Sunday, November 15, 2009

Do you think the movie "Awakenings" was taken from the movie Charley, and the book "Flowers for Algernon"?

I think so!

Do you think the movie "Awakenings" was taken from the movie Charley, and the book "Flowers for Algernon"?
They have absolutely nothing to do with each other! "Awakenings" is based on a true story. Those people were not "mentally challenged", as Charles Gordon is. Charlie underwent experimental surgery that increased his ability to learn until he achieved genius levels.





You can't have watched both of these films and come to this conclusion I'm certain. As I said, they share absolutely nothing in common. Gordon was born disabled; the others were average people who fell ill then into the state we seen them in; they remain that way till his treatment brings results that do fade, as with Gordon. But, he drops down to his original IQ. Those people are still reasonably intelligent people but are trapped once more in bodies that will not obey them.





Awakenings (1990)


IMDB synopsis:


A new doctor finds himself with a ward full of comatose patients. He is disturbed by them and the fact that they have been comatose for decades with no hope of any cure. When he finds a possible chemical cure he gets permission to try it on one of them. When the first patient awakes, he is now an adult having gone into a coma in his early teens. The film then delights in the new awareness of the patients and then on the reactions of their relatives to the changes in the newly awakened.


NOTE: Y!A isn't allowing me to post with the link to INDB.


The film is based on Oliver Sacks' non-fictional book.





Charly (1968)


NOTE: The title is intentionally misspelled, as this is how Charles (Charlie) Gordon spells it.


IMDB synopsis:


Charlie is a retarded adult male struggling to survive in the world. His frequent attempts at learning, reading, and writing prove worthless. His teacher, Miss Kinian, takes Charlie to the clinic where he is observed by doctors who have Charlie "race" a mouse, Algernon. The mouse is usually the winner thanks to an experiment that greatly raised his intelligence. This experiment is given to Charlie, who at first does not seem affected. However, he gradually becomes more and more educated, eventually becoming a pure genius. Very emotional consequences are involved when Charlie learns the truth of the experiment.





Flowers for Algernon (2000 TV movie)


IMDB synopsis:


Charles Gordon is retarded, and all he wants in life is to be a genius. When he gets picked for experimental surgery, it looks like his dream may finally come true. But the surgery has side effects that could could kill Charlie. Can he survive being just plain old Charlie Gordon, and will his newfound romance survive this test of character?





So, there are huge differences in the two stories. The short story (not novel) "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes was published in 1959. The first film was released in 1968. Sacks' non-fiction "Awakenings" was published in 1969~AFTER "Charly".
Reply:You got it!
Reply:Well, perhaps as proof that a story like that would work, especially as structured around the story of one man, but "Awakenings" is based on the book by Oliver Sacks and real medical cases he handled.

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