Shock Therapy, McCarthyism, Racism, and Sex are all held together by the Abuse of the Infirmed (not a real word). A back story is given to keep the central character within the institution. A story that would never hold water in modern cinema or courts.
While watching the film my mind wandered towards One Flew Over a Cookoo’s Nest[Wiki: Novel] as a basis for this screenplay. After a little research it became troubling to think that these two works weren’t related. The novel was written in 1959, but not released until 1962. While the novel is a critically acclaimed novel today (2008), there isn’t much of it’s critical reception online (of course the internet wasn’t around back then).
This film was released late in 1963, over a year after the novels release. Which would be enough time for a writer to read the novel, produce a screenplay, and have a production company create the film. But, that is all conjecture. Is it conjecture without warrant?
Are there enough similarities between this film and Kesey’s novel to find a thread between them? The setting, usage of “attendants/nurses” as implements of destruction, racism and shock therapy are all common themes between the novel and this film. Are all of these similarities coincidences? They might be. Then again, they might be one writer finding their muse in another; or giving homage to their mentors.
One Flew Over the Cookoo's Nest over 3 years ago
Shock Therapy, McCarthyism, Racism, and Sex are all held together by the Abuse of the Infirmed (not a real word). A back story is given to keep the central character within the institution. A story that would never hold water in modern cinema or courts.
While watching the film my mind wandered towards One Flew Over a Cookoo’s Nest[Wiki: Novel] as a basis for this screenplay. After a little research it became troubling to think that these two works weren’t related. The novel was written in 1959, but not released until 1962. While the novel is a critically acclaimed novel today (2008), there isn’t much of it’s critical reception online (of course the internet wasn’t around back then).
This film was released late in 1963, over a year after the novels release. Which would be enough time for a writer to read the novel, produce a screenplay, and have a production company create the film. But, that is all conjecture. Is it conjecture without warrant?
Are there enough similarities between this film and Kesey’s novel to find a thread between them? The setting, usage of “attendants/nurses” as implements of destruction, racism and shock therapy are all common themes between the novel and this film. Are all of these similarities coincidences? They might be. Then again, they might be one writer finding their muse in another; or giving homage to their mentors.
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