Episode 14a: Forrest Gump: Part 1 - The creation of Forrest and erasure of American history (with Maz Fornasier)

PSYCHOCINEMATIC

TRANSCRIPT HERE

Today, Maz and I discuss THE FILM of 1994 (because the academy inappropriately sidelined Pulp Fiction), directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. Part 1 starts to unravel some of the reasons why you probably shouldn’t love this movie including how the character of Forrest was developed, its depiction of disability, and how it trivializes events of American history.

Tomorrow you’ll get part 2 when we delve into stereotypes and whether the film made a positive or negative impact on the world. It's very POLITICAL. Best listened to with a box of chocolates, I guess?

That podcast Steph was referring to is Nice White Parents (New York Times).

CONTENT WARNING: Ableism, substance use and dependence, suicide, self harm, war, PTSD, death at war, historical views on intellectual impairment, HIV related illness and death, bias against long hair on men

NOTE: This podcast is not designed to be therapeutic, prescriptive or constitute a formal diagnosis for any listener, nor the characters discussed. The host is not representative of all psychologists and opinions stated are her own personal opinion, based on her own learnings and training (and minimal lived experience). Host and co-hosts do not have the final say and can only comment based on their own perspectives, so please let us know if you dispute any of these opinions – we are keen for feedback!

Host: Stephanie Fornasier

Cohost: Maz Fornasier

Editor: Nicholas Fornasier

Music and artwork: Michael Watson

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References:

• Onstage Blog "What About Forrest Gump" and Other Bad Opinions on Disability in Arts & Culture
• LA Times: ‘Gump’ Isn’t the Answer for Real Understanding
• Forbes: 'Forrest Gump' at 25: Disability Representation (For Better and Worse)
• Contingent: Gump Talk
• PapersOwl: Disability in American Society
• The Greyhound: Misportrayal of disabled persons in the media
• IndieWire: ‘Forrest Gump,’ 25 Years Later: A Bad Movie That Gets Worse With Age
• Collider: The Cheerful Nihilism of ‘Forrest Gump’, 25 Years Later
• GQ: Why Forrest Gump is a poisonous film
• Lynchburg College: The Portrayal of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities within the Media: A Critique of Six Films Produced Across Sixteen Years
• Ranker: 16 Extremely Messed Up Things About Forrest Gump That'll Change How You See It
• Films Deconstructed: Why I Hate Forrest Gump with the Heat of a Thousand Suns
• CNN: Why we loved - and hated - 'Forrest Gump'
• Distractify: 'Forrest Gump' Was Loosely Based on a Real Person (or Two).
• Screen Rant: Forrest Gump True Story: Every Historical Event & How Accurate They Are