Awakenings (1990)
Dr. Malcolm Sayer, a shy research physician, uses an experimental drug to "awaken" the catatonic victims of a rare disease. Leonard is the first patient to receive the controversial treatment. His awakening, filled with awe and enthusiasm, proves a rebirth for Sayer too, as the exuberant patient reveals life's simple but unutterably sweet pleasures to the introverted doctor.
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Added by Hextor · 5 months ago
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🎙️ SYSK Episodes
#022826
Selects: How Dopamine Works
"It's very famously associated with dopamine for anybody who has read Awakenings or saw the movie."
— Chuck
Referenced as a famous example of Parkinson's disease and dopamine deficiency, based on Oliver Sacks' research.
Feb 28, 2026
#100225
The Mystery of the Sleepy Sickness
"If you were hearing these symptoms and think, hey, that sounds awfully familiar. I think I saw a movie about that. Then you're correct."
— Chuck
Chuck reveals that the movie Awakenings is based on Oliver Sacks' book about his work with encephalitis lethargica patients in the 1960s.
Oct 2, 2025
#060725
Selects: How Dementia Works
"the movie Awakenings was about, when they was in a group of Parkinson's patients that L. Doble worked on"
— Chuck
Referenced as an example of a film depicting Parkinson's disease and the work of Dr. Oliver Sacks with catatonic patients.
Jun 7, 2025
#122824
Selects: The Three Christs of Ypsilanti Experiment
"It kind of reeked of like an awakenings kind of thing. I liked awakenings. I liked it."
— Josh
Josh compares the sanitized feel of the Three Christs film to the movie Awakenings in terms of tone.
Dec 28, 2024
#070224
How Dopamine Works
"If you've even read Awakenings or saw the movie. Yeah. Which we'll probably talk about a little bit more later."
— Josh
Referenced as an example of Parkinson's disease and dopamine dysfunction, particularly Oliver Sacks' work that was adapted into a film.
Jul 2, 2024
#120622
How Face Blindness Works
"Oliver Sacks actually had it, the famed neurologist who Awakenings was based on his work."
— Chuck
Referenced as a film based on Oliver Sacks' work; Sacks had prosopagnosia.
Dec 6, 2022
#080321
The Three Christs of Ypsilanti Experiment
"it kind of reeked of like an awakenings kind of thing. And I liked awakenings. I liked it."
— Josh
Josh compares the tone of the Three Christs movie to Awakenings in terms of feel-good sentimentality.
Aug 3, 2021
#111915
How Dementia Works
"that's what the movie Awakenings was about"
— Josh
Josh references the movie when discussing Parkinson's disease and L-DOPA treatment.
Nov 19, 2015
Cast
Robert De Niro
Leonard Lowe
Robin Williams
Malcolm Sayer
John Heard
Dr. Kaufman
Julie Kavner
Eleanor Costello
Penelope Ann Miller
Paula
Ruth Nelson
Mrs. Lowe
Max von Sydow
Peter Ingham
Anne Meara
Miriam
Dexter Gordon
Rolando
George Martin
Frank
Alice Drummond
Lucy Fishman
Richard Libertini
Sidney
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