Birthpsychology at the Movies

Powder (Hollywood Pictures)
Reviewed by David Chamberlain

If you are keeping tabs on what Hollywood is teaching the masses about pre- and perinatal psychology and health, you have been busy in recent years. In "Look Who's Talking," and "Look Who's Talking Too" a 3-month old baby communicates lucidly and wisely to his adult friend (John Travolta) and Travolta, without a moment's hesitation, talks right back. We are treated to a full-length film where babies demonstrate their intelligence and adults understand them. Travolta was the right one for this role because as a student of L. Ron Hubbard he has long since accepted the reality of newborn intelligence. For the birth of his own baby, with his wife Kelley Preston, in April of 1992 they imposed a rule of silence throughout the delivery to protect the vulnerable newborn mind.

The film "Angie" starring Geena Davis was heralded in a preview of a hardly laughable, definitely hysterical birthing scene. Behind all the laughter, the drama of Angie was prenatal street theatre. The hidden roots of separation trauma had conditioned her whole life and it erupted with vengeance during pregnancy and birth.

Now we have "Powder" by Hollywood Pictures which opens with a very pregnant woman being struck by lightning! The mother is killed and the baby survives, but with an abnormality. The doctor educates the father on birth psychology saying, "Whatever happens to the mother happens to the baby." The abnormality, it turns out, is that the baby is albino with no body hair; hence the nickname "Powder". He is perceived as a monster by his father who immediately abandons him to grandparents who live in the country where they can keep the boy hidden in their basement. This was his beginning in life.

When we meet Powder next, his grandparents have died, he is discovered by authorities, and moved to an institution.

As the story unfolds, we get hints that this is not simply a historical drama. One reviewer (not impressed by the movie), calls it a science fiction fable, fable being a tale with a moral, often employing supernatural events or persons to make the point. Powder is the victim of a super-traumatic birth. And he says he remembers it. But that isn't all he remembers. He remembers all the books he has ever read, reads minds and knows what people are thinking. He sees the roots of trauma and assists people in resolving them--a kind of instant hypnotherapy. Powder facilitates the healing of broken relationships. And, when he is takes a battery of tests, authorities pronounced him "the most intelligent man on earth"!

However, none of this matters. We watch as professionals, police, and bullies discover, in turn, his amazing abilities and benefit personally from his amazing skills. Notwithstanding, they turn on him and abuse him. Thus, the genius albino becomes the Suffering Servant, exposing the dark side of human behavior: cruelty, prejudice, and ingratitude. He shines as the powder-white man, head-shaven like a monk, innocent, harmless, and wise beyond this world, yet he is hunted, humiliated, and confined against his will. His great humanity and virtue are ignored. Even his magical powers are ignored.

Confronted with dreaded rejection and abuse, our desperate hero (carrying conscious birth memory, perfect psychic knowing, and oneness with nature) makes good his escape. He leaves the world as he came into it--in a blaze of lightning!

This surprising movie about lower as well as higher expressions of human consciousness, brings us information we can use, especially if other saints, geniuses, avatars, and messiahs happen to come our way.