The Lost Weekend (1945) Analysis and Cultural Commentary :: Culture-Infused :: Alcohol Addiction

Описание: The Lost Weekend (1945)
TCSM Classification: Culture-Infused
MPAA Rating: Not Rated (equivalent to modern PG-13)
Genre: Drama, Film Noir
Director: Billy Wilder
Writer: Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder
Principal Cast: Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Phillip Terry, Howard Da Silva, Doris Dowling

SYNOPSIS: A struggling writer's weekend-long alcoholic binge leads him through increasingly desperate circumstances in New York City, revealing his downward spiral through flashbacks while testing the limits of his relationship with his supportive girlfriend.

Content Warning: Though not rated by the MPAA system (which wasn't implemented until 1968), "The Lost Weekend" would likely receive a PG-13 rating today. The film contains realistic depictions of alcoholism and its effects, including hallucinations, withdrawal symptoms, and a suicide contemplation scene. The film portrays the psychological horror of addiction without graphic content. It includes mild language consistent with the era and themes of substance dependency. The disturbing psychological nature of certain scenes might be intense for younger viewers.

About The Content and Story Matrix Classifications:

Foundation-Based: This classification applies to creative works that primarily exist to preserve, teach, or document foundational truths, such as historical religious traditions, doctrines, cultural practices, or documented events and figures.

Culture-Infused: This category includes works where cultural, religious, or subcultural elements are organically essential to the narrative's meaning, shaping character motivations, development, and resolution naturally.

Entertainment-Driven: Works in this classification focus on universal human experiences, emotions, or storytelling elements like adventure, romance, or conflict, where cultural, religious, or foundational aspects serve primarily as atmospheric backdrops or decorative enhancements.

World-Centric: This quadrant encompasses creative works that deliberately challenge or systematically critique traditional cultural, religious, or foundational elements, often questioning accepted social structures, or proposing alternative viewpoints.