Film is a medium uniquely able to capture emotional nuance, and that’s especially true when it comes to narratives about addiction. This episode of Beyond Belief Sobriety features an accomplished Hollywood veteran’s encyclopedic look at the many films (far more than you might imagine!) that tackle everything from the reality of relapse to the ripple effect of sobriety on longtime relationships to the intimate ways in which 12-step programs save lives. Ted Perkins has written “Addicted to Film: Movies We Love About the Habits We Hate” for anyone interested in recovery, anyone who loves someone in recovery and anyone who cares about the many impacts that a whole spectrum of addictions have on society. “Movies are really very interesting vehicles to tell some very profound things not just about addiction,” he says, “but the story of people overcoming addiction.”
Host John Sheldon discovers how Ted came to his expertise and why he chose to write this book, which has also inspired a movie club for all of us interested in watching and chatting about fascinating, moving and sometimes funny addiction-related films. In rapid fire succession, Ted is taking us on a tour of movies dating from the 1936 film “Reefer Madness,” with its covert racist agenda, to the 1988 release of “Clean & Sober,” a film with special resonance for John, who got sober that same year. If you’ve ever wondered about multi-dimensional resources out there that you haven’t yet tapped, this episode will equip you with a long list of movies to check out and a deeper understanding of the social, political and scientific trends that have shaped our understanding of addiction and recovery through the decades!
Click here if you’d like to purchase “Addicted to Film: Movies We Love About the Habits We Hate” and don’t miss Ted’s movie club, which you’re invited to join for free here.
Time Stamps
00:00 Introduction
02:46 Ted’s Background
06:22 Hollywood Hesitant to Make Films About Addiction
09:09 The Lost Weekend a Seminal Moment
10:51 Leaving Las Vegas Shows Recovery Not Guaranteed
13:02 Reefer Madness – A Cautionary Tale
15:30 Gia – Pressures of Fame and Fortune
18:18 Beautiful Boy – Addiction & the Family
20:50 Myth of Codependency
21:09 Days of Wine and Roses – Relationships & Addiction
21:29 When a Man Loves a Woman- Recovery & Relationships
24:16 Tough Love Is Counterproductive
28:20 Dope Sick – Big Pharma & Opioid Epidemic
32:00 A Dirty Shame – Sex Addiction in Film
35:52 History of Sex in Hollywood
36:36 Fatso – Food Addiction
39:51 Clean & Sober – Movies about Recovery
41:56 Michael Keaton Influences John’s Early Sobriety
43:32 Thanks For Sharing – Peer Support
47:02 Addicted in Film Movie Club
49:20 Audio Book Available & Narrated by Ted
49:50 Conclusion
Links
Addicted in Film Website: https://www.addictedinfilm.com/
Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/3sPvTit
Addicted In Film Movie Club: https://www.addictedinfilm.com/movieclub
Recovery TV: https://www.myrecoverytv.com/
Recovery TV YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RECOVERYTV2022
Recovery TV on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsmyrecoverytv
Recovery TV on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/recoverytv/
SMART Recovery YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartRecoveryUSA
About Our Guest Ted Perkins
Ted is President of Recovery TV and a professional, broadcast-quality video content production services provider for: Inpatient/Outpatient Rehab Facilities, Licensed Clinicians & Counselors, Sober Homes/Re-Entry, Mental Health Facilities & Practitioners. His skills also include show hosting, new business development, video production, motion graphics and YouTube content production.
Show Notes Written by knwhelmick at Fiverr
