The film ‘History of the Asylum’ focuses on the history of mental institutions. The narrator of the film is a university professor whose main objective is to show a timeline of events that have resulted in modern psychiatry institutions (Kovler, 2015). Based on the film, mentally ill patients were initially treated as animals, and instead of getting treatment, they were locked up. Once in the asylums, they were subjected to harsh treatment from the staff, which made it impossible for them to get treated and leave these asylums. However, there have been changes in the handling of mentally ill patients, and asylums have been replaced with psychiatric facilities where patients get the necessary treatment.
The film ‘City of the Sick’ highlights the role that attendants have in the treatment of patients with mental illnesses. The main objective of the film is to show how attendants at the mental facility are taking an active role in treating patients (Buckeyebillyktm, 2010). This film was produced by Marjorie E. Watson and directed by Robert W. Wagner, and it is based on the view of an attendant working at a mental facility. An important element of the film is that it shows the change in approach towards handling mentally ill patients and how this has a positive impact on them.
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Both of these films have the same message, which is that the treatment of mentally ill patients is improving. However, based on the era of production of the film ‘City of the Sick,’ it appears that it does not present a factual view of the situation. According to the film, the mentally ill patients are receiving quality care, and all the attendants are committed to their work. While this should be taken positively, it fails to highlight the challenges that are faced by mentally ill patients in some of these institutions. As such, the situation in the particular facility should not be taken to represent the treatment of patients in other psychiatric facilities at the time.
References
Buckeyebillyktm. (2010, January 29). City of the Sick - Part I. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiCZHrp4340
Kovler, P. (2015, December 29). History of the Asylum. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkEW1OSKJrk
