Requiem for a dream

MONDAY NIGHT. Some serious bonding went down in the DFTV fam. Aww yeaah! What a week for bonding troops. We had dinner at Harriet's kitchen (hells kitchen eat your heart out) with some sweeet beats on the go, and then settled down to watch Requiem For A Dream. Only Harry and I had ever seen this movie, so i insisted the rest of the crew see it as its such a cult classic and was excited to hear what they thought of it.

Watching the movie again, i realized just how much i love it. It delivers such a powerful message and 'really makes you think' about the reality and consequences of addiction (especially drugs.) Addiction is such a huge issue and sometimes i feel like it can be a bit overly used and typical if you may, but Requiem For A Dream really is a fantastic portrayal of the realities and consequences of drug abuse.

The movie follows Sara Goldfarb, her son Harry, his girlfriend Marion and best friend Tyrone as they all battle with addiction in order to achieve their perception of happiness. I love the fact the movie features characters of all ages who suffer some form of addiction and self-delusion and don't just focus on the typical teenage stereotypes, for instance Sara Goldfarb, who is an elderly widow. In the beginning, she has a slight addiction to the TV, until she recieve's a phonecall telling her she is about to be on a TV show. She then becomes obsessed with dieting in order to fit in to a particular 'red dress.' Thus, she goes to a doctor where she receives dieting pills, which she soon supplements for food and begins her downward spiral of self-destruction.

The movie touches on the effects in which drugs can cause on relationships, as we see Harry and Marion deeply in love at the beginning until they start to dwell more and more in to drugs and Harry basically forces Marion to sleep with some old perv for money to buy more drugs. From this point onward, we know its basically over. This is a pivotal moment in the movie, as we realize that the characters all care for drugs more than they care for one another, at the start Harry is not even comfortable with Marion going out for dinner with this creep, and now he is demanding she sleep with him for some money. PIG.

Personally, i think this was such a heartbreaking moment, as i cannot imagine these lengths in which some people would go to for drugs.

When Sara continues to take her drugs, striving to fit in to the red dress, she suffers from horrifying hallucinations which eventually drive her to insanity. She is then forced in to a mental home where she undergoes horrifying electroconvulsive therapy after many failed attempts of rescuing the person she once was.

The way in which the characters satisfy their addictions is especially creative, as we never actually see them physically take them. It is conveyed through a mixture of visuals featuring physical effects such as pupils dilating and sound effects which i found especially creative. However, this starts to deteriorate as the characters lives crumble. When we witness Harry's arm which is badly infected and black, i thought i was going to spew mountains. I don't think ill ever get used to that scene or convince myself 'its only make up.' The disgusting part is, he can actually still inject in to it, no matter how spew-worthy it is. AWFUL! I just knew his arm was going to get the chop.

The absolute worst part of the movie is when Marion has to prostitute herself for heroin, and gets involved in some disgusting orgy infront of all these farm animal men. Personally i feel worse for her, because she is literally degrading herself in order to get drugs. Some may say they feel worst for Sara as she was given these drugs from a somewhat professional doctor, and didn't know any better. But, thats my very point. Marion knows exactly what she's doing, and has to live with the shame of it all. I can not BEGIN to imagine ever doing that, the scene alone makes me want to cry, mixed with the theme song, it is so powerful and upsetting.

The film has a beautifully thought out ending, as we see all of the characters curl up in the fetus position, naive and deluded in their own sense of loss and agony. Harry, alone in a hospital bed has come to terms that he has not only lost his arm, he has lost Marion. Marion curls up with her score of heroin, a deluded smile on her face, not coming to terms with the ways in which she had to get it. Tyrone is alone in prison, dealing with the loss of his friend, drugs and freedom. Sara is an absolute nutter now in her wee mental room, dreaming she is still on her game show and deluding herself that Harry and Marion are successfully married.

The theme song for this movie has to be one of the best i have ever heard. (On par with Jurassic Park, dun dun dun!) It is so full of emotion and encapsulates the power of the film and its message. Its a beautifully written piece of music and fits in perfectly with the tone of the movie.

Overall, Requiem For A Dream has to be one of the best films ever in my book, and i think it carries such a strong message and warning to the dangers of addiction in which we all face. It has some beautiful scenes (such as the one in the picture) that are thought out so well and are very moving.

Wow, this post has ran on way longer than my 'quick blog entry' and if i don't stop now ill bore your brains out. Even more. SO, after last nights fun filled crayola crayon event, i better be hitting the hay in order to get up fresh as a daisy for some Blade Runner at tomorrows screening. CHAO FOR NOW. x