Children of Darkness poster

Children of Darkness( 1983)

TV-MADocumentary
69%
User
Score

Overview

A significant number of American children and teenagers - from all social backgrounds - suffer from mental disorders, schizophrenia, autism and emotional problems, leading them to isolation from society while treating their issues in mental health facilities. But there's no end in sight for those young individuals when they face obstacles and mistreatment in inadequate places under the supervision of careless and inexperienced professionals. The documentary follows some of those public mental institutions and another private center dealing with troubled kids and reveals what's wrong with their procedures, and the irreparable harm they cause in those patients.

    Top Billed Cast

    1. cast image

      Peter Thomas

      Narrator (voice)

    2. cast image

      Richard Kotuk

      Self - Reporter

    3. cast image

      John Brooks

      Self

    4. cast image

      Billy Calhoun

      Self

    5. cast image

      Mary Calhoun

      Self

    6. cast image

      Gerald Davidson

      Self

    7. cast image

      Alice Dunn

      Self

    8. cast image

      Kenneth Kaufman

      Self

    9. cast image

      Brian Mcanally

      Self

    10. cast image

      Jim Mcanally

      Self

    11. cast image

      Joseph Ricci

      Self

    12. cast image

      Mark Williams

      Self

    Social

    Review 1Discussion

    A review by CinemaSerf

    7
    Written by CinemaSerf on Sat Jun 21 2025
    Statistically, there are some seriously scary numbers quoted here as we spend an hour with some of the seven million American kids who have some sort of learning or behavioural difficulties. Initially, we visit Pennsylvania’s Eastern State School - the largest in the nation - that cares for over 150 young people with a budget of $13.5 million which roughly equates to just shy of $85,000 to feed, house and medicate each resident. It’s the lively Brian who is the poignant focus here, a lad whose behaviour vacillates from the friendly and charming to the violently temperamental and it’s that latte...

    Media

    Videos 1Backdrops 1Posters 2

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    Facts

    Status

    Released

    Original Language

    English

    Budget

    -

    Revenue

    -

    Keywords

    • schizophrenia
    • autism
    • mental institution
    • mental illness
    • treatment of mental disorders