The seriousness of the topic in the documentary is emphasised through the filmmakers intimacy and relationship with the subjects. He made this film to show people about the effects of alcoholism, and I think he achieved his goal. I thought Rain In My Heart was a good example of a film that provokes thought about the ethical role of documentary makers. But while Watson explains he also interacts with the subject instead of just observing. (LogOut/ I have noticed that many people discuss this film on various alcoholism-related websites and quite a number of people stopped drinking after watching it or at least took it into serious consideration, and even if one person was/ will be saved by this film than it was definitely worth it. Rain In My Heart is a 2006 documentary about alcoholism. I believe he does ask himself sincere ethical questions and that he answers them truthfully. Ive found this good review of the film on the internet: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1661761/. The game uses a beautiful and funny graphics engine to make everything look. Basically, I think Paul Watson is really successful in showing the facts and emotional stuff in this documentary. On the one hand, Paul Watson did get these peoples consent to be filmed. It shows the situation without making of adjustments. He acts incredibly friendly with her by holding her shoulders when talking to her, slapping her cheek when she has fallen asleep from drinking etc. This attempt to confront the ethical problem of documentary-making did not satisfy me as I couldnt help but feel that Watsons display of concern was more addressing the potential accusations of the audience rather than the problem itself. Alluding to the culture of exploitning woman, as well as Spielbergs film being a commercial (and one which ends with a very colourful, affirming ending) intent makes it a machine absording actresses and horrors for the output of satisfying drama. The subject is not exploited as she has consented Watson to film her in her most tragic state and all of this psychological revealing is not only for Watsons own good but for the audience as they are being warned off the overuse of alcohol. He leads the interviewees go into their deep heart and gradually express their ideas. However, although Watson reveals his inner moral debates, it does not stop him using his observational and interview style to get footage and shots that exploit the subjects. It serves its purpose of portraying the realities of alcoholism, and at times may seem harsh, but in doing so creates an ugly truth that otherwise wouldnt be seen. I think that Watson when immersed with these subjects he formed a friendship with, learning to really like some of them and he himself tries to stop some of his subjects from drinking because he wants to see the best happen for them. Rain in My Heart was Paul Watson's good deed in this naughty world. I feel he mistakes this forced friendliness by asking more and more personal questions as he continues to film her. I think that Rain in my Heart was a very interesting documentary to watch and posed many questions about the ethics of documentary filmmaking. If there was any moment in the film where you could perceive Watson as exploiting them it would be when he interviews and observes them whilst or after theyve been drinking heavily, of course Watson cannot control what comes out of their mouth, he does have control over what to show to the audience, however showing these moments to the audience ensures that Watson has observed in full, the effects of alcohol and his points of its destructiveness comes across. Thus creating awareness, insight into the medical world and the rising figures of binge drinking, alcohol abuse and its rippling consequences. The fact that two of participants died during filming is grim testimony to the illness of alcoholism. Ones initial reaction would be to strip her of the bottle however, Watson remains faithful to his observational aim and instead of forcefully stopping her he simply tells her that he is disappointed in her. On the other hand, he showed the subjects at their worst, but almost continuously. Chapter 1. However in the documentary there is a shot of him asking Why am I asking you to watch Nigel die? and he then says that Nigels wife, Kath, had wanted it to be shown so that the audience would be made fully aware of the consequences of alcoholism. This powerful documentary from fly-on-the-wall pioneer Paul Watson follows four alcohol abusers over the course of a year. In one scene we hear Watson as whether or not the information he is receiving from one of the subjects would be appropriate to include in the finished product. Whats exploitation? It would be exceedingly difficult to make a documentary on a difficult subject such as alcoholism without the use of a subjects personal hardship. Although, there are several moments when this filmmaker and subject relationship is close to breach, he retains his role of confidentiality and recognizes that the subject may not be too sober to make such ethical decisions of what they would like in the final cut or not. Surely, this would mean that his documentary would attract more viewings but at least that would mean that more and more people would learn and be warned about the effects of alcoholism. This is not to say there isnt artful construction in the film. Outside, the sparrows on the roof Are chirping in the dripping rain. Listen to Rain In My Heart on the English music album America by Modern Talking, only on JioSaavn. When he asks of her troubled past, he is very interrogative as he continues to ask until she is brought to tears by the discussion of her brothers death, but rather than stop, he pushes on. On Thursday, in a special follow-up film for Newsnight, Paul revisits two of the alcoholics from the film, plus the widow of one of those who died during filming. And it is also a good example to discuss the ethical issues in the documentary. Also just to confirm Gillingham is a pretty shitty place to grow up in, so the documentary comes across as very sincere. Explaining hell it is. But for the families and subjects is must be/ must have been a very awkward experience even if they had consented to the film. At first, I believe, Watson had every intention in trying to, in the most effective way possible, try and exploit his subjects. Rain In My Heart by Edgar Lee Masters There is a quiet in my heart Like on who rests from days of pain. The fact that it was all staged, distances the audience from the idea of a documentary as most believe that it must be as real as possible. Print this design in the 3.5 x 5" size. As for Nigel, it can be said that he was exploited less than others, because his wife was constantly present, therefore she could control the actions of the filmmakers. I believe it was not his job to cure the patients, neither was it to encourage them to drink, however his involvement with the hospital and its patients was simply to reveal the complex and brutal causes and effects of alcoholics. During the documentary, Mark (one of Watsons subjects, aged 29) states that he agreed to do filming for Paul to show people why they should not drink alcohol. But Ive never felt like Watson exploited his subjects. I personally feel as though Watson did not exploit his subjects as they all gave informed consent when they were sober and in hospital, under the supervision of healthcare professionals who could determine whether they were of sound mind, however this issue can be questioned at some points. Music Video BOWY Rain In My Heart Featured In Album Beat Emotion BOWY Listen to RAIN IN MY HEART on Apple Music. He just shined a light on a topic a lot of people often avoid. Its hard to give a black or white answer of whether or not Paul Watson exploit the subject. Rain in my Heart TV Movie 2006 1 h 40 m IMDb RATING 7.6 /10 105 YOUR RATING Rate Documentary Documentary on four alcoholics living in Kent, England. The veins in her legs have contracted because of alcohol, making walking difficult. Even though there is not exact evidence of Kath saying this to Watson, I believe that if she had thought differently the scene would be cut out since it is such a dramatic and personal event. However, as an observational filmmaker, Watson has a certain obligation to the truth. An example being Vanda and the way he gets to know her and in the end explores her painful past. Rain in My Heart over steps the line between subject and film-maker relationship and Paul Watson in the end exploits his subjects. Watson intrudes on his film, importantly (and rather unromantically, when we consider the idea of immersive movie magic) shows him forging all the social contracts with his subjects at the start. On the other hand, i personally feel like people are indeed exploited. An example of this is when Paul W asked Vanda whether she was telling the truth about being abused as a child. My main criticism of the film is Watsons commentary on the events and decisions made during filming. Watson himself, also repeats that whilst he is filming them he will not intervene; it is his job purely to observe. That is something which I felt could have been left out, as it only showed her weak points and did not help in the documentaries focus on her alcohol problem. He had been in a coma for weeks after his intended sacrifice and showed no sign of waking up. Rain in my heart; rain on the roof; And memory sleeps beneath the gray And the windless sky and brings no dreams Of any well remembered day. Paul Watson also states in the article, in reference to Nigel, that when I heard he would die, I admit, I thought thats going to make great telly. Shop unique custom made Canvas. Watsons interference with the subject is, for the most part, kept to a minimum, although the interviews and conversations he has with the subjects comes across as interrogative at times. Synopsis. It is true that there are not many cut ins of his own questioning however Watson thought it be inappropriate to constantly show his own personal struggles when his subjects are undergoing way more traumatic psychological illnesses. She was healing. Posts; 4,539. Sign-in or Try it free for 3 months. Their harsh realities shocked me, however i found it extremely easy/automatic to empathise with them due to the methods of which Watson included, and the issues raised were heavily captivating. He witnessed some horrific scenes throughout filming and only once (that I can recall) did he step in to hand Mark a sick bucket and express disappointment to Venda for her choosing to buy a bottle of vodka. Although it could be argued that this footage is showing Vanda what she is like when she is drunk, I would say that her answers might have been different if she was sober when she was asked them. Since 2016 we have been able to harvest 15 Bucks over the magical 200 inch mark, many eclipsing 215 inches and two bucks over 245 inches. By going that extra further he creates a relationship with the subjects. It is complicated to say if Paul Watsons techniques were successful in the making of the film, as there are arguments from both sides. There are many intimate moments within the documentary, such as the funeral of one of the subjects that had passed due to the abuse of alcohol. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. He would ask the interviewees why theyve relapsed or if they feel disappointed with their failed progress, but depending on the reaction to these questions, Watson would take a step back if he sensed it was in anyway emotionally challenging, until the subject would take control and continue/stop themselves. However, as I mentioned previously, Watson neither encourages nor halts the emotional stress of the patients, he simply asks them questions about their mental state and at times even asks the patients if they would prefer the camera to be turned off. Although this might be justified, as their life story is very tragic, I feel Paul Watson pushed them to their limits. Whats offensive? It brought more power to the issues of alcohol and their lasting effects on the psyche. Rain in my Heart Documentary which follows four alcohol abusers - Vanda, aged 43; Mark, 29; Nigel, 49 and Toni, 26 - from the impoverished Medway towns of north Kent. Thus exploiting their vulnerability to further push their weakness and end up with footage that will strike the audiences attention and maybe even get better ratings. We follow Nigel and his supportive wife Claire as they spend their final weeks together. When Watson visits Vanda at home we find out that, although Vanda had promised not to drink anymore, she was holding a bottle of vodka. 'Fires were started' (1943)may easily come across as simply a fictional film due to the stylistic use of non-diagetic sound and scripted narrative. At points during the documentary we can see that Watson is clearly affected by watching the subjects drinking habit, however he does mention that this observational style of filming and the stand back nature of it is much more achievable through separating ones own personal attitudes from the subject. Throughout the documentary there are cut ins of Watson discussing ethical implications during the filming process. Thus by showing footage of the real physical and psychological effects of alcoholism Watson allows for the audience to build up that empathy for the subjects on screen. Currently, Penny Parker's life was great. That he doesnt so anything to stop them drinking is a part of their own agency, and I believe shows more respect than if he had intervened. It is obvious that this documentary was extremely influential to those who have seen it, I have attached a link below of a Facebook page a viewer has made (who obviously has personal issues and experience with alcoholism). White envelopes included. Listen to Rain' in My Heart on the English music album Wonderful Soundtrack by Slim Harpo, only on JioSaavn. It was really uncomfortable scene to me, Paul trully showed the seriousness of alcohalism and it must influence to the audience. Explaining hell it is! Watson had to exploit his subjects in order to create such an amazing film. This is the only area where I can see possible wrongdoing on Watsons behalf. Here I refer to when he would talk to the viewer/camera about how he felt at certain points of the film it drew away from the importance of what he should have really been filming and instead became self indulgent within the context. I feel sympathy towards the subjects because they were, maybe, unsure as to what they had agreed to, and what it involved. Paul Watson has a lot to answer for (The Family probably started the reality trend) but Rain in my Heart made up for a lot. I think the problems of ethics in filmmaking cannot be solved. My eyes are dry, my love, since you've been gone, I haven't shed a tear, I'll never cry, my love, though every day seems like a hundred years, For I'm just a fool who clings to his pride but when I'm alone, I can hear the sound of rain in my heart, of the tears that I hide, And it tears me apart, 'cause I keep them inside, I can't get away from I feel that to say Watson exploits his subjects within the film is unfair. My DF was a chronic alcoholic (who died after eventually committing suicide) and I grew up with my parents while social circle being people in AA and Al-anon so maybe it was less of a shock to me as I've seen most of this first hand. After watching this documentary i get shock of the people shown. Thus, having the camera in front of them made me feel that there was a sense of pressure on them to fulfil a certain image of an alcoholic. Documentary which follows four alcohol abusers - Vanda, aged 43; Mark, 29; Nigel, 49 and Toni, 26 - from the impoverished Medway towns of north Kent. Of the four, two die whilst in hospital and a third dies within five . Critical and disbelieving responses after giving personal information in a safe space, can cause as much pain and loneliness as the original abuse. There were some scenes in which the people he was filming were obviously out of it and not at all in a healthy condition, physically or mentally. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7140605.stm. I think the fact that this documentary is so hard to watch gives light to the reality that alcoholism is incredibly hard to live with, and by being so thorough the film shortens the gap between subject and audience. This for me was an awkward introduction to have with a subject you are going to see go through an emotional and dark period. I would have to answer that most likely, rhetorical question, by saying yes! I remember feeling genuinely scared that some of the subjects were going to die: such as when Mark was at home and was continuing to drink in excess and constantly vomiting. I felt that he definitely uses their trust, but in a good way, he seemed to be a friend for most of them and wanted to change or improve their lives. (LogOut/ Rain in my Heart is a powerfully, touching film. 0 . This means as subjects they must think the documentary will help. As he sits and tells the audience his own personal views, this for me, made him seem more human. He just tried to observe that and filmed everything as it is, while they I assume from the very beginning had agreed to be filmed in any state they are. Critics also believe that the tragic scene of when Nigel dies in front of the camera is too much to be shown to the public eye and that he took full advantage of the emotional situation for his own benefit. I felt as if he cared for her wellbeing. This film must encounter with some ethics problems and Pauls observational style should instigated arguments. I thoroughly enjoyed this weeks viewing, I felt that it was very informative and educational to those who dont have much knowledge about alcoholism. The documentary was quite raw as Watson did show his subjects when they were at their most vulnerable, when they had no real control of what they were doing. On his first admission to hospital, where we see him in the film, he was given a 50:50 chance of survival. When telling Vandas story, I felt he was very close to her, almost to the point where it could be seen as a personal relationship. This specific example also leads me to point out how, by digging deep into these miserable cases, the audience would get a clear idea of WHO alcoholics really are and HOW they got involved with alcoholism. I feel that Paul Watson did exploit his subjects to some extent. Several times in the documentary we see him struggle to make decisions on how he will proceed with the footage he has. There are multiple narratives that composes the documentary surrounding each alcoholic; delving into their health, issues and families through interviews and visual representations of their effects. However, Watsons humanity and compassion shines through. Anyway, audiences (including us) will always question whether a subject who is having their whole life pried open for viewing could be a victim of exploitation. But theres a film within and around the film, one that Steven Spielberg didnt make but that he or someone else should have made: Spielbergs List, the story of the casting call for the actresses who would be getting undressed and going into the gas chamber that turns out to be a shower. Even all knows that subjects were vulnerale and needed a help. As Watson edits his film himself he gets to choose what stays in the final cut, therefore raising other ethical issues as he may have only chosen to show the subjects at their worst and in very emotional states. Firstly there is very little music (it sounded like the grating pop track at Nigels funeral was actually being played live on a stereo) The camera work seems to lack precision and is only there for immediacy. Probably. I also believe Watson tried his best to tackle these accusations, baring in mind that overdoing it throughout the documentary could appear to undermine the actual traumas of the patients and their families. One of the patients, a caption told us at the end, was now "in recovery". I feel as though Watson was trying to be as ethical as possible, baring in mind his need to capture this shocking footage in order to create the Documentary. The documentary follows four alcoholics in an observatory manner. 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