Films about drugs offer unique insights into human depths and altered states of consciousness. They encourage reflection on addiction.
“The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013): Oscar-nominated film about drugs
Martin Scorsese's film drama is based on the memoirs of former stockbroker Jordan Belfort and paints an unsparing picture of the excesses on Wall Street in the 1990s.
- The film follows the rise and fall of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), who gains enormous wealth through fraudulent practices. Eventually he finds himself in the sights of the FBI and his empire begins to crumble.
- Belfort's increasing dependence on various substances is portrayed as an integral part of his decadent lifestyle. The film vividly shows how drug abuse can be accompanied by greed and moral decay.
- Withdrawal is addressed in a particularly memorable scene in which Belfort, under the influence of strong sedatives, attempts to crawl to his car – a sequence that is both comical and frightening.
- The Wolf of Wall Street divided both critics and audiences. Many praised the film for its technical brilliance, acting, and Scorsese's relentless direction. Others criticized the explicit depiction of sex and drug use and the apparent glorification of this lavish lifestyle.
- The film was a commercial success and received several Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.
“Christiane F. – We children from Bahnhof Zoo” (1981)
The German feature film by director Uli Edel tells the true story of Christiane Felscherinow in the 1970s.
- 13-year-old Christiane (Natja Brunckhorst) comes into contact with drugs in Berlin-Gropiusstadt and quickly becomes addicted. To finance her addiction, she works as a prostitute at the Zoo train station.
- The film follows Christiane and her boyfriend Detlev through the ups and downs of their drug addiction and their desperate attempts to get clean.
- We Children from Bahnhof Zoo is characterized by its uncompromising realism and its authentic portrayal of the drug world. It begins with Christiane's first experiences and mercilessly shows the protagonist's physical and mental decline.
- The use of non-professional actors and original locations gives the film a documentary quality. The soundtrack and cameo appearance by David Bowie reinforce the zeitgeist atmosphere of the 1970s.
- The film was the most successful German film of 1981 and received several awards. It sparked a broad social discussion about youth and drugs and is still shown in schools as part of drug prevention, although the drug scene depicted has changed significantly since the 1980s.
„Requiem for a Dream“ (2000)
The intense and disturbing film drama by Darren Aronofsky is based on the novel of the same name by Hubert Selby Jr. and paints a merciless picture of addiction and its destructive effects.
- The film follows four protagonists in Brooklyn whose lives are destroyed by various forms of addiction. Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), a lonely widow, becomes addicted to medication while her son Harry, his girlfriend Marion and his friend Tyrone slide into heroin addiction.
- Aronofsky uses a variety of cinematic techniques to convey the experiences of addiction visually and aurally. The so-called “hip-hop montage” with quick cuts and time-lapse shots creates a trance-like impression and puts the audience in a state of intoxication.
- Requiem for a Dream shows addiction in all its facets, from the initial euphoria to complete destruction. The film avoids any glorification of drug use and also addresses the social consequences of addiction, such as prostitution and crime.
- The depiction of withdrawal is brutal and realistic. The scenes in which Sara suffers from the side effects of amphetamines and hallucinates are particularly haunting.
- Critics praised the film's technical brilliance, the acting and Aronofsky's uncompromising direction. The film received several awards and nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Ellen Burstyn.