There were a couple of moments where I felt that he distracted from what we really should have been looking at. Throughout the documentary there are cut ins of Watson discussing ethical implications during the filming process. Kath now struggles on a severely limited income. Then again, as Watson argues: If some of us dont record it, none of us will know about it.. However i think he knew he was being somewhat intrusive. An example being Vanda and the way he gets to know her and in the end explores her painful past. I do not believe that Paul Watson was dealing with the accusations successfully, but I also do not believe that he was making this film completely selfishly. 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. In many instances Watson reflects on his project and notes the issues he is creating by making this documentary; however it does not effect his ability to complete the film. The subject was in a particularly vulnerable state and he took advantage of that and filmed her confession. Paul Watsons ethical procedures are certainly questionable. As the director said himself My job is to explain, not entertain. 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. When he interviews his subjects when they are drunk, the woman speaks of her monster inside, she used to suffer from sexual abusing by her father. 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. The issue raised here was that Vanda previously refused to tell Watson about her childhood, so only let it out when she was drunk, which one could argue is unethical as she is under the influence of alcohol so she is probably saying things she doesnt want to say. He says My job is to explain, not entertain. Filmed in 2006 the film. I feel he mistakes this forced friendliness by asking more and more personal questions as he continues to film her. Yes it is a devastating subject matter and yes the emotions that should arise in audiences should be just as devastating. However, many critics point out how these subjects are all vulnerable and incapable of really understanding what they are signing themselves up for. This gives the impression that Paul Watson is only interested in the success of this documentary. Twenty-nine when he appeared in Rain in my Heart, Mark was living on his own in an untidy flat that closely reflected his own state. It quotes how Vanda told Paul Youre asking me while Im pickled in reference to his questions, as well as youre manipulating me. This is also made clear later in the film when he spends some time filming at one of the female patients, Vandas house. He is a quite good interviewer, especially in the interaction between him and the characters. But I dont think he exploited anyone in his documentary. The decision to include this part of Vandas drunk dialogue is one that is certainly questionable, especially since we are not given evidence as to whether or not she did consent to the inclusion once sober. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rain-In-My-Heart-Documentary-In-Memory-Of-My-Dad-Toni-And-Vanda/233416877232. I thought Rain In My Heart was a good example of a film that provokes thought about the ethical role of documentary makers. RAIN IN MY HEART Mark's story By the end of his teens he was married with a daughter - but his wife couldn't control his drinking and the marriage collapsed. Once Watson sees this he is distinctively appalled and shocked that Vanda, after promising in a previous shot that she would fight to stay sober in the future, has gone back on her words and is drunk again. I felt it did a fantastic job in warning people of the dangers of alcohol and addiction. For example when he repeatedly asks about how Vanda was abused, she can only really talk about it intoxicated, leading her to fall back to it. However, Watsons humanity and compassion shines through. 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. The intrusion before we learn of sexual abuse is fitting because it prepares us for the horrible, rather than let the scene with Vanda play out suddenly for shock value. Half a bottle of vodka on the train to work at the age of 17 began Mark's journey into alcoholism. I find it hard to imagine a way Watson could have made this film without the, sometimes unjust, use of the subjects. When he asked Toni to call and talk to his family, for example. I think to use the word exploitative to describe the techniques used by Watson to film Rain in my Heart upon his subjects is an unfair judgment. Therefore, Watsons approach definitely satisfied me with how delicately he treats the patients and clearly recognizes his role as filmmaker. However, Watson once again denies accusations of exploitation for when he arrives at Vandas to see the door open and clarifies his reason for waiting by stating of course you wait, you dont just go in and more importantly, when the action begins to unfold with a drunken Vanda, Watson says that he must regain his job as someone there to just film what they do to their selves and reassures her that when she begins to talk delicately about her abusive past, that he will not use this footage in the future if she does not want to. Covering Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, Gilbert, the valley . Comments KNWYRRTS says If the subjects are happy to be filmed then I dont see the problem as long as they have a stable state of mind. The problem suddenly doesnt become the alcohol, but their mental state, which is something I learnt from the film. Watson himself, in a cut away shot and voiceover reveals to the audience that in that moment he lost his ability to be able to detatch himself from a situation. 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. It brought more power to the issues of alcohol and their lasting effects on the psyche. I would not have the heavens fair, Read about our approach to external linking. Also, I think he had a desire to understand his characters and the reasons of being whothey are. One of the last images we see of Nicole is her hooked up to tubes fighting for her life. There were no moments where I thought Paul Watson was exploiting his subjects in the film, I simply viewed him as an observational documentarist that attempted to explain the real horrors of self-harming through the use of alcohol. She was also married to him. Yes it does raise awareness, and the documentary was good, however, to feel taken back is not the sort of emotion one should try to evoke. Explaining hell it is. It is not a pleastant sound. On the one hand, Paul Watson did get these peoples consent to be filmed. Overall, I do not feel that Paul Watson has exploited the subjects in his film. Rain In My Heart is not an easy documentary to watch. He found the only four people that were willing to take part in this film not to paint them in a bad light, but rather to show the general public what excessive consumption of alcohol could do to a person and how it can affect them physically and mentally, as well as their families. One particular scene is the funeral of Nigel, a man who lost his life due to the addiction. It shows the situation without making of adjustments. However, what I think strongly outweighs this are the positive effects of the film in terms of education. These subjects were all willing participants, however their capacity to give consent comes into question. Check out our rain in my heart selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. I feel that to say Watson exploits his subjects within the film is unfair. This is an extremely special place to hunt mule deer and we have an intimate knowledge of the terrain. About the same age as Vanda, Kath has spent more than a decade caring for an alcoholic. Paul Watsons attempt to defend himself and his arguments against the accusations do make sense. Frank SinatraCycles 1968 Frank Sinatra Enterprises, LLCReleased on: 1990-01-01Producer: Don C. 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. Voyeurism this is not. 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. 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. 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. 22/11/06 - 10:57 #8. But if some of us dont record it, no one else will learn about it. Stream "I've Got Rain In My Heart" by The Fresh Experience on desktop and mobile. This scene is perhaps one of the more uncomfortable in the film as Watson is merely documenting Vandas relapse back to alcohol and the range of mood swings she encounters. Rain In My Heart is a documentary that is observing four alcohol abusers Vanda, aged 43; Mark, 29; Nigel, 49 and Toni, 26 from the impoverished Medway towns of north Kent. 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. Overall, I believe that it is good to make the public known about situations like these, especially when it can have an impact on your image of alcohol. Although the documentary is very intimate, in both its setting and the framing of the subjects as the yellow-y and fatigued skin of the subjects is shown through close ups. 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. However, I would not say these intimacies are exploitative of the sincere as they are constantly asked for permission as to what Watson is filming is ok by them. He does however, tell her that he will ask her when she is sober if she wants to keep that in. Rain in My Heart was Paul Watson's good deed in this naughty world. Watching Nigel s family crying over his coffin is something that is upsetting and distressing for all. In all of these I recognise issues which could be perceived as exploitative. Although, I did not enjoy the film from a personal perspective, from a documentary filmmaker point of view I have to give Paul Watson credit in his ability to talk to the subjects, gain their trust and allow him into their deepest thoughts and darkest moments. It follows 4 alcoholics from the hospital to their homes. Trivia Goofs Crazy Credits Quotes Trevor Beckett 791 subscribers Share 522K views 9 years ago Brilliant, unflinching documentary on alcoholism by Kent film maker Paul Watson. 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