Thursday, October 18, 2012

The Music Never Stopped

The Music Never Stopped was a fascinating study of family relationships and music therapy.  It was clearly an independent film and sadly didn’t have a wide release.

The main character left home in the 60s or 70s after a falling out with his father, became homeless, ended up 20 years later at the hospital with a benign brain tumor (I forget what kind), had surgery, and could create no new memories. A music therapist discovered that he became animated when he heard music from the Grateful Dead and other groups of the 60s and 70s. Triggered by certain songs, he could remember specific incidents related to the music. Over time, a relationship formed between him and his estranged father, using the music to stimulate conversation. I’m sure that’s over-simplified, but it was quite a testament to the power of music - and music therapy. There was no film score - rather the music of old LPs. I'd love to know how realistic the portrayal was of a man who couldn't form new memories.

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