The voices of Iris: Cinematic representations of the aged woman and Alzheimer’s disease in Iris (2001)

Abstract

Audiences must be critical of film representations of the aged woman living with Alzheimer's disease and of dangerous reinscriptions of stereotypical equations about ageing as deterioration. This paper analyses the representation and decline of the aged woman through the different voices of Iris Murdoch in Richard Eyre's film Iris (2001). Key vocal scenes are considered: On-screen encounters between young and aged Iris, vocal representations of dementia symptoms and silencing Iris as her disease progresses. Further, Iris' recurrent unaccompanied song, "The Lark in the Clear Air," compels audiences to "see" Iris with their ears more than with their eyes, exemplifying the representational power of sound in film. This paper is an appeal for increased debate about sonic representations of aged women, ageing and Alzheimer's disease and dementia in film. The significance of audiences' critical awareness and understanding about the social implications of these representations is discussed.

Carers’ responses to shifting identity in dementia inIrisandAway From Her: cultivating stability or embracing change?

“…She abruptly snatches away each of the pebbles acting as paperweights and the notebook pages flutter away on the wind. We do not see Iris try to write again in the film; the discarding of the pebbles represents a milestone in the changes in her identity and relationship to her past self 32. The camera then cuts to Janet soaping Iris’ back in the shower and Iris laughing delightedly.…”

“Moments of Grace?” The “Dramatic” Representation and the Aesthetic of Ageing

“…The narrative film genre arguably 'orchestrates' such loss with a typical rendering of the story whereby "the disease in progress reaches its nadir in the time span of the narrative and use(s) metaphors such as darkness to add to the story of decline" (Graham 2014).…”

“…The feature film Iris (2001) is a case in point. Hailed as a film that "…helps people understand what it [Alzheimer's] means for family and friends as well as for the person with the condition…" (Quoted in Graham 2014) arguably reinforces stereotypes and culturally negative presentations of women and ageing with Alzheimer's being at the extreme end of a spectrum of diminishing quality of life and sickness as that which befalls womanhood (see Graham 2014).…”

“…You can still love the person because their soul is still there until the end." (Eyre, R (2001) Miramax Films, Quoted in Graham 2014) We thus encounter the 'classic' themes of loss and disappearance of self, dramatized through broadly familiar devices such comparison between younger Iris (self ) and aged Iris (self ). Here played by two different actors with younger self 'augmented' via timbre of voice, energised delivery and charismatic presence compared to a flat-toned, confused and distressed aged present day Iris, where any highly expressive pitch is couched as that of terror and torment rather than 'joy of life'.…”

“…This is particularly dramatized in two scenes where the aged Iris actual confronts her younger self, one by way of earlier film footage in a television studio and once as a 'quasi-mirage' whilst swimming in the sea. In both instances the aged self is left 'speechless' or 'nonplussed' (see Graham 2014).…”