So I'm back, I'm not quite sure for how long though. I honestly thought that I would be doing much more blogging during the summer. But, with the extensive playing of video games and the continual zoning in front of the tv (which is hard seeing as I wake up at noon on my early days), things have been pretty rough. Just kidding, I sold my ps2, I still don't have tv, and I've been working around the house so I want to get outside when it's cool: in the morning. However, I have had time to enjoy myself a bit. I went and saw Batman Begins last saturday night. Not a bad film if you ask me. Quite dark and a bit scarier than I expected it to be. Perhaps I didn't see the full trailer or something. But I liked it. It had a very good cast and the script didn't seem half bad. With all the action though, it'll take a few more viewings to get a final verdict out. But, I got to discuss a little on the drive to the theater and back (45 minutes there and 45 minutes back). We veered into several topics, but an interesting one was on violence.
In America, especially as portrayed by films, we seem to have two options for solving a conflict. Either by talking or by fighting. It seems as if in most films, the talking gets the characters/plot no where, and that the fighting actually does something. And I think that we, as Americans are becoming fairly numbed by violence. I personally thing that that is better than being shielded from violence and never seeing it, but it still is not the best thing for us. I don't think that having violence in films is bad. Personally, especially in war films, I think it lets us see what really went on. But letting ourselves look at it as purely entertainment, can get us into trouble.
But as far as dealing with situations like that, I think that we have to think of another way besides just giving into violence. I think that violence should be a last resort, and that other methods should be tried before giving into violence. What other methods, more succesful methods, I'm not sure. Something to think about I suppose.
"[after Paul thanks him for shooting footage of the genocide] I think if people see this footage, they'll say Oh, my God, that's horrible. And then they'll go on eating their dinners." Jack Daglish in 'Hotel Rwanda'
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Hey gi! about time you posted!!! I also saw Hotel Rwanda and thought that was a good movie, one that should be watched by all. It may be violent and frightening, but today we need something to think about, because countries and tribes are murdering each other all the time. But in America, the land of abundance, we just sit there and watch something terrible on a movie or tv, and we think" Ohhh, check out the graphics! That must of taken a fortune!" or "Hey! My kids are watching this! We only need warm-fuzzies in this family, thank you." We dont pay attention to the fact that this stuff is really hapening and if we would get off our lazy butts and do something about it,like give starving countries warring on account of food a fw shipments of food! It aint that difficult! I definently think violence that is supposed to make people want to do something is a good thing. It's a pity it doesnt usually work. It's also a pity that we dont care to help others because they are fellow humans and they need our help, but becuase some film makes us feel guilty. What is wrong with us people?
All I'm saying is that I don't think that violence in films or in literature or what have you is bad. I think that it shows us what is out there. It reminds us of our mortality and how fragile we really are. But I don't think that we should become gluttons of violence.
I just thought of another question though: is it possible to be too literal when dealing with violence in films? I mean, as a critic.
Gi, check your myspace blog 4 me. Thanx.
Violence is definently good, if it stirs people to do something!
I think we should like go out with big old signs accusing pepole of not caring. THAT would get us some action! Also a fre ticket to juvi for disrupting the peace and warm fuzzies.
I agree with you. Violence for entertainment is wrong. Which is mostly what violence on screen really is. It seems to me this problem is larger then just violence. Most of our films are like that. Pointless, sensless. Just stuck in there to appease a culture which feeds on excess in everything. Every so often some group steps up to protest againt the excessive violence because it 'makes our youth violent'. Naw, it's more then that. Most of us can watch that stuff without wanting to do it. But it makes us numb toward the suffering around us. Take Rwanda for example Let me explain like this: 2 World Trade Towers happening everyday for 100 days. And No One Did Anything. It would be unthinkable for something like that to happen in America, but no one cried at the senseless genocide, no one stepped up. 800,000 people. Murdered. It was just Africa. The list goes on. You would be shocked to realize how many times our cizilized society has turned it's back on these horrors. It's not just OUR generation, it's not US, it's our very culture. While we may not have started it, it's our job to do our best to stop it. Our duty. Yes, we need to understand what's happening and has happened in our country and in the world. But there's a line.
Have any of u peaps been to rotten.com, cuz it's full of violence, all 4 the sake of pleazr. It's sickning.
It sounds like you all have some good thought on the subject. Yes, violence for entertainment is wrong (think ancient Roman Gladiators); but yes, there are times that call for violence to resolve conflict (Rwanda), when other things (peace-talks) have been tried and have failed.
Yes, we do live in a land of cushioned luxury, for which we are very, VERY lucky.
When the good Samaratin rescued the man who had been robbed & beaten from dying in the streets, the Samaratin was loving his neighbor. And so we ask, like the disciples asked Jesus, "Who is our neighbor?"
Were the people in Rwanda our neighbors? If something like that happens again, should we interfere?
oh my goodness... please don't tell me that they are doing adds on blogs now. ruining good comment space... with all luck we'll have a new post up soon.
Hello... what wuz that!? Jus crazy! But we do need to do something.. and soon! ( you may ask:"about what? Adds on blogs or Violence?" Lets sue the darn company!jk. But seriously, we should all write papers on this and sond them to the White house.)
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