Friday The 13th Sociology

In the media, the mentally ill are often depicted as helpless, out of control, and dangerous. There are many cases in both film and media, where a person who is clearly mentally ill is portrayed in bad light with no chance at reformation. Rarely is there ever a time where a mentally ill persons actions are justified; they are instead demonized for their identity. There are many famous movies of which involves an antagonist with a mental illness who is then villainized. Movies such as Jason or Psycho involve such antagonists, and goes on to depict them as homicidal slashers. The illnesses that both these antagonists suffer from are then associated with them, ingraining that into the audience. The mentally/physically ill should not be represented

The movie Friday the 13th, involves a boy who was bullied for being disabled, and then goes onto brutally murder those who did him wrong (Cunningham). This of course terrifies the audience, associating those with conditions similar to Jason to a bloodlust-driven, crazed, homicidal murderer. Those who watched the film would treat those who look/act like Jason differently, because the outlandish idea of being “slashed” by them is implanted into their brain. It is unethical to place a mentally ill person into a movie with no resolution/cure, as it just shows the absolute worst a mentally ill person can do. Another film that does this is Psycho, a movie involving a mother and son who mindlessly murders those who step into their motel (Hitchcock). Norman Bates, the son, is clearly mentally ill. Bates has multiple personality disorder, but isn’t mentioned as specifically during the movie (Shah 1). In the film, Bates is simply called a psychopath. This creates a false image to those viewing the movie, as it generalizes those with mental illnesses as crazed/deranged. This of course gives a reference to those who interact with the mentally ill the whole idea of being “slashed up” or worse. All in all, films that involve an antagonist with a mental illness is perceived as demonic with no redeeming qualities. Instead, their mental illnesses are exploited and multiplies the fear factor of whatever the character is, and at the same time associates those with the same diagnosis to these exaggerated, murderous