Ted Mandell is a professor in the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre at the University of Notre Dame whose work explores storytelling, visual media, and the cultural messages embedded in film.
He is the co-creator of “Drunk on Film,” a popular interdisciplinary course at Notre Dame that examines how alcohol is portrayed across decades of movies and television. The class analyzes how drinking is framed in popular media — from glamorous cocktail culture in classic Hollywood films to party-driven narratives common in modern college comedies.
Through scene analysis, historical context, and discussion of narrative structure, the course explores how filmmakers use alcohol to signal character traits, social status, rebellion, romance, and celebration.
Mandell’s work highlights how these repeated portrayals can subtly shape audience expectations about drinking. In many films, alcohol functions not just as a background prop but as a storytelling device — used to signal adulthood, confidence, freedom, or belonging.
By examining these patterns across film history, “Drunk on Film” invites students to question how entertainment media influences real-world attitudes toward alcohol.
In Please Drink Responsibly, Mandell offers insight into how film and television have helped normalize drinking culture and how the stories we watch can shape the behaviors we often take for granted.
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