Disclosures: Charles M. Taylor, II, MD, MSEE: Nothing to disclose

Objective: This study aims to better understand the use of disability and related equipment or devices, in relation to the good and evil characteristics of a representative sample in the Top 50 Heroes and Villains as determined by the American Film Institute.

Design: Systematic review

Setting: Tertiary hospital

Participants: Top 50 Heroes and 50 Villains as determined by the American Film Institute

Interventions: Not Applicable

Main Outcome Measures: Presence or absence of the following: Amputations, Orthosis, Prosthetic, Burn Scarring, Gait abnormality, Assistive Devices, Plegias, Speech Impairment, Limb Deformity.

Results: There were a significantly larger and more varied amount of the main outcome measures found in the Villains cohort vs the Heroes cohort. Additionally, the Villains cohort included a larger number of characters with the presence of multiple of the main outcome measures, a finding not seen in the Heroes cohort.

Conclusions: This study notes a significantly higher occurrence of disabilities and assistive devices in the Villains cohort, shining light on the fact that, at least in these examples, that there is a significant slant in our films towards villainy being associated with the disabilities, disfigurement and assistive devices.

Level of Evidence: Level II

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/the-good-the-bad-and-the-disabled-portrayal-of-disability-in-movie-heroes-and-villains/