, he is raising awareness about the reality of alcoholism and hopefully opening the eyes of alcoholics watching it and even doctors watching it, who can see how to help alcoholics in earlier stages. Mr. Stark was okay, although he still had scars from the snap. In addition, how is one to really define what constitutes as being exploitative? Four alcoholics in and out of hospital over a two month period, reality at its most real. Which questioned the showing of Nigel s death (one of the four subjects and one that pat away). This makes me feel as though he almost abuses his subject. Kath now struggles on a severely limited income. However, many critics point out how these subjects are all vulnerable and incapable of really understanding what they are signing themselves up for. 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