An influential report cited that The Joker from "The Dark Knight" is an example that Hollywood portrays people with mental health problems as being evil.
Dr. Peter Byrne, a psychiatrist and film expert who wrote the report for the Time to Change campaign, states: "Mental health stereotypes have not changed over a century of cinema. If anything, the comedy is crueler and the deranged psycho killer even more demonic."
He continued: "Batman describes the Joker as a schizophrenic clown, and when the film's second hero Harvey Dent becomes Two-Face and embraces evil, the familiar stereotype of schizophrenia is activated. This is omnipresent in cinema misrepresentations – the psycho killer is immortal and sadistic, motivated by madness."
A YouGov survey found that almost 50% of the public have seen people with a mental illness acting violently in films. And almost half the people polled (44%) believe that people with a mental illness will act violently in real life.
"The Dark Knight" was not the only film mentioned. Dr. Byrne said "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is an example of how movie stereotypes can last a generation. And that the comedy "Me, Myself, and Irene," starring Jim Carrey, "represented a new low in laughing at people with severe mental illness."
But he said that there are some exceptions – Daniel Craig's role in "Some Voices" and Russell Crowe's performance in "Beautiful Minds"- are more realistic portrayals of schizophrenia.
Well, its an interesting notion! I disagree with his condemnation of these characters for several reasons. First, he uses The Joker as his main example. The Joker is not even supposed to be mentally ill! That's the whole point. He is neither sane or insane, he just is! An agent of chaos. Second, I find it funny that he seems to take offense at all of the bad guys in movies being mentally ill. I mean it's not exactly sane, well adjusted members of society that are likely to engage in mass murder and carnage, now is it?
I understand his point in one sense. He does not want anyone coming away from these movies under the impression that all mentally ill people are potential super villains! But I think he fails to realize that any straight thinking person is going to see certain villains as being insane and not all insane people as villains.
This line does his argument no favors either..
"This is omnipresent in cinema misrepresentations – the psycho killer is immortal and sadistic, motivated by madness."
Yeah, I know. I always like my psycho killers motivated by kindness and understanding.