Pain and Its Alleviation (Color, 1961)
It would take a colleague of horror/gore maestro Hershel Gordon Lewis like Ivo Kantor to edit a film described in educational films guides like this:
“Discusses the complexity of the pain phenomenon and the role of nursing in providing help and comfort on a professional level. Variations in responses to pain are indicated and the causes of pain suggested. Designed as an incentive film to stimulate independent study and research.”
In actuality “Pain” is a drama-laden, horror inspired mental hygiene film produced for the UCLA Nursing School with an over-the-top jazz score by Sam Weiss. Watch nurses comfort and medicate nut-job neurotics and car crash victims in their hospital beds. Don’t miss the last vignette with its “shocking” and hilarious ending.
Addictive Sopers (Color, 1978)
Watch a tweaked out Ohio teen talk about Quaaludes and other relaxants as men in suits warn about the dangers of “Sopers”. The drug companies remain mum while a ski masked user comes clean on camera. Only in Ohio!
Psychoactive (Color, 1976)
This well-made educational film features ex KRON TV News anchor Evan White (in his polyester shirt, bushy hair and ‘stash) narrating and demonstrating the effects of psychoactive drugs on the systems of the human body. Drugs include sedative hypnotics, opiates and opiods, stimulants, psychedelics and alcohol. It’s good to see rock impresario Bill Graham educate us as he talks about how people think they are buying THC are really getting “cheated” when they’ve actually bought PCP! Thanks for the warning, Bill! Shot in San Francisco with a montage and voice over intro by comic provocateur George Carlin.
Ulcer at Work (B+W, 1957)
Sourpuss executive and browbeating bruiser Steve Hall is the prototypical 1950s cash register dad with his shopaholic wife and materialistic kids. His stress level at home and at work is at an all-time high. Doc Olmstead tells Steve his stomach is being eaten away by hydrochloric acid. It’s all caused by the “wrong kind of feelings.” When Steve-o shifts his need for self esteem from work to home and starts spending time with the family he’s back in the driver’s seat. A classic mental hygiene film.
Patient Porky (B+W, 1940)
After eating too much birthday cake, Porky Pig visits the hospital. Instead of seeing a doctor, a conniving cat poses as physician, and conducts a fake surgery to filet poor Porky.
