History Film / DreamsOfALife

* NothingIsScarier: Although there is a reenactment of the police breaking into Joyce's apartment only to discover her skeletal remains, they are never directly shown, presumably out of respect for her. But during the scenes of workers cleaning her apartment, there is a big, human-shaped stain on the floor.

* ICouldaBeenAContender: Joyce was a beautiful and ambitious woman who dreamed of becoming a singer and wanted to go places, but the thing she would became most famous for was dying alone in her apartment and not being found for three years.

Morley was inspired to make the documentary after reading a newspaper article that presented the facts of the case but lacked details as to who Joyce was. Tracking down interviewees to learn more about the woman behind the headline, Morley was surprised to find that many of them didn't even know Joyce was dead until they were informed by her. Having lost touch with v, they just assumed she "was off somewhere having a better life than they were".

* RiddleForTheAges: The cause of Joyce's death will forever remain a mystery, due to how badly decomposed her body was when it was finally found, although it is believed that she may have died from complications relating to asthma or a peptic ulcer.

* SnowyScreenOfDeath: On the end title card, the title of the documentary is in block capitals and filled with a static effect. Joyce had her TV on at the time of her death, and it continued playing for the next three years.

* SnowyScreenOfDeath: On the end title card, the title of the documentary is in block capitals and filled with static. Joyce had her TV on at the time of her death, and it continued playing for the next three years.

It tells the story of a 38-year-old woman named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Vincent Joyce Carol Vincent]] (portrayed by Zawe Ashton), who died alone in her [[UsefulNotes/{{London}} London]] flat in 2003. Despite having plenty of friends and family, somehow, her body remained undiscovered for three years. It was found next to a shopping bag and surrounded by wrapped Christmas presents that were undelivered. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, Vincent's cause of death was never determined.

Morley was inspired to make the documentary after reading a newspaper article that presented the facts of the case but lacked details as to who Vincent was. Tracking down interviewees to learn more about the woman behind the headline, Morley was surprised to find that many of them didn't even know Vincent was dead until they were informed by her. Having lost touch with Vincent, they just assumed she "was off somewhere having a better life than they were".

The documentary raises the unnerving possibility that ''anyone'' could find themselves in a situation where they might die alone and unnoticed as Vincent did.

See also ''Music/HandCannotErase'', a ProgressiveRock album inspired by Vincent's life.

* BookOnTheHead: Young Joyce is seen walking and reciting while balancing a book on her head, as someone talks about how her mother sent her to elocution lessons in a fancy private school.
* CobwebOfDisuse: The opening includes shots of Vincent's abandoned, dirty apartment with her things covered in layers of cobwebs.
* DomesticAbuse: It is believed that Vincent was in hiding from an abusive boyfriend at the time of her death.
* DownerEnding: The documentary ends with a recreation of the night of Vincent's death. Though it has shed some light on who she was and how she may have come to die in the lonely way she did, there are plenty of questions left that in all likelihood will never be answered.
* DyingAlone: Vincent did, and what's worse was that no one discovered that she had for ''three years''.
* FinallyFoundTheBody: Three years after her passing, police broke into Vincent's flat to repossess it, only to find her skeletal remains.
* GiftedlyBad: Though Vincent had aspirations of becoming a singer, according to a former boyfriend named Alistair (who was a music producer), she wasn't very good at it. However, others who knew her disagree, believing she had a beautiful voice and likening it to that of Music/WhitneyHouston.
* TheHermit: Vincent was apparently alone by choice. According to her ex-boyfriend Alistair, "Joyce died alone because she wanted to be alone."
* ICouldaBeenAContender: Vincent was a beautiful and talented woman who dreamed of becoming a singer and wanted to go places, but the thing she would became most famous for was dying alone in her apartment and not being found for three years.
* MissingMom: Vincent's mother died when she was 11, which might have contributed to her troubled state.
* PromotionToParent: After Vincent's mother died in her childhood, her older sisters took charge of raising her.
* RiddleForTheAges: The cause of Vincent's death will forever remain a mystery, due to how badly decomposed her body was when it was finally found, although it is believed that she may have died from complications relating to asthma or a peptic ulcer.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Vincent is described as a person who would habitually flee at the first sign of trouble and frequently moved from apartment to apartment, which probably made it harder for her loved ones to find her.
* TheShutIn: Vincent became this in the final years of her life, separating herself from friends and family.
* SurprisinglySuddenDeath: As far as anyone knows, Vincent suddenly died alone in her apartment one day while she was wrapping Christmas presents.
* UsedToBeMoreSocial: In the last years of her life, Vincent isolated herself from those who knew her. It is speculated that this may have been because she felt ashamed due to having had to move into a shelter for victims of domestic abuse.

* BookOnTheHead: Young Joyce is seen walking and reciting with a book on her head, as someone talks about how her mother sent her to elocution lessons.

See also ''Music/HandCannotErase'', an album by Music/StevenWilson inspired by Vincent's life.

It tells the story of a young woman named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Vincent Joyce Carol Vincent]] (portrayed by Zawe Ashton), who died alone in her [[UsefulNotes/{{London}} London]] flat in 2003. Despite having plenty of friends and family, somehow, her body remained undiscovered for three years. It was found next to a shopping bag and surrounded by wrapped Christmas presents that were undelivered. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, Vincent's cause of death was never determined.

* TheHermit: Vincent was apparently alone by choice. According to her ex-boyfriend Alistair, "Joyce died alone because she wanted to be alone".

* TheHermit: Vincent was apparently alone by choice. One acquaintance remembers seeing her on the street about a year or two before she died and calling out to her. Vincent did not respond, lowering her head and quickly moving on. According to her ex-boyfriend Alistair, "Joyce died alone because she wanted to be alone".

* TheHermit: Vincent was apparently alone by choice. One acquaintance recalls seeing her on the street about a year or two before she died and calling out to her. Vincent did not respond, lowering her head and quickly moving on. According to her ex-boyfriend Alistair, "Joyce died alone because she wanted to be alone".

* TheHermit: It appears that Vincent was alone by choice. One acquaintance recalls seeing her on the street about a year or two before she died and calling out to her. Vincent did not respond, lowering her head and quickly moving on. According to her ex-boyfriend Alistair, "Joyce died alone because she wanted to be alone".

* TheHermit: It appears that Vincent was alone by choice. One acquaintance recalls seeing her on the street about a year or two before she died and calling out to her. Vincent did not respond, lowering her head and quickly moving on. According to her former boyfriend Alistair, "Joyce died alone because she wanted to be alone".

* GiftedlyBad: Though Vincent had aspirations of becoming a singer, according to a former boyfriend who was a music producer, she wasn't very good at it. However, others who knew her disagree, believing she had a beautiful voice and likening it to that of Music/WhitneyHouston.
* TheHermit: It appears that Vincent was alone out of choice. One acquaintance recalls seeing her on the street about a year or two before she died and calling out to her. Vincent did not respond, lowering her head and quickly moving on.

* GiftedlyBad: Though Vincent had aspirations of becoming a singer, according to a former boyfriend who was a music producer, she wasn't very good at it. However, others who knew her disagree, believing she had a beautiful voice, likening it to that of Music/WhitneyHouston.