October 07, 2022

Unlocked: CrackpotoberFest 1: Premium 47 - Novels as Spycraft 8 / Paranoiac Films 5 - Girl, Interrupted, or, Dr. Strangelove’s Daughter on some MKULTRA Shit

1 hour 32 minutes

Today's the first of four horror (or quasi-horror) films for CrackpotoberFest 2022 - Girl, Interrupted, both the memoir and the film. I discuss Susanna Kaysen and her father, a very interesting figure. I talk about McLean Hospital, Jim Watson, spies at McLean, and Kaysen's later career.

Then, I go over some interesting themes that Girl, Interrupted the film injects into the narrative - some potentially spurious, some maybe not. To wrap up, I discuss the history of MKULTRA projects at McLean and the general area. CrackpotoberFest only gets weirder from here.

Note: I make two mistakes in this episode. I think I conflate bipolar disorder and BPD which is not the fault of the film or memoir, and I also say that one of the characters kills herself to Downtown when it's a different song. My bad.

Songs:

Knockin’ Round the Zoo by James Taylor

White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane

Downtown by Petula Clark

Angel Baby by Rosie & the Originals

Merch:

https://programmed-to-chill.myshopify.com/

...more