tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294499213897153104.post4057403595330286566..comments2024-03-27T09:00:32.195-05:00Comments on The Signal Watch: Doc Watch: Beware the Slenderman (2016)The Leaguehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294499213897153104.post-83756578860542515442017-02-23T16:02:50.910-06:002017-02-23T16:02:50.910-06:00I was very curious what you'd think of the dia...I was very curious what you'd think of the diagnoses or suggestion thereof. I mean, I don't think you can necessarily say "oh, these girls are totally normal", but everything about this felt inconclusive, like it was just following an argument from the defense without really looking at things from more than one angle other than slowly revealing details to build the argument. I have less of a problem with the folklorists, but Slenderman is so *new* and so obviously fabricated, I don't know that any of them knew enough about what they were dealing with to say anything of depth. And if there was a psychologist or psychiatrist who had studied human/ computer interaction with adolescents, they didn't get much screentime.The Leaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294499213897153104.post-81374373542154932772017-02-23T15:02:45.298-06:002017-02-23T15:02:45.298-06:00Yeah, maybe it's the lawyer in me, but the mov...Yeah, maybe it's the lawyer in me, but the movie left me with a LOT of questions. I could have done with some more elaboration on the actual mental health issues, preferably with some solidly expert commentary, and less elaboration on The Slenderman by a bunch of self-styled experts on internet mythology and "mind viruses". From what I've been told at work, it's unusual to see the onset of schizophrenia in people as young as these girls (although early onset schizophrenia is definitely a real thing, it is rare), and it's also unusual for symptoms to primarily include visual hallucinations as opposed to auditory ones (although the delusions sounded par for the course). I would have also liked more detail about the experiences of Morgan's father with schizophrenia (had he been formally diagnosed? taken meds? when did he experience onset?) Also, Anissa seemed a little "off" in her own right. Had any potential diagnosis ever been proposed for her? I had basic questions about which of the psychiatrists shown in the courtroom were testifying for the defense, and which, if any, were testifying for the state. If the state had a psychiatrist who disagreed with the schizophrenia diagnosis, it would have been interesting to hear that opinion. Anyway, my complaints may delve into areas that maybe no one else cares about. But my experience is that the devil is in the details in these sorts of cases (hahahaha! pun intended!!!!).J.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03903186469796595837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294499213897153104.post-3096343449001690472017-02-21T21:17:46.723-06:002017-02-21T21:17:46.723-06:00I get the appeal. The immediacy of the doc means ...I get the appeal. The immediacy of the doc means the story is still very fresh - arguably too fresh as the legal process was far from complete. It's certainly not unusual anymore for a doc to have some sympathy for the accused, and I'm thinking of the "Paradise Lost" docs here. And it's certainly novel for anyone, adult or child, to have attempted murder in the name of a clearly fictional character. <br /><br />But, yeah, it certainly seemed stretched in parts, or attempts to create mood didn't quite stick the landing. And it seemed like the producers could have pushed a bit more in some places instead of ending ideas in ellipses. The Leaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294499213897153104.post-6845524635841912232017-02-21T20:16:19.709-06:002017-02-21T20:16:19.709-06:00It a strange little doc. I thought the mental hea...It a strange little doc. I thought the mental health angle and parent interviews were interesting, but in the end it kinda felt like the directors maybe just didn't get anything too interesting. <br /><br />I know the doc made the festival rounds before HBO bought it. I"m not sure I saw what they did.JALhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17879630166417997627noreply@blogger.com