DON'T MISS "WEST 47TH STREET" A profile of four mentally ill members of Fountain House, the pioneering psychiatric support service and "club house" located in Manhattan.
The subjects include Frances, a sweet, articulate cross-dresser suffering from bipolar disorder. At his Fountain House orientation, he explains to the group that his given name, Kenneth, was a mistake. Then there's Fitzroy, an angry Rastafarian, who's unable to have a relaxed conversation, let alone live with others. He often flings his anger at the camera and the film records his return to the streets. Zeinab is an accomplished cook who thrives at Fountain House but is shaken after discovering the body of her suicidal roommate. The dark circles under her eyes are evidence of the voices that she claims wake her at night. And finally, there's Tex, a gambling enthusiast who takes viewers on a tour of the hospital where he was institutionalized for much of his life.
They all confide unself-consciously to the viewer, which may have something to do with the three months filmmakers June Peoples and Bill Lichtenstein spent peeling potatoes and stuffing envelopes as Fountain House volunteers before they brought out their cameras.
"West 47th Street" airs August 19 on PBS. Check local listings.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Sussex Publishers, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
