‘Most absolutely depressing movie ever seen’ is even more bleak when you realise truth behind who wrote it
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
While cinema is considered a form of entertainment, some people like films that could be considered depressing.
It can't be sunshine and rainbows all the time, and plenty of amazing movies delve deep into parts of the human experience which might be particularly painful to portray.
There's plenty of merit in the kinds of movies that aren't afraid to show their audience something that could cut to their very core, and there's often a strong element of catharsis in these films as well.
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Among these films is one that's considered to be 'most absolutely depressing', according to a Reddit thread, and yet is critically acclaimed for portraying 'an unflinching view of dependency' that 'makes of flawed humanity a hymn'.
Alternatively, it's 'a dark, ponderous reflection on alcoholism that earned Nicolas Cage his Oscar' - if you're accepting movie reviews from the characters of Brooklyn 99.
This movie is Leaving Las Vegas, and it very much is the movie that resulted in Nicolas Cage winning the Academy Award for Best Actor.
The film itself is pretty bleak, our protagonist is an alcoholic screenwriter who heads for the City of Sin with the intention of drinking himself to death and this isn't one of those films where he discovers some new lease of life.
Even more tragic is what happened to the author of the book the film is based on.
Leaving Las Vegas is based on a 1990 book of the same name by author John O'Brien, who committed suicide in 1994 shortly after learning that his book was going to be developed into a film.
According to Entertainment Weekly reporting at the time, Cage said it was 'bittersweet' that the author didn't live to see his work realised on the screen.
Leaving Las Vegas director Mike Figgis said: "He was going down this river and didn't bother grabbing for branches or rocks to stay afloat.
"I don't think that money and the rest of it mattered. He was too far gone."
The book was chosen to become a movie when film producer Stuart Regan bought a copy from a second-hand bookshop.
The money O'Brien would have received from the success of Leaving Las Vegas instead went to his family.
"Not that a little cash or fame would've changed anything, but at least he would have finally had some applause," Regan said of the author's suicide.
O'Brien's other works include the posthumously published novels Stripper Lessons and The Assault on Tony's.
Both were unfinished at the time of his death and completed by his sister Erin.
Writing under the pseudonym of 'Carroll Mine', O'Brien also wrote an episode of the children's cartoon Rugrats called 'Toys in the Attic'.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Topics: TV and Film, Celebrity
Joe Harker