Media Magazine Article- violence in film

Pleasure and Pain- why we need violence in movies, Owen Davey

 

-              The rapid development of cinema and other media technologies has given to a rise in previously unimaginable ways of viewing violence.

-              Violence viewed before our cinematic age, apart from in the theatre, was very real and violent, e.g. gladiator tournaments, public executions, bare-knuckle boxing tournaments

-              It can be argued that this rise in “fake” violence may be creating a dangerously casual and deluded attitude towards death and suffering

-              Some people may enjoy watching this violence and others may not

-              Fearful and disgusted reactions are just as sought-after by filmmakers as any reaction is a good reaction

-              This “negative” reaction also generates excitement as adrenalin, like those who react more “positively” towards the gore

-              Has our cinematic culture become so saturated with violence that we have reached a stage where people can't distinguish between right and wrong, pain and enjoyment?

 

Example: Platoon

-              Very violent Vietnam war film

-              All aspects of violence help to convey the real horror of war, which is what the movie tries to convey

 

-              There are not only different responses to violence, there are also different forms of violence to respond to, e.g. Goodfellas violence or The Evil Dead violence

-              Humans naturally love destruction and killing and it would be senseless for film-makers to ignore this human condition

-              Films are a form of expression, and Amy forms of expression are prompted by sorrow and loss which in many cases, are fueled by violence

-              If violence has played a part in the making of a film, then it’s understandable that in the content of that film, violence may play a part

-              There may be moments where violence, even in its most realistic and brutal form, may seem justified even though it is wrong, like in real life

-              The suppression of violence on screen may only repress the violence of real life, or, by showing help us to understand why these things should or shouldn’t happen

-              Despite being confronted by this side of human nature high craves destruction which we may not want to see, it must be satisfied in order to prevent us from committing other dangerous activities