Posts; 4,539. At the same time, I do think Paul Watson exploited his subjects. The seriousness of the topic in the documentary is emphasised through the filmmakers intimacy and relationship with the subjects. And it is also a good example to discuss the ethical issues in the documentary. Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It was graphic, saddening and an uncomfortable viewing but I was overwhelmed by its message. Even all knows that subjects were vulnerale and needed a help. She was healing. Nigel, 49, has been dry for ten years, but the damage he has inflicted on his liver is irreversible. The film probably brought him a lot of attention (both positive and negative), which means hes profited from filming his subjects problems. I feel sympathy towards the subjects because they were, maybe, unsure as to what they had agreed to, and what it involved. Explaining hell it is. I believe it was not his job to cure the patients, neither was it to encourage them to drink, however his involvement with the hospital and its patients was simply to reveal the complex and brutal causes and effects of alcoholics. 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. Yes it is a devastating subject matter and yes the emotions that should arise in audiences should be just as devastating. Although, there are several moments when this filmmaker and subject relationship is close to breach, he retains his role of confidentiality and recognizes that the subject may not be too sober to make such ethical decisions of what they would like in the final cut or not. Their addiction affected them not only when they were drunk, but physically as well as mentally, when they were sober too. Registered User. I felt that already Watson was too close to his subjects to represent them how he originally intended to. Outside, the sparrows on the roof Are chirping in the dripping rain. I doubt he would have filmed the subjects in these environments if he himself doubted they would drop their barriers. This is not to say there isnt artful construction in the film. Overall, I believe that it is good to make the public known about situations like these, especially when it can have an impact on your image of alcohol. I felt this was putting unnecessary emphasis on the ethical issues in the film; he presents himself as if he is guilty of exploiting his subjects before his audience are able to make up their own minds. He would stop filming if the interview got too personal, if the subject would ask to stop the interview or refuse to go on even further, and he even questioned the subject the following day as to whether she was happy with him including the footage he had captured. Watsons past experience in using the observational documentary style in his films means that he is well adjusted to the style. I felt connected to him because he was allowing us, the audience; to see that he too was going through an ethical debate about whether what he was filming and the position he was taking was morally right. After all, I am satisfied by what Watson did to deal with accusations. 56,514 people are reading stories on the site right now. Is this the feel good factor we crave? In my opinion, this exploited them as the repetition was giving them a personality that they do not possess and is therefore, a form of misrepresentation. I can see why he added this into the film but I think it did effect the overall tone and flow of the documentary. This is also something Watson shouldnt go into. Two of the participants in Paul Watson's Rain in My Heart died during filming. If the subjects are happy to be filmed then I dont see the problem as long as they have a stable state of mind. Here's one depicting true alcoholism in the UK, realism at its best. For example when he repeatedly asks about how Vanda was abused, she can only really talk about it intoxicated, leading her to fall back to it. 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. SACRAMENTO, Calif. More rain and snow swept through Northern California on Monday, a day after a historic downpour set records and led to dangerous situations on roadways, street flooding,. However, you cannot debate the fact that at some points in the documentary, Watson did take it too far. Mark is being exploited towards the end of the film when he goes crazy and starts crying, screaming, vomiting etc. For Watson asks: What would you class as an alcoholic? Toni replies: Someone who cant go a day without a drink. Once this is said, Watson slowly zooms in on her face and responds: but you told me there are days where you cant go a day without a drink. Watsons response to Tonis statement could be stated as being overly dramatic for the audiences benefit, therefore, compiling with Ellis and most documentary critics argument that the director is always more concerned with how the potential audience will perceive the subject and story than the subject themselves. Also when he went to Vandas house and interviewed her, he didnt stop her to drink alcohol. To apply this aestheticized approach to documentary, look at the trailer for The Imposter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LuFOX0Sy_o Half a bottle of vodka on the train to work at the age of 17 began Mark's journey into alcoholism. I want to quickly point out that, I didnt like the parts in the film where he became the self-reflexive type and centered the documentary on his own emotional state. Documentary, TV Movie. I mean most people wouldntHer reaction to his question is also an example as she seemed to be in pain by his disbelief and lack of trust.she even said why else would she be in the state she is in if not because of the trauma she had been through? 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. Voyeurism this is not. However, I felt in this case it was too much exploitation of Nigel, Claire and his family, who were probably not in the right mental state of mind to decide whether the sequences of their personal, heartbreaking moments should be filmed. This is getting a lot more personal. However, we can all agree that sometimes happiness is simply taking a walk or dancing in the rain. I find it hard to imagine a way Watson could have made this film without the, sometimes unjust, use of the subjects. (http://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2006/nov/05/sheffielddocfestaredocument) It is important to understand that Watson is doing his job as a filmmaker and how this certainly does not make in inhumane to the situation. I think that the mutual awareness of the situation between subject and filmmaker, despite the subjects inebriation, helps to prove that it is not exploitative. Get up to 5 months free This can be seen when Watson is speaking to Toni about her addiction, something that Toni profusely denies she is. Watson creates this feeling in his editing, which makes his points and connections better but is never pleasant as an aesthetic experience. francescamancini88. Yes it does raise awareness, and the documentary was good, however, to feel taken back is not the sort of emotion one should try to evoke. Rain in My Heart was Paul Watson's good deed in this naughty world. This was mostly due to the fact that obviously he was filming people with huge vulnerability in their lives, therefore he was careful not to portray the situation as taking advantage of. I find that this question of whether his action are ethical or not comes into play more at the moments when he simply stands back whilst the subjects continue to drink. Rain In My Heart is an extremely educational film to watch. This shows how relationships are built up when filmmaking and how subjects and even the interviewer forms attachments. Watching Nigel s family crying over his coffin is something that is upsetting and distressing for all. In the moment where Vanda passes out from over drinking, and we see Watson check her pulse, to me I felt as if he was concerned, he didnt sit back and observe her in a blackened out state, he checked on her, he was her responsibility at that moment. such as askingcan we enter the subjects house? Which questioned the showing of Nigel s death (one of the four subjects and one that pat away). I believe he does ask himself sincere ethical questions and that he answers them truthfully. Finally, the article posted below discusses Rain in my Heart alongside other documentaries of Paul Watson. A stage of construction must have taken place and although the Documentary as a whole seems as real as possible because we take a true insight into the lives of severe alcoholics, Watson has already manipulated his Documentary by constructing the reality before the show had even commenced. I wanted to look away and the only reason I didnt was because I felt (as i think Watson does) an obligation to make a point of the four subjects publicized suffering. 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. Paul Watsons ethical procedures are certainly questionable. Kath now struggles on a severely limited income. Currently, Penny Parker's life was great. With that being said, I do feel that Paul W has exploited them to some extent. Twenty-nine when he appeared in Rain in my Heart, Mark was living on his own in an untidy flat that closely reflected his own state. Critical and disbelieving responses after giving personal information in a safe space, can cause as much pain and loneliness as the original abuse. Alluding to the culture of exploitning woman, as well as Spielbergs film being a commercial (and one which ends with a very colourful, affirming ending) intent makes it a machine absording actresses and horrors for the output of satisfying drama. Rain In My Heart is a weird documentary to watch for me because it is based very near my hometown. She was also married to him. 2022. There are some moments that I will have questions against this films moral or ethical problems. Or when Nigel downs a glass of red wine. Once she confesses her heartbreaking childhood, Watson mentions that he will check with her tomorrow to see whether she still wants it to be put in [the final cut of the documentary]. Trivia Goofs Crazy Credits Quotes 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. Voyeurism this is not. 'Rain In My Heart', was a very touching and eye opening film. No one feels comfortable at the hospital anyway without a camera crew to be there watching your pain and destruction (essentially). Mark may well have been a grey area and I wasn't sure whether he was so unhappy because of the drink or if he was using the drink because he was unhappy. However, i was impressed by this documentary. In one scene we hear Watson as whether or not the information he is receiving from one of the subjects would be appropriate to include in the finished product. Before i didnt know that alcoholism could lead to such a terrifying state and even death. The documentary follows four alcoholics in an observatory manner. One of the last images we see of Nicole is her hooked up to tubes fighting for her life. However, I dont think you should abuse the power and trust given by the four patients. There is also the repetitive clip of when Vanda says her monsters are in her head. My DF was a chronic alcoholic (who died after eventually committing suicide) and I grew up with my parents while social circle being people in AA and Al-anon so maybe it was less of a shock to me as I've seen most of this first hand. I do not think Paul Watson was exploitave in his filming. About the same age as Vanda, Kath has spent more than a decade caring for an alcoholic. This is a scene which perhaps does challenge the idea of ethics by posing the question of how FAR can we go to observe? He had been in a coma for weeks after his intended sacrifice and showed no sign of waking up. But theres a film within and around the film, one that Steven Spielberg didnt make but that he or someone else should have made: Spielbergs List, the story of the casting call for the actresses who would be getting undressed and going into the gas chamber that turns out to be a shower. But that is not a bad thing. During the documentary, Mark (one of Watsons subjects, aged 29) states that he agreed to do filming for Paul to show people why they should not drink alcohol. Also, i think observation style makes audience to get more shock by the scene without explanation. The reason for all this was to make people aware about the phenomenon of alcoholism and surely not for attracting more audience. Rain in my Heart was an incredibly touching yet dark documentary about the wide spread issue that is alcoholism, and at points I was touched by the way in which Watson presented his subjects and their problems. Even if that wouldve been the case either way, I think as an observer you shouldnt encourage it. It is a difficult film to watch because of the subject matter it deals with. I particularly found the way that Watson asked questions respectable, when talking about the monsters in Vandas head she stated she didnt want to talk about it and he was reassuring and moved the conversation away from them. For example, Vanda(I think its her name) points at her head and say it is there. I felt as if Watson was genuine in the fact that he did care, he wanted to see the subjects overcome their problems, in a scene where he is at Vandas house, he stands with her and says although he cant stop Vanda from drinking, he doesnt want to see her do it. But in saying all this we must remember that all the people in the film agreed to be in the documentary. I was completely satisfied with his attempts to deal with accusations of taking advantage of their vulnerabilities throughout the film. Watson himself, also repeats that whilst he is filming them he will not intervene; it is his job purely to observe. What is interesting about this documentary is that when Paul Watson went to visit Vandas home and saw that she had relapsed, he admitted that he does develop emotional ties to the subjects that he is filming, but that he has the ability to stand back. However, from what I saw in the film, Watson does take advantages on his subjects. Also just to confirm Gillingham is a pretty shitty place to grow up in, so the documentary comes across as very sincere. That both are now vulnerable because they/we are putting ourselves forward to talk about something that is often bypassed. Troubled Toni, 26, merely laughs at warnings that continued drinking will mean death. Men's Journal is a rugged and refined lifestyle publication covering the coolest new gear, luxury and adventure travel, food and drink, health and fitness, and more. 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