AMC's Mad Men is
among the greatest American television dramas ever produced. Set in New York in
the 1960s, it features an ensemble cast that represents several different
spheres of society during this time.
The show is a hilarious perversion
of cultural conventions of the 60s, including (but certainly not limited to)
excessive alcohol consumption, constant cigarette smoking, and casual
infidelity. Surprisingly, it isn’t until the sixth episode of Season 5 that the
show highlights the chemical substance that came to define the Psychedelic Era:
lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known as acid.
Scene
from Mad Men Season 5, Ep. 6: 'Far Away Places'
In this scene, Roger Sterling and
his wife Jane take LSD and go on an enlightening journey beyond the ordinary
boundaries of space and time. Their experience comes to life through the application of
suggestive editing techniques. The audience is not simply watching the scene
unfold, but rather getting a taste of the powerful effects of LSD for themselves.
The drug lifts users to an altered state of consciousness. It has
perception-altering effects that induce intense hallucinations. After claiming
to be bored by the drug, Roger goes to pour himself a drink. He opens a bottle
of vodka and immediately starts hearing loud opera music. Confused, he places
the cap back on the bottle and the music suddenly stops. Roger opens the bottle
once more and, much to his surprise, he hears the music again. The editors are indicating
that Roger finally realizes he is tripping.
Under the influence of LSD, time can seem to considerably speed up
or slow down. This is cleverly demonstrated when Roger goes for a smoke. He
lights his cigarette, takes a drag, and watches it burn down to nothing almost
instantly. Clearly the editors are indicating that time, from Roger’s
perspective, is moving quite rapidly.
Roger then begins to fade out of consciousness as he stares at his
reflection. Another man enters the frame and tells Roger not to look in the
mirror. Roger ignores his demands, and the view shifts from both men to a shot
of Roger. The conversation continues. However, Roger notices a change in the
man’s voice. Suddenly, it’s more familiar, more inviting. When he goes to look
back at the man, Roger sees he’s now talking to his old friend and business
partner Don Draper, who is not really at this party; the editors are just
illustrating the psychedelic nature of the drug by having Roger hallucinate
Don’s presence, as well as the out-of-body experience he has following the
conversation with Don.
The feel of the scene is profoundly attributed to the editing. The
shots are organized in a manner meant to display the surreal, mind-bending
essence of acid. The cuts are seamless and fluid. The editors include several
overlapping audio tracks to give the audience a sense of the confusion and
nervousness Roger feels. This scene is wild and unsettling, which I believe is precisely
what the editors were hoping to achieve.
