Louis Theroux - Drinking to Oblivion / A Different Brain (BBC Two)

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Louis is back for the first of two UK based docs on Sunday, 24th April, 9.00pm-10.00pm on BBC2 ...

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Louis Theroux spends time at King's College Hospital in London - a specialist liver centre - where he immerses himself in the lives of patients in the grips of alcohol addiction and the medical staff trying tomake them better.

Most people associate addictions with illegal substances, but it's alcohol which is the most common addiction in the UK.

Many of us drink- sometimes more than we ought to, but the patients Louis meets at King's are drinking far more than normal, sometimes to the point of self-destruction. Louis explores the effects this is having on the patients' lives and the consequences for their loved ones when drinking loses the social aspect and becomes a potentially fatal compulsion.

It's hard to know why people become addicted to alcohol and why it is impossible for some to stop drinking, even when it is killing them. To outsiders it may seem like an easy decision but it is nowhere near that simple. Louis spends time with patients and their families as they struggle to find a way out of their addiction to alcohol before it's too late.
BBC Two today announces that Louis Theroux will return this year with two films based in the UK, as he takes a look at alcohol addiction and brain injury.

In Drinking To Oblivion, Louis spends time at King’s College Hospital in London, where he immerses himself in the lives of patients who are in the grips of alcohol addiction, and the medical staff trying to make them better. The patients Louis meets are drinking far more than normal, sometimes to the point of self-destruction. There are many and complex reasons why people become addicted to alcohol in the first place, and why it is impossible for some to stop drinking, even when it is killing them.

To outsiders, stopping drinking may seem like an easy decision, but this will show it is nowhere near that simple. Louis spends time with patients and their families as they struggle to find a way out of their addiction to alcohol before it's too late.

In Brain Injury (working title), Louis takes a look at some of the issues that the estimated one million people in the UK living with the long-term effects of a brain injury have to deal with. Louis spends time with staff and service users at the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, one of the UK’s largest providers of neuro-behavioural rehabilitation, in an effort to understand how individuals and their families come to terms with this life-changing condition.

Often called a 'hidden disability’ because those affected can show little physical signs of change, individuals with Acquired Brain Injury face enormous cognitive, behavioural and personality challenges. Sufferers are left to reconstruct who they are - from relearning the basics of walking, talking and eating, to redeveloping complex personality and behavioural traits, often under the imposing shadow of who they once were. Family members are caught between grieving for the loved one they’ve lost and learning to love the person they are now.

Adam Barker, BBC Two Channel Editor, says: “BBC Two is delighted to welcome Louis Theroux back to the channel with a set of films covering British subjects with his usual penetrating documentary gaze and commitment to unpicking complex human dilemmas with highly sophisticated filmmaking."

The films are made by BBC Documentaries Production. Aysha Rafaele is the executive producer and Danny Horan is the commissioning editor. The director/producer for Drinking To Oblivion is Tom Barrow and the director/series producer for Brain Injury is Jamie Pickup.
 
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9pm tomorrow night ...
What made you want to make a film about alcoholism?
“I’d come back to the UK from living in LA [he moved there in 2012] and was looking for British stories. I’m interested in forms of life and human behaviour that are in some way extreme, or that involve the deep question: as a species, why do we do this to ourselves?”

Which subjects did you consider before alcoholism and acquired brain injury?
“We looked at doing something on the growing world of ISIS sympathisers, but it didn’t pan out. People who are sympathetic to ISIS don’t trust the media in general and the BBC specifically, so it’s very hard to build trust. It’s also very hard to get into that world in an intimate way. Plus, there are various laws to do with not glorifying terrorism, so they fear that if they say the wrong thing they’ll be arrested. In fact, a couple were arrested during the period we were talking to them.”
 
BBC2 are inviting questions after the doc, in the comments of this Facebook post, which they'll be 'putting' to LT (though he can probably see them for himself) ...

BBC Two

Were you moved by #LouisTheroux: Drinking to Oblivion?

If you have any questions for Louis, we'll be putting them to the man himself. Leave yours in the comments below.
 
Anybody watch this?

I missed it but intend to catch up on iplayer this weekend.
 
I watched the first five minutes and then had to switch it off. I was unprepared for just how grim it was going to be. I'm going to take another crack at it later.
 
I saw it late last night on repeat. I didn't particularly want to watch but I made it to the end. I felt most sorry for the French lady pictured in post one. She seemed to have nothing to live for especially with her "lovely" boyfriend. He was supposed to be less dependant on alcohol than her but he was a nasty piece of work if he was portrayed accurately. The others in it clearly had their problems too but seemed to be able to stay off the booze for long periods of time. She didn't seem willing or able to try. Alcohol has been a huge part of her life for 30 years and she is scared that giving up will change her personality. She is waiting to die. Very sad.

Bri
 
I caught it, sad state of affairs drink can lead you to, Joe went from sensible, affluent young lad to a gibbering wreck and back, I hope he gets the support he needs to keep on the right track. The guy who was told something like 70% of people in your state have about 3 months to live :eek: You could see him trying to decipher what that meant for him, not good no matter what.

And yes, the French lady needed a lot better support than what her fella could offer, I think the show demonstrated that alcoholics need the right support at home as much as the detox centres and NHS support..
 
Amazing documentary - so moving. Louis' "interview" techniques are just superb.
 
Grim is the right word to describe this show. I didn't see much - possibly anything - that suggests the people suffering from alcoholism in this documentary will ever find redemption/salvation, which is a sin.

The 'man' using the French woman for comfort and convenience seems like utter, utter scum. You need to cut people like him out of your life before you can tackle your dependence on alcohol. Hope they all recover though.
 
This was really powerful stuff and it's brilliant how well Theroux's style suited the subject matter. Never judgemental (even the French woman's ******** boyfriend wasn't shouted down despite the appauling things he said), always getting emotional answers but never sugar-coating the people he meets.

Does anyone know when his scientology doc is being released?
 
Does anyone know when his scientology doc is being released?
Don't think there's a release date yet. It was shown at the Tribeca festival last month, but that's about it I think.
It's a shame - I'm looking forward to seeing it. He's the best doc-maker around at the moment, better than Michael Moore, IMO.
 
It'll probably be on BBC2 at some point seeing as BBC Films are involved

Really hope so. After hearing about all the loopholes Sky had to jump through for the Alex Gibney doc Going Clear, I hope the BBC legal team are one step ahead of the Scientologists.
 
His second UK based doc is on next Sunday (15th May) at 9pm on BBC2 ...
Louis takes a look at the issues that some of the estimated one million people in the UK living with the long-term effects of a brain injury have to deal with.

Louis spends time with staff and service users at the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, one of the UK's largest providers of neuro-behavioural rehabilitation, in an effort to understand how individuals and their families come to terms with this life-changing condition.

Often called a 'hidden disability' because those affected can show little physical signs of change, individuals with acquired brain injury face enormous cognitive, behavioural and personality challenges. Those affected are left to reconstruct who they are - from relearning the basics of walking, talking and eating to redeveloping complex personality and behavioural traits, often in the shadow of who they once were. Family members are often caught between grieving for the loved one they have lost and learning to love the person they are now.
 
Although I knew alcohol can't effect people from all walks of life how it kills you was quite eye opening, the chap being 'drained' Jesus.
 
New doc tomorrow at 9pm ...
We asked Louis Theroux your questions and this is what he had to say...

Louis returns to BBC Two on Sunday with his brand-new documentary, A Different Brain. 9pm.
Does anyone know when his scientology doc is being released?
Facebook post yesterday ...
Louis Theroux shared Altitude Films's post.
Yesterday at 10:19 ·

We know that lots of you have been asking about when 'My Scientology Movie' will be shown in the UK. We can't tell you exact dates just yet but it is coming!

More news soon...

- Rach from Louis' office
Altitude Films
Yesterday at 07:00 ·

We'll be bringing Louis Theroux's fascinating and insightful big screen debut, My Scientology Movie, to UK cinemas soon!
linking to this trade article ...
EXCLUSIVE: HanWay inks key deals on documentary.


HanWay Select has secured key territories on Louis Theroux’s impish London and Tribeca documentary My Scientology Movie, including with indie stalwart Magnolia for the US and Amy distributor Altitude for the UK.

Deals have also been agreed for Australia (Madman), Belgium (Dalton) and Netherlands (Cinema Delicatessen).

Directed by John Dower, My Scientology Movie sees well-known documentarian and broadcaster Theroux immerse himself in the controversial religion’s teachings and practises with one of its key defectors, Mark “Marty” Rathbun.

The film marks Theroux’s first foray into the theatrical market.

Two-time Oscar winner Simon Chinn (Man On Wire) produced under his Red Box Films banner. Finance came from BBC Films and BBC Worldwide.

The UK deal was negotiated by Mark Lane for HanWay and Will Clarke and Hamish Moseley for Altitude.

The US deal was negotiated by Josh Braun for Submarine and Mark Lane for HanWay with Magnolia.

Altitude’s head of distribution Hamish Moseley said: “My Scientology Movie is an incredibly funny, fascinating and at times unnerving insight into the infamous and controversial religion.

“We plan to celebrate Louis’s big screen debut with a number of unmissable events in UK cinemas in the lead up to the release later in 2016.”

Executive producers are Christine Langan, Charlotte Moore and Joe Oppenheimer for BBC Films, and Mark Reynolds and Stephen McDonogh for BBC Worldwide.
Dutch trailer ...



'Lewis' is a lot calmer than John Sweeney :D
 
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Although I knew alcohol can't effect people from all walks of life how it kills you was quite eye opening, the chap being 'drained' Jesus.

I caught that bit again last night as there was a signed repeat. I think I'd managed to blot that bit from my memory. The bit where they sniffed the drained fluid got me.

Bri
 
As you said many posts ago it was that French (half-Cameroonian?) woman's story that was so sad. I remember her name being Orélie because her nasty **** of a boyfriend repeatedly and arrogantly mispronounced it O'Reilly.
 
She was the one who touched me the most. Partly because of her boyfriend but mainly because of her unwillingness or inability to stop drinking at all. The others were able to give up for longish periods of time which improved their general health and chances of surviving. According to the doctor her liver was about to give up on her. I can only hope that the broadcast of this may have helped her resolve to help herself. A followup to this to see how they got on would be something I would like to see.

Bri
 
I'm working from memory from my first viewing but one thing about Orerlie is that she only drinks cider. Granted it was around 8 cans of super strength cider a day. I think most of us think of alcoholics as people who drink at least half a bottle of whisky or vodka every day. In reality any regular use of alcohol could cause you great damage. I was in a couple of pubs in Newcastle on Tuesday and they had some very strong beers on sale. The worst was 14% and several were around 8%.

Bri
 

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