Sundance Film Festival (2014) - Alive Inside: A Story Of Music & Memory Featurette - Documentary HD 

*[ **4:21** ]* He’s not just mumbling here, he’s singing *“scat music.”* *Cab Calloway was a jazz singer/musician famous for his scat* (vocal improvisation with wordless vocables) in the era of swing music (1930s-40s).

I cried when he started singing!

I have watched this documentary at least 5 times. Every time I cry and my faith in humanity is restored.

I'm a nursing student, and my dad had dementia. I'm using this in my presentation on Alzheimer's. This validates how I feel about the treatment of this population. There are living people in those bodies!

I remember playing piano at retirement homes as a kid. I knew playing for the residents brought them joy but I had no idea it was this powerful of an experience.

Having Alzheimer’s seems like living in a horror movie. I can’t imagine losing grasp of who and where I am. I hope we can come close to curing this.

This is one of the most incredible things I have ever seen. It's astounding how someone can go from an unresponsive, depressive state to tapping their feet, smiling, talking, and singing, in a matter of minutes. I'm a psychology student, and I would love to further research the affect that music can have on the human mind.

Music is honestly the most beautiful thing to ever exist.

I still come back to this video when I need a good soul boost. This is healing in so many ways..

Music Helps Unlock Memories and Improve Quality of Life for Dementia Patients... pretty special

This had me crying so hard. My grandpa suffered from dementia for almost 8 years from when I was about 11 to 17 years old. Eventually, he couldn’t remember me or my grandma’s name or even how to feed or bathe himself. Yet, he always knew his favorite songs. Whenever the end of Dirty Dancing came on, he lit up astoundingly. It’s really magical.

Is somebody cutting onions in here?

Music is literally magical. I’m sobbing. Bless this man. What a beautiful soul Henry is. ❤️😭🙌

I saw the movie and couldn't stop crying, cause it was so wonderful. Wished to be with my grandpa and try the music on him to bring him back to the life and us. :( ... But it's so great to see how the doctor used his time on the eldest persons and helped them, but hoped people will contact him more and help this therapy to bring our beloved back. REALLY great movie and totally worth to see and learn from it.

When he starts singing/humming St James Infirmary, I started smiling. He's so amazing, aw

I love that his eyes practically pop out of his head when he listens to music.

I come back to this video now and then to "quicken" my own soul. The caregiver's compassion, kindness, and empathy do my heart good. I miss Dr. Sacks though I only new him through media and Henry just makes me smile when he "wakes up".

I remembered watching this video after we watched the ending of Coco in class. With this in context, not only did it make the movie much more heartwarming in context, but also how the music is a powerful tool to help the elderly become animated. Either way, music is such a strong element in entertainment, studies, and therapy. It's just so versatile and powerful, while also being for everyone :)

4:40 when he starts to cry he made me cry ITS TOO CUTE

The lord came to made me holy, I'm a holy man so, he gave me these sounds.

I was a nursing aide for roughly 8 years. Its hard work, and you have very little time for one on one like this. I wish we did. This made me SO happy to see his reaction. Stuff like this would make their lives so much better. THANK YOU for doing this. You clearly made him an extremely happy man.

I sent this trailer to everyone I care about. Everyone should listen or better yet play music. As humans we all are aware of the inner call we have towards it.

how beautiful. after loosing my father this month, I saw how music lifted him. It was amazing to me when churches came in to sing, or someone would bring their guitar around to share a tune or two with dad, he was immediately lifted. why cant we supply these I-pods to every housebound senior, every person that is in a nursing home... we are so capable of more than what we are doing. It broke my heart to see the loneliness and sadness for these beautiful people that have so much to give to us. Listen to Henry... his words... about love... beauty... I am touched.

I saw the documentary "Alive Inside",, on Amazon. I thought is was wonderful. I have always felt that way about music. I could be in a depression but when I play my music, I come alive and I dance all around my apartment. Music has always gotten into my soul and gave me a natural high. I don't see why they do not use them in nursing homes As a matter of fact they need to change the way the deal with the elderly. In the nursing homes I worked in only about 1/3 of the population had visitors and of those only 2 or 3 of the patients the relatives came every day. People just put them away and forget the elderly and the terminally ill. Beware because it could be you one day.

its so heart warming to see these elders so happy

Love it!!!!!... it's GREAT!!!.... my grandmother has Alzheimer, she is 93 years old... and I will do it. 💗💗💗

Dude, the way his pep and wonder and life is restored by that music is just amazing.

I cried when he started singing. It was amazing and I love it

Powerful stuff; brings happy tears. 12/24/2014

love this man.. how beautiful to see joy brought back into his life... what a great father he was too.... thank you for sharing

5:41 They timed the background music impeccably.

This video is fucking fantastic.

"His eyes opened wide" You got that right!

I just watched and cried. Amazing. The power of music!

I started singing "daisy daisy" i got as far as - Daisy, Daisy give me your answer do. I'm half crazy all for the love of you. when 2 residents had joined in and continued to sing It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage. But you'll look sweet, Upon the seat, Of a bicycle made for two. none of us could remem the rest. the one lady was blind but no dementia signs but the other lady was constantly confused walking round. she sat sang along and then laughed. it was the most settled id seen her since she came to us. it has a pos effect on mood as well im saying.

watching this movie last weekend - It made me laugh and cry for the sheer joy of watching these elders come alive - really a-LIVE

Still one of my favourite videos ever. You don't need weed like kids today need, you just need a passion to keep you alive.

Ohhhh what a feeling, oh my heart. I'm almost in tears! This is amazing!!! The power of music is crazy!

The Power of Music is the Power of Love! In '67 the people said Love and Peace, Tune In Turn and Drop Out! Music is more powerful than medicine, more powerful than money....When the world runs out of everything - there will only remain music

This guy always makes me so happy

The world without music is like a bird without wings. "The lord came to me and made me holy, and he gave to me these sounds." Seriously the most beautiful thing i've ever heard. This man can preach!

In the future someone with alzheimers will listen to nicki minaj-anaconda.. then will strat twerking lol

Since 2014 is almost over, I can say that this is my no. 1 movie of the year.

wanna cry forever? watch this

this is so inspiring. not only did the music give Henry pleasure - it gave him life!

The power of love and music combined.

I've watched this documentary a dozen times and each time I am inclined to wish that ever senior on the planet with any amount of cognitive decline should have a Custom Music Therapy program created for them. RIP Henry RIP Oliver Sacks ~ The Positive Musicologist

I realized for the first time he actually starts singing even before she puts the headphones on him, at 2:16--the life starts coming back into him once he understands what she's saying ("do you want your music now?")

this is wonderful...everyone must watch!!

The thesis for my MSN was "Music as a non-pharmacological intervention to address patient anxiety in the peri-op period." There is magic in music!

God this moves me so much. It's all in the eyes-the way they light up u can see that his internal world just light up as well. His spirit is still there, just locked away- then a key is given. wow. Music is life, and yours is a symphony. Best stuff on youtube.

How wonderful when the whole person is acknowledged & treated.!!!

life is good when u know that you did good in past. look how happy he is whan he hear hes musics

I watch this often as a musician with a family history of dementia. Bless the power of music and bless you Henry.

This is the antidote to Dementia and Alzheimer's - music reawakens the mind.

Music is real magic. Genuinely. It's kept me fighting through all of these years. It'll keep me fighting through the harshest of times. My father died years ago. He was in a coma, we did not think he could communicate any longer. He showed no signs. The night before he passed away - I played 'Silent Lucidity' by Queensryche for him... and he began to mouth the lyrics. He was there, the whole time. He was there. We were all around him crying, peaceful and in solace. He was still with us, and he decided to pass away the next day, holding my mother's hand. And he smiled. He also felt our peace. Music is a beautiful thing, it is the thing that can bring us all back together again. It is the thing to always vibrate and enchant our souls. It is a most precious gift, created by us, for us. Forever.

What a beautiful voice. My eyes are welling up seeing this.

Art and creativity has meaning. Its deeply ingrained with us as a species. And this is proof that its deep in our subconscious, and isn't just....a thing. Its as needed to us as sunlight and fresh air. People need to be creative.

this was so beautiful, i was trying to hold back my tears.

When he started singing, I started crying.

Beautiful thing to witness Henry’s beautiful soul!!!

This kills me every time. Music heals, and we don't know how or why.

Incredible. What a beautiful, uplifting story!

Henry is such a treasure. I love his singing ❤

Loved this❣️ A miracle many need 🙏❤️🙏

My heart. Music is a truly beautiful thing, maybe one of the best things we've ever done as a species. I can't really describe the feeling this video gives me, but it's one of the stronger emotions I've experienced in my life, I can see that I'm not the only one. If you're reading this, I love you and hope you can find some peace in your life. Maybe ya just gotta put on some headphones and find that one piece of music.

He has such an amazing voice...

My grandfather had Alzheimer’s and he would always sit with the headphones plugged into the stereo listening to music, I never understood it as a kid, we could all be watching tv right next to him but he loved just sitting and listening to music, he had made music himself as a young man. I haven’t thought about that aspect of him for like 10 years now, but I think I totally understand it now.

It's amazing what music does for the memory and the soul!

Music is the universal love

I met this old fella at Home Depot who was 90 he played some music for us about hard work while I cut his lumber it was very nice of him

Love this movie - Loved watching the Audience get as moved as the patients in the film. The producer told me i"it happens every-time, every audience" .... Brilliant..

Music is extremely powerful stuff

Incredible and unforgettable.

Read about his story in a psychology book in a music chapter, glad it bought me here.

love, love love this!

I don't cry at things. Honestly, I'm colder than most. This got me. Bad. Tears and snot all over my sleeve.

i worked with various disabled adults / dementia patients for ears - i believe music hits something inside you that is beyond other experiences. even someone completely out of touch with their environment, non-verbal or "somewhere else", music touches everyone who can hear it. see how henry can't recognise people or form sentences well, but he remembers the lyrics to the song.

Touches your heart!

Yep, time to have a good cry.

I saw this video years ago and thought it was amazing. now it takes on new meaning as I see Mr Henry. my father now has dementia and alzheimers but every once in a while, the curtain in his mind is pulled back and he remembers stuff.

Absolutely amazing!!!❤

This should have 20 million views, yet sadly...... Thank you Dr.Sacks for your incredible work, may u rest peacefully.

Astonishing!

Think we can all agree that music is one of, if not the greatest, inventions in the history of humanity.

In 2016 my mother's dementia got really bad and she got admitted to a care house. She was living the "wheelchair life" but one day i watched this video and i got her an ipod with earphones. It has been only for one hour a day but she felt joy again. Thank you!

4:53 "ow!" 🙌🏽🥰 love that part 😅

Beautiful!!!!!

This is so awesome!!❤️❤️🎶🎶

Outstanding.

The music snapped the guy back to life! Music is so powerful! It's amazing and so touching...

Tony Bennett has Alzheimer's but i believe music has kept him going all this time. Music is a powerful thing that you never forget. It was great to see that man singing when he started listening to it. It's like a part of his youth came back for a short time.

i had to watch this for school, and i dont regret it.

watching this made me curious about cab Calloway, and now he's one of my favorites, much thanks to henry

"I feel band of love..of dreams" Thank you sir for those words, beautiful

music = love

This is what i find weird but absolutely fascinating. An individual that has an illness that changed his world, music is used to bring him back to our world, pretty much tells us music brings people together andwe can use music to love each other, and then at some point after they showed us this he went back to his world that has become his reality. The human brain is really fascinating.

I love this video so much

Amazing to watch.

MY HEART