Premium Essay

Violence in Films

In:

Submitted By bjbilich68
Words 459
Pages 2
Two highly acclaimed movies Gibson’s “The Passion of Christ” and Spielberg’s “Saving private Ryan” have been praised and criticized for graphic reality looked at in very different ways. The one thing that sticks out the most for me is the realism and deep emotional feel both movies bring to the audience. The cinematography and stories of each movie had a luring effect of pulling a person in to the scene and the event, making you feel the moment as if we were in it. The two movie scenes are the backbone of both stories and received the majority of criticism; being positive or negative depending on the movie. The Gibson film received negative criticism for the brutal beating Jesus endured on the last days of his life. The Spielberg film was praised for its violent depiction of an equally graphic scene of death and dismemberment, but felt with less anxiety because violence in war movies is expected and tolerated. The Gibson film comes under attack for the graphic nature of the beating Jesus received. The feelings of sadness and overwhelming helplessness come over the audience during the long and over dramatic brutality to one man “Jesus Christ.” We have been taught throughout history that Jesus died for us, making it personal because we feel we know him. The scene of Jesus` beating shows realism that most cannot believe a sadness that cannot be shaken or a helplessness that cannot be taken back. Up to the point in time, before “The Passion of Christ” was made people never had to put imagery the graphic nature of the events Jesus endured. It was never that emotional because people could not visualize the scene. The Spielberg film took high praise for the realism depicted in the movie and in the scene “The raid on Omaha beach”. I believe the nature of the scene to be more graphic and brutal by its massive loss of life. War has always held a level of glory throughout

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Film and Violence

...influx of increased violence in the society today can be attributed to media violence, which has been on an increase in the last two decades. Recent mass shootings in Colorado in a Batman movie screening, Paris Bombings, and physical violence among children have a direct correlation to media violence. The scenes in these scenarios have been witnessed in movies before and people tend to pick such behaviors with more exposure to violence. Emmanuel Tanay, a clinical professor and a forensic psychiatrist in the University of Wayne State, pointed that violence has increased rapidly in the society reaching to dangerous proportions. Most of the films and video games being viewed contain some sought of violence in them, and this is believed to influence the development of human behavior. Although some people have attributed the increasing rate of violence to other factors beyond films and video games, a growing body of research have shown that exposure to fierce imagery is a risk factor. Various researches conducted on this subjected have revealed that too much exposure to violent film and video games significantly contributes to violent behavior among children and adults. Statistics indicate that an average American watches close to 5 hours of films each day and 98% of these movies are viewed on traditional TV sets. Nearly two thirds of these films contain some sort of physical violence. Similarly, most self-involving children games in the world today contain violence. Logic has it that...

Words: 388 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

War Violence and Film

...people, and as such, war and film have gone hand in hand for quite a long time. Many consider the golden age of the “War film” to be the 1970’s to present day, as that was the time in which special effects and other various filming techniques came to fruition. Now, the wars depicted in these films have varied in many ways over the past thirty to forty years, but in what ways? Obviously the conflicts shown vary, but the amount of violence and gore has also varied over time. Research has shown that over the years, war films have been much more violent and graphic as time has gone on. In the article titled "A Content Analysis of Violence in American War Movies" (1991) points are made that since the 1970’s, violence in film has become significantly more frequent. The question arises concerning whether or not this is due to the fact that audiences have been conditioned to the excessive volume of violence over the years. Alternatively, some believe that movies with a lot of violence are the films that producers and directors believe will be successful. The research in the article was broken into the later period, the 1990s to present day, as well as the early period, regarding the 1970s to the 1980s. When researching the amount of violence it was discovered that “during the later period, there was a mean of 22.2 minutes of battle time compared to 11.7 minutes in earlier films” (Monk-Taylor 6). This shows that the magnitude of violence being shown in the films has almost doubled as the...

Words: 836 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Films Are Blamed for Violence

...Films and television programmes have sometimes been blamed for crimes of violence. Do you think they really influence people that way? According to a research by the Ministry of Education, Malaysian children watch an average of four hours of television daily. Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behaviour. Unfortunately much of today's television programmes are violent. Having said this, yes, television deserves to be blamed for the crimes of violence. It's definitely undebatable when the older generation voice out their dissatisfaction on the culture practised by the younger ones. Many murders happening these days are replicas of what we see on television. The film, for an instance, would exhibit a scene of betrayal that stirs up anger, that would eventually lead to a well-planned murder. A simple plotline indeed, yet, it agitates thousands of better ideas about the same murder in reality. Hitting on the point, I'd list CSI: Miami, NCIS: Los Angeles and Criminal Minds as few of the many television series that have been a craze of Malaysian teenagers these day. Seeing is believing. Focusing on today's generation, children are glued to the television. In spite of studying and playing - playing involving the physique , they'd rather become couch potatoes to entertainment. Through this 'entertainment' their minds are practically trained to imitate what they see. Quoting a typical scene from almost all cartoons...

Words: 434 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Connection Between Hollywood Films and Increasing Violence

...movies. In fact, we can define that Hollywood films could be as a mirror to reflect the whole society. They have examined the ways in which themes developed in the movies sometimes reveal or verify shifts in the public’s interests, hopes, and fears. Next, I will argue that there is connection between Hollywood films and increasing violence, by three parts: the impact on children, teenagers and adults. First of all, observation of violent Hollywood films spurs aggression in children, who are under 12. Trend( 2007: 42) argues that some research shows only those children who have a natural and existing tendency of being aggressive will be negatively affected by media violence. However, a study by AACAP (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) (cited in Murray 2007: 139) found that as a result of films violence, children may become immune to the horror of violence; gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems. Children, who are exposed to lots of violent media, may change them into more aggressive people. They may learn that there are lots of bad people out there who will hurt them, and they may come to expect others to be mean and nasty. Moreover, they may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, and they could also learn that the proper way to solve problems is to use violence. In addition, Miller (1999: 69) claims that children show that little understanding of the boundary between what they see in films and their real environment. Therefore, children...

Words: 783 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Violence As Depicted In The Film 'Monster's INC'

...Monsters INC is a perfect example of controversy over violent and non-violent monsters. The movie is based in an unknown world where monsters live in a city called Monstropolis. Their city needs power to function, and the only way to get that power is from the screams of children. It is the job of monsters that work for Monster’s INC to provide those screams of human children through closet doors of bedrooms. Within Monsters INC, there are monsters that are friendly, and some that are violent. For instance, an example of a non-violent monster in Monsters INC would be a blue and purple furry creature named Sully. He may look violent with his pointy horns, sharp claws, and shark-like fangs, but his personality is kindhearted and extremely prudent. Sully falls in love with a little girl named Boo, and when she is in danger, he commits to protecting her and saving her. He looks after his best friend, Mike, and is thoughtful and caring to all the other monsters. Even though it is his job to be violent, his character is not aggressive or scary. In contrast to Sully, a purple lizard-like monster with the ability to become invisible by blending in with his surroundings named Randall is an example of a violent monster. He is very selfish and only thinks for himself. It is Randall’s mission to kidnap children from their bedrooms and put them in a Scream Extractor to produce enough energy for Monstropolis. By doing this, he believes he will reconstruct the Monsters INC industry and force...

Words: 498 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Analysing Thematic Opposition in Two Films

...The debate about political violence and nonviolence is a major theme in the discussion about the struggle for independence in Northern Ireland. This conflict is dramatized in the two films in context in the form of the Ireland Republic army (IRA) where two main characters are portrayed as a protagonist and an antagonist to bring out the theme in the films. The Wind that Shakes the Barley is a film featured in the nineteenth century, by Ken Loach. Basing its storyline between the years 1920 and 1922, the film is founded on historical events. The film also employs a fictional cast of characters drawn from experiences of real-life participants. The rebellion involved between the Irish people and the British remains a painful event in the books of history, but that has not prevented it from undergoing intense public discussions. The film involves two characters who join an Irish army to fight for independence. The main themes that are drawn from the film mainly revolve around events related to independence. The film is set in a rural setting. The next film is Michael Collins, by Neil Jordan. This film is more accurate in the way it examines its information compared to the Wind that Shakes the Barley (McLoone 226). It is a historical biopic. The film may in fact base its storyline on an accurate follow up of events, but it contains some historical alterations. Many found the film as a rich representative of the Irish way of life while others found it more of a Hollywood production...

Words: 1751 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Once Were Warriors Report

...had a different reception internationally towards the didactic message of the violence in the film. Once Were Warriors directed by Lee Tamahori grossed over $6 million in New Zealand passing Jurassic Park on the New Zealand Box Office. New Zealanders praised the film with most reviews receiving a high rating. When opened internationally it grossed over $2 million with reviews also achieving a high rating. Although most international reviews fail to see the message from the violence compared to local reviews, they seem to view the violence as nauseating and unnecessary while New Zealand sees it as strong message to the public. Strong examples of this are Mark Tierney, Lizzie Francke and David Stratton from New Zealand, and Kenneth Turan from America who had a strong opinion on the movie’s brutal violence leading him to give it a bad review therefore missing the didactic message of the film. Once Were Warriors is a film based from the novel of the same name, about a Maori family living in Auckland after moving away from tribal elders over a disagreement over their marriage. The main settings are the Heke’s house and the local bar both housing drunken violence. Beth Heke (Rena Owen) is the victim of domestic abuse from her husband Jake Heke (Temurea Morrison) leading her to question the relationship and stand up to Jake while also trying to sort family relations. There are many sub-plots in the film which affect the children, such as Boggy’s journey to adulthood, Nig’s gang initiation...

Words: 1258 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Analysis of Amores Perros

...,Compare and contrast the narrative structure of at least two of the films studied. Your answer should also evaluate the reasons why these structures were chosen. Since the commercial success of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Amores Perros in the year 2000, there has been an indubitable resurgence in the amount of interest in, and amount of films being produced within Mexico. This picture, as well as Y Tu Mamá También (2001) by Alfonso Cuarón both received worldwide acclaim and have set a high benchmark for the other Mexican releases since the millennium to live up to. This essay will explore the prominence of narrative structure in the aforementioned Amores Perros (2001), as well as Amat Escalante’s Los Bastardos (2008) and Guillermo Del Toro’s El Espinazo del Diablo (2001). The constituents of a film’s narrative structure come under two different entities: the content of the film’s story, and the way in which the story is presented to the spectator. Vis-à-vis the content of the films story, the essay will mention how, on a thematic level, these films each rely heavily on the use of violence to delineate its message and intentions. James Kendrick states that the use of violence in a film is employed as a structuring device and it is evident that each of these films uses violence for differing intentions, of which the essay will later make discernible. Subsequently, the essay will contrast the order in which the stories are presented to the viewer, chiefly, regarding how Amores...

Words: 3413 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

A Bbfc Case Study: This Is England (Bbfc Film Rating)

...a British film written and directed by Shane Meadows in 2006. The film revolves around the life of a young boy facing social challenges, who later finds company with a young group of skinheads in 1983. The film highlights the origin of their subculture, which can be traced back to the 1960’s. The film also highlights the social issues that were dominant within the society, as well as the division between skinheads in the society because of their nationalist views. Becuase this film was produced in UK, the film had to undergo certain levels of scrutiny under media regulation bodies. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Media and Communication, media regulation is the “control and supervision of organizations exercised by external authorities through the application of rules.”(ODMC 2011). The setup of regulation bodies in a society stimulates domestic production of films, and guarantees public interest when watching films within the region affected. The British Board of Film Classification, commonly known by its abbreviation, ‘BBFC’, is a non-profit regulatory organisation in the United Kingdom, setup in 1912 as an independent body to bring a degree of uniformity to the classification of film nationally, and test their suitability for viewing in the home. The BBFC is the regulatory body for films produced and distributed in the UK. They examine “issues such as discrimination, drugs, horror, imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex, sexual violence, theme and violence when making...

Words: 1827 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Negative Effects Of MPAA On Teenagers

... A. The producers edit and re-submit their films for a lower rating. B. Theaters do not want to air them. II: The MPAA does not treat content consistently. A. Violence is not treated as harshly as sexual content. 1. Small moments of sexual content will warrant a higher rating. 2. It takes extreme amounts of violence to warrant an R rating. B. The system does not consider alcohol or tobacco. C. There is a set limit on swear words. 1. A. An extra use of the swear word can push a film over the edge. 2. Only considers the f word. III....

Words: 3395 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

The Shining: Film Vs Movie

...movie can generate a person to feel countless emotions, yet the prominent one remains that of fear, why is that, could it be the result of our brain and body reactions to the violence that’s displayed throughout a horror film in the manner of adrenaline pumping through one’s veins that creates a nerve racking feeling or the noises that emits from the speakers that surrounds a viewer in a pitch black theater that put one on edge. If that’s the type of feeling a viewer gets from watching a horror movie that contains countless violence, why continue that rotation of watching violence play out, what could one benefit from it. Maybe, just maybe, people continuously view horror movies to demonstrate a point to themselves that all the violence that plays out is something that they themselves would never be a part of and that deep down their virtuous and not evil. One film that comes to mind when it comes to violence and the tug between virtuous and evil is that thriller, “The Shining” directed by Stanley Kubrick based off the novel by Stephen King of the identical name. The film in terms of the novel while has correlations have copious dissimilarities, from the character’s personalities to their backgrounds and even how the violence that plays out in one and the other, these alterations that play out in the film alters the basis that is portrayed in the novel....

Words: 685 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Film Voilence

...2013 Vol 2 Issue 10 ISSN: 2278 – 0211 (Online) The Effect Of Domestic Violence Films On The Youth: An Excursion Of Media Violence Theories and Persuasion Theories Dr. Ajilore Head Of Department, Department Of Mass Communication, Babcork University, Ilisan ,Ogun State, Nigeria Ojo Titiloye Oyeyinka Lecturer, Department Of Mass Communication, Tai Solarin University Of Education, Ijagun ,Ogun, Nigeria Nwaolikpe Onyinyechi Nancy Department Of Mass Communication, Babcork University, Ilisan ,Ogun State, Nigeria Akinreti Qassim Olalere Head, Foreign Desk, Voice Of Nigeria And Part-Time Lecturer, Nigerian Institute Of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos, Nigeria Odegbenle Lateef Department Of Broadcast Media, Nigerian Institute Of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos, Nigeria Goke Rauf Head, Mass Communication, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria Jegede Omolayo Station Manager, Babcock University Radio Station And Lecturer, Department Of Mass Communication Babcock University, Ilisan,Ogun State, Nigeria Tsebee Asor Kenneth Department Of Mass Communication, Al Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria Abstract: Several studies have been on the impact of media violence on aggressive and violent behavior. Researches on effect of media violence have proved that heavy exposure in films, videos, televisions and movies can increase the risk of behaving violently. This paper is an escursion of selected media violence theories -social learning theory, catharsis theory and cultivation theory...

Words: 5150 - Pages: 21

Free Essay

Nigerian Movies and the Youth

...praised the ability of Nollywood industry in the past, and expresses concern on the reverse focus on the negative themes and its negative impact on youth behaviour and the image of Nigeria. The qualitative and quantitative data analysis based on the empirical secondary and primary data were employed. The data collected on both were presented in tabular form and analyzed using simple percentages. Purposive random sampling technique and questionnaire as an instrument were used during the class-meeting. Keywords: Nollywood, behavior, youths, movies Introduction Film was introduced into Nigeria in the 1900’s by the British colonialist who used it for propaganda purposes, while the church used it to spread the Gospel.The Colonial Administration and the Church saw film not only as a medium of entertainment but as an effective medium of communication [Akpabio, 2003]. The British colonialist with the Christian missionaries used film amongst other media to persuade Nigerians to accept Christianity, education and the western culture. On Monday, August 12, 1903, the first motion picture was shown in Nigeria at the Glover Memorial hall in Lagos by Mr. Balboa of Barcelona, Spain, under the management of a...

Words: 5540 - Pages: 23

Free Essay

Nollywood Movies and Nigerian Youths - an Evaluation

...ability of Nollywood industry in the past, and expresses concern on the reverse focus on the negative themes and its negative impact on youth behaviour and the image of Nigeria. The qualitative and quantitative data analysis based on the empirical secondary and primary data were employed. The data collected on both were presented in tabular form and analyzed using simple percentages. Purposive random sampling technique and questionnaire as an instrument were used during the class-meeting. Keywords: Nollywood, behavior, youths, movies Introduction Film was introduced into Nigeria in the 1900’s by the British colonialist who used it for propaganda purposes, while the church used it to spread the Gospel.The Colonial Administration and the Church saw film not only as a medium of entertainment but as an effective medium of communication [Akpabio, 2003]. The British colonialist with the Christian missionaries used film amongst other media to persuade Nigerians to accept Christianity, education and the western culture. On Monday, August 12, 1903, the first motion picture was shown in Nigeria at the Glover Memorial hall in Lagos by Mr. Balboa of Barcelona,...

Words: 5540 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

Martin Mcdonagh's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing

...more you highlight what you leave in” (Henry Green). Martin McDonagh’s productions display a reoccurring theme of violence. McDonagh’s films and playwrights contain an overload of violence but also includes humor. McDonagh’s choice of themes and how he introduces them attracts a specific audience. First, the uncensored graphic violence described in McDonagh’s production The Pillowman tends to shock the audience. Secondly, Martin McDonagh’s film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri attracts a very passionate audience who relate to the film. Thirdly, the short film Six Shooter attracts an audience of all different types due to the various genres used. Martin McDonagh’s choice of topics for his productions attract...

Words: 1544 - Pages: 7