MONSTER IN THE MIND

When MONSTER IN THE MIND begins, you’d swear you’re watching a science-fiction movie. It’s filled with monsters and a chorus of people talking in an apocalyptic tone about a rising Alzheimer’s epidemic. The way they present it is terrifying; it’s no wonder the disease is so feared. Journalist Jean Carper grew scared after covering it for CNN in 1982. At that time, many believed Alzheimer’s was simply an inevitable effect of growing old, commonly referred to as senility. The science on the disease was still young, but a whirlwind of horrifying information was spreading to the public. As Carper would eventually learn, much of it was false. She takes the confusion to task, interviewing a number of experts in the field, all the while trying to ease her own paranoia about getting Alzheimer’s. What begins as a tale of doom and gloom slowly turns hopeful when she learns more about the disease. This fascinating and brilliantly styled documentary is an eye-opener to the dangers of misinformation as well as an unexpectedly positive film about the perils of aging. —E.F.