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Is the movie Awakenings (1990) based on a true story?

Ethan Davis Ethan Davis Oct 16, 2019 · 2 mins read
Is the movie Awakenings (1990) based on a true story?
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Yes, the movie Awakenings (1990) is based on a true story. It is based on the book Awakenings by Oliver Sacks, which is a memoir of his experience with patients who had survived the encephalitis lethargica epidemic of the early 20th century. The movie tells the story of Dr. Malcolm Sayer (played by Robin Williams) and his efforts to awaken patients who had been in a catatonic state for decades, using a new experimental drug called L-Dopa. The movie depicts the experiences of several of Sacks’ real-life patients, though some characters and events were fictionalized for dramatic effect.

What is the true story behind the movie Awakenings (1990)?

The movie Awakenings is based on a true story and book of the same name by Oliver Sacks. The story is about a group of patients who were in a catatonic state after contracting a disease called encephalitis lethargica in the late 1910s and early 1920s.

Dr. Oliver Sacks, a neurologist, became interested in these patients in the 1960s and began administering the drug L-DOPA to them. The drug had shown promise in treating Parkinson’s disease, which is also a disorder of the nervous system.

The patients in the study responded positively to the drug, and some of them were able to return to a level of normal functioning. However, the drug had some severe side effects, including uncontrollable movements and behavioral problems.

The movie Awakenings tells the story of one such patient, Leonard Lowe, and his doctor, Dr. Malcolm Sayer, who develops a relationship with Leonard and advocates for his care.

In real life, some of the patients in the study continued to deteriorate and eventually died, while others maintained their improvement. The success and limitations of the treatment led to further research on the disorder and its treatment, but ultimately no cure has been found for encephalitis lethargica.

Are there any books about the true story behind the movie Awakenings (1990)?

Yes, there is a book titled “Awakenings” written by Oliver Sacks, on which the movie is based. It was originally published in 1973 and then republished in 1990 with a new preface following the success of the movie. The book describes Sacks’ experiences working with a group of patients who had been in a coma-like state for decades due to an epidemic of encephalitis lethargica in the early 20th century.

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Ethan Davis
Written by Ethan Davis
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