Strange Voices
Encyclopedia
Strange Voices is a 1987
television film about schizophrenia
directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman
. The film, based on actual events, was criticized as inferior to other made-for-television movies about the disorder, including Promise
(1986). The New York Times
, for instance, called it "too much, too late".
student, with a normal home life and a boyfriend. Trouble starts when she gets paranoid that her boyfriend is cheating on her. She comments that "they" told her everything. "They" apparently being the voices. She returns home and starts to hear voices. Confused, she begins acting violently, destroying her father's computer
and offending his guests during a party
. Her parents Dave and Lynn take her to the hospital
, where she is diagnosed with schizophrenia
. They refuse to believe that she has the disorder, however, blaming Nicole's behavior on her split with Jeff. They ignore the doctor
's advice and take her back home, where she admits to her younger sister Lisa that she reacted that way because she heard voices and couldn't control herself. Nicole soon returns to college, takes back Jeff and stops taking the medication
she was prescribed.
Soon, she starts to hear voices again and she becomes delusional. She ends up stopping in the middle of a freeway, stepping out of her car and panicking. Her parents agree to take her to the hospital. They are upset to find out that there is no cure, and respond angrily when she denies treatment. Lynn tries to force her to take medication, but she refuses to, explaining that it makes her feel sick. However, without the medication, she has a relapse of her psychotic symptoms. Realizing what she is doing, she gives in on the pills and allows her mother to help her. Side effects
include suffering from seizure
s, which pushes her to make the decision to quit using medication again. She pretends that she is taking the pills, but she is caught by Lisa.
Nicole is upset to find out that her parents are constantly arguing over the way she should be treated. Meanwhile, Lisa feels neglected by their parents and blames Nicole for acting the way she does only to get attention. After a few other outbursts, including destroying items with a knife
and starting a small kitchen fire
, Lynn sends her to a mental institution. Dave is opposed to this, feeling that he is abandoning his daughter. Nicole stills refuses to take pills, telling her psychiatrist
that she would rather feel confused than to feel nothing at all. One night, she escapes from the institution and is nowhere to be found. During his search for her, Dave blames himself for what happened to her.
After two weeks without a trace of her, Nicole is arrested for having eaten at a diner
without paying. She is questioned, but inititally can't remember who she is. Lynn and Lisa finally pick her up and take her home. Dave refuses to talk to her and when Lynn confronts him on it, he responds that she is too sick to notice anyways. Meanwhile, Lisa is admitted to Rochester University, but she decides not to go, much to the distress of Lynn. Upon confronting her, Lisa admits that she is afraid that to turn out the same way as Nicole, but Lynn assures her that that is not a possibility. In the end, Nicole tries to commit suicide
by an overdose. She recovers and builds up a bond with her father again, and Lynn and Dave finally decide to work together as well to help Nicole.
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
television film about schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman
Arthur Allan Seidelman
Arthur Allan Seidelman is an award-winning American television, film, and theatre director and an occasional writer, producer and actor.Born in New York City, he received his BA from Whittier College and an MA in Theatre from UCLA. He subsequently studied with Sanford Meisner, who became a...
. The film, based on actual events, was criticized as inferior to other made-for-television movies about the disorder, including Promise
Promise (film)
Promise is a 1986 Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie that aired on December 14, 1986. The award-winning film is based on a story by Ken Blackwell and Tennyson Flowers, and stars James Garner and James Woods.-Plot:...
(1986). The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, for instance, called it "too much, too late".
Plot
Nicole is a bright, gifted and attractive collegeCollege
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
student, with a normal home life and a boyfriend. Trouble starts when she gets paranoid that her boyfriend is cheating on her. She comments that "they" told her everything. "They" apparently being the voices. She returns home and starts to hear voices. Confused, she begins acting violently, destroying her father's computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
and offending his guests during a party
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
. Her parents Dave and Lynn take her to the hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
, where she is diagnosed with schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
. They refuse to believe that she has the disorder, however, blaming Nicole's behavior on her split with Jeff. They ignore the doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
's advice and take her back home, where she admits to her younger sister Lisa that she reacted that way because she heard voices and couldn't control herself. Nicole soon returns to college, takes back Jeff and stops taking the medication
Medication
A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...
she was prescribed.
Soon, she starts to hear voices again and she becomes delusional. She ends up stopping in the middle of a freeway, stepping out of her car and panicking. Her parents agree to take her to the hospital. They are upset to find out that there is no cure, and respond angrily when she denies treatment. Lynn tries to force her to take medication, but she refuses to, explaining that it makes her feel sick. However, without the medication, she has a relapse of her psychotic symptoms. Realizing what she is doing, she gives in on the pills and allows her mother to help her. Side effects
Side Effects
Side Effects is an anthology of 17 comical short stories written by Woody Allen between 1975 and 1980, all but one of which were previously published in, variously, The New Republic, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Kenyon Review. It includes Allen's 1978 O...
include suffering from seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
s, which pushes her to make the decision to quit using medication again. She pretends that she is taking the pills, but she is caught by Lisa.
Nicole is upset to find out that her parents are constantly arguing over the way she should be treated. Meanwhile, Lisa feels neglected by their parents and blames Nicole for acting the way she does only to get attention. After a few other outbursts, including destroying items with a knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
and starting a small kitchen fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
, Lynn sends her to a mental institution. Dave is opposed to this, feeling that he is abandoning his daughter. Nicole stills refuses to take pills, telling her psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
that she would rather feel confused than to feel nothing at all. One night, she escapes from the institution and is nowhere to be found. During his search for her, Dave blames himself for what happened to her.
After two weeks without a trace of her, Nicole is arrested for having eaten at a diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
without paying. She is questioned, but inititally can't remember who she is. Lynn and Lisa finally pick her up and take her home. Dave refuses to talk to her and when Lynn confronts him on it, he responds that she is too sick to notice anyways. Meanwhile, Lisa is admitted to Rochester University, but she decides not to go, much to the distress of Lynn. Upon confronting her, Lisa admits that she is afraid that to turn out the same way as Nicole, but Lynn assures her that that is not a possibility. In the end, Nicole tries to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by an overdose. She recovers and builds up a bond with her father again, and Lynn and Dave finally decide to work together as well to help Nicole.
Cast
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