Educational Media Reviews Online

When Mr. Spazzman opens we see a middle age man singing, rather badly, but with great spirit; he is accompanied by a guitarist. As the camera moves back we see that the singer is in a wheelchair. Minutes into the film we realize that this man is moving and breathing oddly because he is paralyzed from the neck down.

In 1988, at age 40, Robert Goldsborough was a social activist, hoped to become a member of Congress, made his living as a professional musician, and was described by his girlfriend as a “flaky, hippie musician”. He fell while trimming a tree and suffered a spinal fracture that left him a quadriplegic.

The story of Robert and his closest friends unfolds for the viewer with a powerful combination of narration, interview, and film clips from his life before the accident, and from his life now; he lives in a nursing home. All the technical aspects of the film are excellent.

Robert says “My music saved my life” and the film skillfully proves his point. But the film has many messages, about the transcendence of art, the sense of community that singing creates, and the nature and power of friendship and spirituality. The strongest message may be that “the tiger never changes his stripes”. Robert is a talented and witty musician who attracted and charmed people with his warmth and interesting mind before his accident. He remains Robert, even after his catastrophic loss. His friends, too, have some extraordinary qualities. In particular, his friend David’s honest and articulate discussion about his friendship with Robert adds important dimensions to our understanding of the effects Robert has had on others. And it is a very effective and surprisingly unsentimental illustration of human friendship. In the film Robert says repeatedly and with great emotion,”God bless my friends”.

Occupational therapy, physical therapy and nursing students should all see this film, as should any other students who will be working in the field of physical rehabilitation. Anyone working in the field of adaptive technology should also watch this as technology plays the major role in giving Robert independence. Robert is involved in advocacy for stem cell research and the film would be very useful to show to people involved with that issue. Psychology and social work educators can also use the film as a springboard for discussion of human relationships and adaptation to loss and disability. The film would also make a contribution to classes that examine the role of spirituality or religion in human life. Additionally, Robert and his story have a message for his fellow baby boomers who are approaching retirement and old age--we are who we are, and we better prepare for the limits that may be imposed by life events and aging.

My husband and I both worked for many years with people with disabilities, including individuals with spinal cord injuries, so we are somewhat inured to their difficulties. We watched the film together and both found it very moving. When I asked him who the audience for this film should be, he thought for a while and then said “everyone”. The aspects of Robert Goldsborough’s life told in this film create such a compelling and fascinating human interest story, that I agree that everyone should watch this film.