The THR columnist opens up about how art made him feel more connected to the world and lists his favorite films that help get him out of a funk.
Singer Janis Joplin once said, “On stage I make love to 25,000 people; and then I go home alone.” After several decades of playing basketball in front of thousands of screaming fans, I know what she means. No matter how many friends one has or how close we are with our families, we all go through periods of intense isolation during which even the supporting words of those well-meaning friends and family aren’t enough to lift us up from the mire. Of course, there are so many types and causes of loneliness — from broken hearts to economic woes to chemical imbalances — that it would be silly to think there’s a one-size-fits-all remedy. But there are temporary first-aid measures we can take to alleviate the pain. Over the course of my lifetime, whenever I have experienced those prolonged bouts of loneliness, I’ve been able to combat it through the use of art: music, books and movies. Art doesn’t just help a person endure loneliness, but it offers inspiration and guidance for paths to manage and even overcome loneliness. That’s why The Foundation for Art and Healing’s unique opens in a new windowCreatively Connected Online Film Festival, which kicks off May 9, is such a wonderful resource for anyone who consistently endures the debilitating isolation of loneliness. They provide not just hope, but practical tools to overcome it.
Just how effective is art? When journalist and professor of medical humanities at UCLA Norman Cousins was diagnosed with a crippling illness, he detailed in his book Anatomy of an Illness how a major part of battling the disease was watching Candid Camera episodes and lots of movie comedies. He said that just 10 minutes of laughter induced by these films would give him two hours of pain-free sleep that even morphine couldn’t accomplish. He credits this laughter therapy with helping him regain the use of his limbs and his ability to return to his full-time job.
For many people, loneliness stems from feelings of marginalization, of being excluded by mainstream society. Like wallflowers at the prom. This is especially true for people of color, adherents to certain religions (like Muslims and Jews), senior citizens, women, the LGBTQ community, the poor, the physically challenged, those suffering from mental illness, or even those who are exceptionally short — or exceptionally tall. The trick is to find works that address whatever the cause of your particular loneliness is at this time. Unlike Norman Cousins, my selection of films aren’t all comedies because sometimes I’m looking to be inspired out of my funk by seeing someone else overcome his problems. With that in mind, here are some of the films that give me strength and insight to face the dark, silent room of loneliness.
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