Doug Bruce
Encyclopedia
Doug Bruce is the subject of Rupert Murray's
2005 documentary film Unknown White Male.
Bruce claims to suffer from an extremely rare, and possibly purely psychological, form of retrograde amnesia
. It is alleged that this has left his episodic memory blank for his entire life prior to the onset of the amnesia. According to Bruce, he first became aware of his post-amnesia self when he 'awakened' on a New York
subway
train, with no recollection of who he was, including his name, his life experiences, family, friends, home, and work. In the film he claims he contacted the police and was admitted to a hospital psychiatric ward, where, with no name to use, 'Unknown White Male' was written on his hospital medical charts and records.
After a few days, Bruce alleges to have been connected with a friend whose mother's phone number was found inside a book in his possession. Little else was found on him other than some dog medicine; he had no wallet, bank cards, or other identifying documents at all. He claims that the friend identified him as 'Doug Bruce', a prosperous Frenchman who had formerly been a successful banker in Paris, and was now studying for a degree in photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He now works occasionally as a photographer, failing to find much success.
Due of the extreme rarity of Bruce's form of amnesia, the length of it (Bruce has not regained his amnesia and therefore is a medical anomaly), as well as myriad inconsistencies in his story, there have been claims that the film is a hoax
. The filmmakers and subject deny this. Various publications discussed the improbability of Bruce's story, which centers around being the only documented example of extended, full-blown amnesia in the world to date. Others concentrate on dissecting incongruent statements Bruce made regarding his alleged trauma. Bruce reveals in an interview that, before his own bout with amnesia, a close friend suffered from short-term amnesia after a sporting accident; this experience inspired the friend to change his life completely and move to Bali to become "a healer". It has been speculated that this friend's experience with amnesia inspired Bruce's malingering
.
According to filmmaker Rupert Murray
, his documentary Unknown White Male is a uniquely filmed exploration into the phenomenon of amnesia from the perspective of an alleged amnesiac, and it includes video film footage which Bruce filmed himself beginning within a week of the start of his amnesia.
Rupert Murray
Rupert Murray is a film director working in London. Murray began by making television documentaries for Channel Four's Cutting Edge series including Playing For England and Seconds To Impact , and short films Outsiders and This Was My War, co-directed with Beadie Finzi.In 2005 he directed British...
2005 documentary film Unknown White Male.
Bruce claims to suffer from an extremely rare, and possibly purely psychological, form of retrograde amnesia
Retrograde amnesia
Retrograde amnesia is a loss of access to events that occurred, or information that was learned, before an injury or the onset of a disease....
. It is alleged that this has left his episodic memory blank for his entire life prior to the onset of the amnesia. According to Bruce, he first became aware of his post-amnesia self when he 'awakened' on a New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
subway
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
train, with no recollection of who he was, including his name, his life experiences, family, friends, home, and work. In the film he claims he contacted the police and was admitted to a hospital psychiatric ward, where, with no name to use, 'Unknown White Male' was written on his hospital medical charts and records.
After a few days, Bruce alleges to have been connected with a friend whose mother's phone number was found inside a book in his possession. Little else was found on him other than some dog medicine; he had no wallet, bank cards, or other identifying documents at all. He claims that the friend identified him as 'Doug Bruce', a prosperous Frenchman who had formerly been a successful banker in Paris, and was now studying for a degree in photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He now works occasionally as a photographer, failing to find much success.
Due of the extreme rarity of Bruce's form of amnesia, the length of it (Bruce has not regained his amnesia and therefore is a medical anomaly), as well as myriad inconsistencies in his story, there have been claims that the film is a hoax
Hoax
A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British...
. The filmmakers and subject deny this. Various publications discussed the improbability of Bruce's story, which centers around being the only documented example of extended, full-blown amnesia in the world to date. Others concentrate on dissecting incongruent statements Bruce made regarding his alleged trauma. Bruce reveals in an interview that, before his own bout with amnesia, a close friend suffered from short-term amnesia after a sporting accident; this experience inspired the friend to change his life completely and move to Bali to become "a healer". It has been speculated that this friend's experience with amnesia inspired Bruce's malingering
Malingering
Malingering is a medical term that refers to fabricating or exaggerating the symptoms of mental or physical disorders for a variety of "secondary gain" motives, which may include financial compensation ; avoiding school, work or military service; obtaining drugs; getting lighter criminal sentences;...
.
According to filmmaker Rupert Murray
Rupert Murray
Rupert Murray is a film director working in London. Murray began by making television documentaries for Channel Four's Cutting Edge series including Playing For England and Seconds To Impact , and short films Outsiders and This Was My War, co-directed with Beadie Finzi.In 2005 he directed British...
, his documentary Unknown White Male is a uniquely filmed exploration into the phenomenon of amnesia from the perspective of an alleged amnesiac, and it includes video film footage which Bruce filmed himself beginning within a week of the start of his amnesia.