The subtitle for this BBC special is a quite unusual one and it might confuse viewers out there. In fact, I don't think there is one since it opens with "AIDS" and
only at the end of the film it goes "Your Choice for Life". But I got the idea: it's a question about each one person's choice when it comes to protecting themselves or
not against AIDS. Regardless of such unusual title, this special is one of the most commendable ever presented at the time when the disease was a terrible tragedy, a special
with incredibly easy comprehension educational values.
Though I've seen several PSA's and similar projects from that particular period (mostly U. S. and UK projects), and the majority of theirs are quite good, this one was highly special because it's never made in an alarming or shocking manner as some TV specials tended to be. It's made to present facts with calm and sobriety so audiences can learn and protect themselves or find care in case of exposure to HIV. The hosts have a very appropriate and safe language telling the difference between HIV and AIDS, what they are and what they cause on people, forms of contagion and ways of not getting infected, and ways of prevention - though the male host inserting his fingers inside the condom rather than trying with a banana was awkward.
Besides the hosts, there's brief moments with a medical doctor, two HIV positive individuals who share a little about how they got it, and one terminal AIDS patient, a 22-year-old man named John, in a very brave appearance since most people prefered to not be seen at all since it's such a visibly affecting disease. John is the one who presents the most impactant insights, after all he got it and he knew what was coming, and his way to alert the rest of us at the conclusion sends shivers down the spine many years later.
Obviously it's not perfect, there's some small bumps along the way if you're really attentive with the wording or maybe omission given - suggesting condom use only on heterosexual acts was weird; and it's obvious that when it's time to show some examples where models were used to describe scenarios they present a straight relationship rather than a gay or bisexual one (but I'm not picky because of such lack of presentation, I can understand the times). I was a little lost during the introduction that no mention was made about blood transfusion and the hemophiliacs as a risk group, but halfway through the hosts rule out as a way of contagion because at the time UK was advanced in screening the blood which made nearly impossible to develop AIDS from those - other nations weren't so lucky, it'd take an awful time to reach that level.
This is highly recommended for those interested in seeing a truly effective and informative PSA about HIV/AIDS during the pandemic years. 9/10.
Though I've seen several PSA's and similar projects from that particular period (mostly U. S. and UK projects), and the majority of theirs are quite good, this one was highly special because it's never made in an alarming or shocking manner as some TV specials tended to be. It's made to present facts with calm and sobriety so audiences can learn and protect themselves or find care in case of exposure to HIV. The hosts have a very appropriate and safe language telling the difference between HIV and AIDS, what they are and what they cause on people, forms of contagion and ways of not getting infected, and ways of prevention - though the male host inserting his fingers inside the condom rather than trying with a banana was awkward.
Besides the hosts, there's brief moments with a medical doctor, two HIV positive individuals who share a little about how they got it, and one terminal AIDS patient, a 22-year-old man named John, in a very brave appearance since most people prefered to not be seen at all since it's such a visibly affecting disease. John is the one who presents the most impactant insights, after all he got it and he knew what was coming, and his way to alert the rest of us at the conclusion sends shivers down the spine many years later.
Obviously it's not perfect, there's some small bumps along the way if you're really attentive with the wording or maybe omission given - suggesting condom use only on heterosexual acts was weird; and it's obvious that when it's time to show some examples where models were used to describe scenarios they present a straight relationship rather than a gay or bisexual one (but I'm not picky because of such lack of presentation, I can understand the times). I was a little lost during the introduction that no mention was made about blood transfusion and the hemophiliacs as a risk group, but halfway through the hosts rule out as a way of contagion because at the time UK was advanced in screening the blood which made nearly impossible to develop AIDS from those - other nations weren't so lucky, it'd take an awful time to reach that level.
This is highly recommended for those interested in seeing a truly effective and informative PSA about HIV/AIDS during the pandemic years. 9/10.