Mental Health disorders is not a joke. Film posters have existed primarily to persuade audiences to watch a film. Oftentimes crafted to include a scene, or the leading characters to endorse the film, most movie posters are crafted as marketing and promotional materials, and are also created as a collector’s item. It also affects the way an audience perceives a film, rather than just who is in the film.
Films that deal with mental health awareness has been abundant since the term was coined by the World Health Organization in May of 1949. This list deals with the many films that are relevant to such advocacy, in a wide-array of genres and the film posters that accompanied it. Such are examples of how context is determined not only to market a film, but to portray a message that is less sleuth and pays respect to the advocacy.
Besides, a film that bears the message that mental health awareness is important, is prioritized, is highly recognized, must understand that it owes that much to the audience, to convey a message that is not damaging, ill-intentioned towards many who have suffered against the stigma towards mental health issues.
The following are some of Hollywood’s films that tackle mental health issues without making fun of it in the film’s poster. (with one bonus International Film)
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
One of my personal Jack Nicholson favorites, Miloš Forman’s 1975 film came at a time when a lot of people in the US were struggling to come to terms with the “craziness” of it all. With a country that has always been somewhat addicted to pain relievers and therapists, this film has the term “cuckoo” in it without poking fun at the thought of crazy people during its time. It is the perfect example of looking at the narrative of how psychology is determined to understand the way the mind works, and how imperfect human beings don’t necessarily equate to insanity. You won’t see Jack Nicholson poking his tongue on the poster either.
2. As Good As It Gets
With a film that tackles obssessive compulsive disorder and misanthropy, one might find it hard to believe that this film poster with Jack Nicholson carrying a dog would be a film about how he obsessively hates people and society. One of the most endearing films out there about how in the end, no man is an island.
3. Silver Linings Playbook
The poster might suggest a love story between the two. But the film, in fact, tackles two trauma patients and the manner of how they both find their silver linings in life.
4. I Am Sam
Who would’ve thought that this film is about a father with intellectual disabilities who has to prove that he is capable of caring for his daughter? The empathy shown in the film’s poster alone was enough for it to win audiences back in the day as a mainstream favorite.
5. The Aviator
The Aviator was a film about Howard Hughes, Hollywood’s most eccentric tycoon who deals with a mental illness that begins to proliferate his career. Of course the poster won’t show you that he is dealing with such, but instead gives you a glistening image of a man who sees the possibilities as endless.
6. Girl, Interrupted
I chose to add the two movie posters for this 1999 film to emphasize how powerful an impact an image could be. Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie are forces to be reckoned with (along with the performances endowed to us by the rest of the cast) in this film, and despite that, what we see as a preview is an image of a woman, or of two women, who may just be like the rest of us but are dealing with different battles than any of us might want to admit.
7. Inside Out
One might never imagine that a cartoon could tackle so much trauma and insight into the mind than when Disney-Pixar decided to elevate their stories further to include psychology as the main forum. This poster for Inside Out is cleverly put, as we do see ourselves literally in the shoes of a person, happiness and sadness all together.
8. I am a Cyborg, but that’s OK!
This Japanese movie poster for Park Chan-wook’s film enthuses that we are in a love story that is hip and exciting. When in fact Im Soo-jung’s character is a damaged soul who believes she is a Cyborg who falls in love with a maddening schizophrenic played by Rain. Other posters for this film show the two lying in a hospital bed giggling like romantic partners should, when in the actual film we see them struggling with keeping up with society.
9. Joker
Scary, yet intriguing. Until we are sucked into a depressing black hole of insults towards the end. And yet, Joaquin Phoenix manages to lure us in with a simple glimpse of his eye and his self-made make up. It looks incredulously beautiful. But never insulting. Until you see the film yourself.
10. Rain Man
Would you even think that by looking at this movie poster, you would think that this film deals with autism? Of course you wouldn’t. You would definitely hate Tom Cruise’s character afterwards, but it will leave you astonished by how smart Dustin Hoffman played Rain Man Ray.
11. Melancholia
These two movie posters for Lars von Trier’s Melancholia shows you how movie posters can lure you into it’s protagonist so clearly, so early on to the project. It feels as if we are going into a sci-fi when in fact the film deals with inner turmoil, especially with Kirsten Dunst’s character, and the apocalypse that is slowly churning up within her.
12. A Beautiful Mind
If you haven’t seen Ron Howard’s A Beautiful Mind, then I’m sorry to spoil you. This film that deals heavily with how the mind works while under schizophrenia, a mental disorder that is highly serious to be joked upon. Russel Crowe as John Nash, a brilliant mathematician is superimposted here with little aliens on the side because, well, we get to see him explore a little of the ETs in the film and his brilliantly beautiful mind.
13. Still Alice
Alzheimer’s is a very sensitive disorder that has taken the lives of many in the past century. What other way to put that into context in a movie poster that shows how a person can feel so alone while she looses her memories in the process?
14. Black Swan
Love the film or hate it, compare it to Perfect Blue or not, the poster says it all. There’s nothing like peer pressure to put you into a euphoric, suicidal and hallucinogenic state than what Natalie Portman has expressed, all for the love of fame, in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan.
15. Changeling
No matter what decade you’re in, if you’re a woman and you speak up for yourself, one way or another, you get persecuted for the things you say, even when you talk about the mistreatment of other human beings. The same is the case for Clint Eastwood’s Changeling starring Angelina Jolie, who stars as single mother Christine Collings who realizes that when authorities return to her a boy, who apparently is not her son, she is vilified as an unfit mother, and is then detained in a psychiatric ward. Equally painful especially for mothers, the poster offers a small hint of the tragedy that is yet to come.
16. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
This romantic drama by Michel Gondry, written by Charlie Kaufman, will always be known for the way it deals with the knicks and cranny of being in a relationship. Looking at it from a broader perspective, you could actually see how the anxieties of the two characters and the people that are affected by the decisions they make is far from how the movie poster depicts it.
17. Marnie
Marketed more on the ‘sex’ side of then-James Bond Sean Connery and Tippi Hedren’s appeal as Hitchcock’s then-latest blonde actress, Marnie actually has a lot to offer than it being a romantic thriller. As with most Hitchcock movie posters, which are heavy on the description than an image (except for Vertigo), his team has always stressed the fact that movie posters serve as a means to encourage the audience to watch in a theater. Hence the caption on the print. Marnie is perhaps in my taste one of Hitchcock’s most powerful films that deal with trauma and abuse. The poster does try to stir you a little bit but it brings you back to the point that trauma is the real horror here, the sex and mystery part is just the tip of the iceberg.
18. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This film (and novel) by Stephen Chbosky is the perfect example of subtle themes in movie poster. In what looks like a teeny-boper, coming-of-age film is actually a story of surviving trauma for Charlie and his friend’s suicide. Themes of suicide has always had a bad light and this film was one of those films that tried to tackle it with much heart.
***Did you know that: The Philippines has recently passed its first Mental Health Act (Republic Act no. 11036). The Act seeks to establish access to comprehensive and integrated mental health services, while protecting the rights of people with mental disorders and their family members (Lally et al, 2019).
A number of groups and institutions are now available in the country to offer their expertise to those who are in need of help or someone to listen. Check out this link and browse through their extensive catalogue on the support available.
