Despite the cover's claim that this tape was "an unusual documentary on society and despair," I fully expected the usual program on "here is my disability and this is how I handle it." I was wrong. Six impassioned, well spoken people met for three days at a San Francisco women's center to discuss not only their individual pathologies, but, most especially, the social causes of their depression: racism, homophobia, and general injustice. Railing against the prevalence of anti-depressants and other medically-based methods of treating the condition, the program enjoins viewers to consider that not all depression can be attributed to genetics or imbalances of brain chemistry. While the discussion is almost entirely socio-political, the participants also examine their personal feelings of isolation, lethargy, indecisiveness, fatigue, and "just not matching everyone else." Offering an intense, challenging view of today's epidemic sweep of clinical depression, and featuring facts and figures accompanied by archival and contemporary footage, in addition to the roundtable discussion, this tape is recommended for larger collections. Aud: C, P. (K. Glaser)
We Don't Live Under Normal Conditions
(1999) 59 min. $225. Fanlight Productions. PPR. Color cover. Vol. 15, Issue 6
We Don't Live Under Normal Conditions
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: