Question for the wheelers..

[littlesparkle]

Ok i have a question. Does it make you feel weird or uncomfortable or emotional when you are watching a movie where there's a wheeler in there and his disability or issues related to it is shown.. does it make you think of your own situation and struggles..esp when you are with friends or your gf/ bf.

I remember watching Gattaca with my ex-bf years ago and remember feeling a little worried everytime there would be a scene with his wheeler friend. Don't get me wrong on my own I don't mind and certainly enjoys it but for some reason i kept thinking about my ex must be feeling during those moments.

Not sure if I'm making any sense.

[matisse]

I do feel something. Not really uncomfortable, more like self-conscious. It doesn't make me think of my own situation, just that everyone I'm with is obviously thinking of me, and so is anyone who has me in a line of sight (if at a theater, for example).

Oddly enough I have a lot less of those feelings each time I've see Avatar, even though it's a much bigger part of the story than the usual bit characters. It's such a matter-of-fact portrayal, I suppose.

[darthoso]

Self-conscious is a good way to put it. For me the movie "The Sessions" hit hard, especially the part where he dropped his stick, was unable to get help, and nearly died. Been there done that, not nearly that extreme but not being able to contact someone for help is a MAJOR panic causing phobia of mine.

[Deleted]

Physically, no. However when tragedy strikes and the husband/wife or bf/gf stands by their significant other...now that is guaranteed to tear me up. Sorry if I've gone and damaged my cold and hard image... lol

[MarineAmp]

Lt. Dan from Forrest Gump has definitely rang some familiar chords with me. I also had the opportunity to meet Gary Sinise shortly after I was injured and at Walter Reed. Besides Jon Voigt, I haven't met a more sincere celebrity and had about a half hour conversation with him. On a side note, Barry Bonds is the biggest asshole.

[nordic]

I would compare it to other attributes that a movie emphasizes on in characters. After all, characters are about identification on behalf of the audience. The more an attribute singles you out, the more you feel like you are being personally involved and pointed at. At least this is how it feels for me. So when watching a movie I'm usually the only person in a wheelchair around. I would relate on a more personal level to a character with this attribute. Another example could be a movie in which the distinct thing about a character is being male. I consequently would not feel as personally addressed since it is not such a distinct attribute.

Looking at it from a more theoretical approach on how dramatic story-telling works, the word for me would be self-aware. I reflect my own self based on a character I identify with. The more personal that identification is the deeper the reflection process. If that has a positive or negative connotation is based on the whole context so I would not be able to answer it universally.

[Gale]

Nov 15, 2014 16:32:15 GMT -5 matisse said:

I do feel something. Not really uncomfortable, more like self-conscious. It doesn't make me think of my own situation, just that everyone I'm with is obviously thinking of me, and so is anyone who has me in a line of sight (if at a theater, for example).

This. It's not so much that I particularly care, but when I'm with people and watching something like that, it's pretty obvious what everyone's first thought is. Most of the time anyways. I have a few friends that don't actually view me in the same way that a typical person would. Good question btw. 

[mwin]

Really good question and interesting responses. In a similar way, I'm mixed race and when I'm watching a film that includes racism or the subject of skin colour with friends and am the only 'person of colour' ? I definitely feel self aware - like everyone else is thinking - what's she thinking - or something. I imagine it's not a dissimilar feeling?

[mealsonwheels]

Nov 15, 2014 17:54:38 GMT -5 MarineAmp said:

Lt. Dan from Forrest Gump has definitely rang some familiar chords with me. I also had the opportunity to meet Gary Sinise shortly after I was injured and at Walter Reed. Besides Jon Voigt, I haven't met a more sincere celebrity and had about a half hour conversation with him. On a side note, Barry Bonds is the biggest asshole.

Kevin Dillon is a pretty cool guy too.  When I met him there was some technical issue with my camera, and he and is bodyguard sat and chatted with me for a good 10 minutes or so as the bodyguard figured out the issue.


To answer your question Littlesparkle, I really don't feel anything.  Maybe a bit self-conscious but not that much.  The first time I saw Avatar I did feel something when he wakes up in the body the first time and discovers he can walk again.

[jturk]

I rarely if ever see characters in fiction with muscular dystrophy or other similar types of disabilities. Most of the time it is spinal cord injury or something similar to that which is portrayed on film. So in that regard I've never been able to relate to those characters in any type of way that made me emotional. One thing that did have an impact on (at least initially) me was the annual Labor Day telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Usually between live segments, they would air these horribly manipulative segments talking about the "tragic lives" of all these children with neuromuscular diseases. Now looking back I understand they were trying to make an emotional pitch to get people to donate more. But there was always a disconnect between the hopeful message I was getting from my parents and doctors and this portrayal of worst-case scenarios on TV trying to get donations. The reality turns out to have been somewhere between those two extremes. But imagine your parents not telling you anything specifically negative and then seeing a TV commercial saying that you're going to die before age 20. It was hard not to be emotional about something like that.

I avoided even reading anything about my condition for years because of my fear of finding out something horrible. I had to contemplate the possibility of my own death when I was 13, I had to come to terms with it and accept it. Thankfully I did and now I no longer get any kind of emotions really when I read about my condition or hear about other cases. Every situation is different, so I no longer see the need to be anxious. I don't know if that really answered your question but hopefully it was informative.

Just to add: I definitely did feel weird and uncomfortable when I would see those types of things airing, or when other people who knew me would see them, at least after I had my diagnosis. But I never related to film portrayals because they had nothing to do with my life or my situation. So there was no discomfort in that regard.

[JW]

It largely depends on the movie.

Firstly, I look to see if the actor is portraying day to day life in a wheelchair in an accurate way. That is my biggest concern usually. Gattaca I loved a lot and even laughed at a few of the things Jude Law's character said. He used a lot of wit and sarcasm to respond to people and that was very true of me as well, especially in the beginning. I don't like the way he went out at the end of the movie, but It didn't bother me personally, as I know that there are some people out there who would make the same choice, even if I wouldn't. 

The only movie that I can think of that might make me a little self-conscious would be Born On The Fourth of July, but the only time I watched that movie was before my accident, when I was still young and able bodied. I remember that movie having a big impact on me at the time and have thought about it quite often when I was struggling physically in rehab or had a bed sore, or whatever negative disability-related thing was going on in my life. I haven't had a chance to watch it again since then, but I'm sure if it comes on cable and I get the chance I will be able to watch it from a whole new perspective. (Hopefully without too much crying). 

[mealsonwheels]

Nov 16, 2014 17:56:57 GMT -5 JW said:

It largely depends on the movie.

Firstly, I look to see if the actor is portraying day to day life in a wheelchair in an accurate way. That is my biggest concern usually. Gattaca I loved a lot and even laughed at a few of the things Jude Law's character said. He used a lot of wit and sarcasm to respond to people and that was very true of me as well, especially in the beginning. I don't like the way he went out at the end of the movie, but It didn't bother me personally, as I know that there are some people out there who would make the same choice, even if I wouldn't. 

The only movie that I can think of that might make me a little self-conscious would be Born On The Fourth of July, but the only time I watched that movie was before my accident, when I was still young and able bodied. I remember that movie having a big impact on me at the time and have thought about it quite often when I was struggling physically in rehab or had a bed sore, or whatever negative disability-related thing was going on in my life. I haven't had a chance to watch it again since then, but I'm sure if it comes on cable and I get the chance I will be able to watch it from a whole new perspective. (Hopefully without too much crying). 

Born on the 4th is a good one.

[rollingman]

We have a guy who goes on are bike rides, but lately his Parkinson's has gotten to the point where we are afraid that he will fall while riding, so he had to stop going. Listening to my AB friends talk about him, and how sad it was, kind of made me wonder what they say about me when I'm not around. Just a bit of reaction to the movie of life.

[Deleted]

I'll sometimes comment on how they got it all wrong or make a joke about it. Other than that, no. I remember, however, when my injury was relatively new that there was some awkwardness. Like when you're watching a movie with your parents and there's a sex scene. Thankfully, I'm well past those days.

Look, it's no secret to anyone that I'm crippled. I'm so open about my life that occasionally someone might look to me to comment on the realism of the character's portrayal or ask if the same situation applies to me. I'm happy to answer those questions. (During commercial, of course.) It's not much different to me than watching a movie about birds with an ornithologist and asking him/her about the facts in the movie.

[Deleted]

That would be a pornithologist. I certainly hope all this student debt is worth it.