Lady Taffer on 12/4/2007 at 05:08
1. I was never a "rape connoisseur," I simply liked action movies where lots of things got blown up and people got killed
2. Yes, I do know what sociopathic means and yes I honestly beleive that most of the population is sociopathic to a degree whether consciously or not.
3. I know that first-hand experience is far superior to verbal explanation, I just reacted out of thoughtless anger in my first post. I honestly want to know, though, why people are entertained by glorified violence? That's the type of person I've found that hasn't had any real first-hand experience with violence either.
Aja on 12/4/2007 at 05:20
Grindhouse is no more exploitative of violence and sex than Pulp Fiction is.
People get an adrenaline rush from seeing violent images, and movies like Tarantino's allow for this thrill in a safe and controlled environment. I agree with you that violence is inherent in humans; Grindhouse and other violent media offer a way of reconciling these violent tendencies with the fact that we live in a society in which such violence is considered unnacceptable.
Part of the fun of Grindhouse is being entertained and simultaneously horrified.
Lady Taffer on 12/4/2007 at 05:48
Pulp Fiction seemed to have a story, though, which was what interested me. There were a lot of other things I didn't like about the movie, though. Does Grindhouse have a story beyond it's B-Movieness exhibited in the trailer? I don't have any desire to find out.
However I don't think violence in this society is as unaccaptable as you might think. What I notice in a lot of violent films these days atrocities and objectivity aimed particularly at women and this sort of violence IS covertly acceptable in this society and when it does happen it's barely noted and the offenders are usually only punished lightly.
As a woman, if I were to go into a theater and watch a movie like this and see violence and objectification leveled at women it does not give me an adrenaline rush, it makes my skin crawl, it makes me sick to my stomach and it enrages me because I know that any man I might meet, if he so chose and by the privilage of his sex, can violate me whether it's crooning obscenely at me in the street or abducting and raping me and even if I reported it I'd probably be labeled a liar or that I was a "slut who was asking for it." Even if he did get jailed it would only be for a short time, and then he's back on the street to terrorize some other woman. . .the point of all that is when I see movies like this I get a clear message from the makers that all that I mentioned above is "OK" and acceptable.
On the flip side in a lot of these movies, the female characters are usually made really agressive these days and they slaughter their male antagonists just as easily. This doesn't give me an adrenaline rush either, in fact, it makes me mad because it's a big fat lie. The vast majority of women do not fight like this and many cannot protect themselves. The message I get from this is that the directors were like "Well, shit, we're a bunch of mysoginist pricks who wanna make our own violent jerk-off fantasies but we can't let anyone FIND OUT. . .I know! We'll make the chicks just as violent and aggressive as the dudes because violence of course, equals strength. That will totally pull the wool over their eyes!"
Could I be wrong? Possibly, but I know I personally get an icky feeling from these genres and frankly I don't care if I'm wrong or not because I don't need to go anywhere near these flicks.
I have similar feelings about men inflicting violence on other men, as well; I don't like it at all. I know I have an incredibly violent streak deep down inside, so I'm not sure how to reconcile this with my incredible distast for violent media. .*sigh*
A lot of the stories I write for my comics have a lot of violence in them, but that is a type of violence that's part of the story in the events that affect the characters. It's the whole glorification and "violence is so COOL!" thing I just don't get.
Ko0K on 12/4/2007 at 06:14
Quote Posted by Lady Taffer
That's the type of person I've found that hasn't had any real first-hand experience with violence either.
Without getting into details as to what kinds of personal exposures to extreme violence I had the unfortunate privilege of experiencing in my life, I'll just say that some experiences can grant you very unsettling perspectives. I took a whiff of decaying flesh close to 20 years ago, and I can still taste the stench on the back of my tongue. Contrary to what you insist, that ability to distinguish reality from cartoonish nonsense on the screen has actually added another dimension to the movie-going experience if anything. Anyway, you are defending a bad position because you haven't yet learned that embarassing yourself isn't the end of the world. Keep going at this if you wish, but, as you put it, you will see the light eventually. ...or not, I don't know; I'm not a fricking prophet.
(edit) Also, by the "first-hand experience" remark, I was alluding to my insinuation that if something has to be explained as opposed to experienced, then it cannot be fully explained. Meaning that you either get it or don't, and it's pointless to wonder why because life has a tendency to explain things through time.
Lady Taffer on 12/4/2007 at 06:22
I'm not saying that we somehow can't distinguish reality from the cartoonish nonsense on the screen--I know people aren't that stupid. What I'm saying is that it's disturbing how desensitized people are to violence, that many of them seem to enjoy watching this stuff without at least thinking "WHY am I enjoying this. ." and the only explanation I can come up with is that most folks, at least in North America have no concept of what real violence, dehumanization and adversity is. I certainly didn't as a child and it was then that I watched my action movies without questioning them once.
I've become a lot more exposed to violence and hatred in recent years and I'm beginning to take more notice of this culture's view on commercial violence.
Ko0K on 12/4/2007 at 06:43
Everybody sees the world in the shade of their own bubble. I don't think it's wrong of you to seek explanation as to why some things are entertaining to some people, but sometimes it's counter-productive to ask why. I personally decided to never ask why simply because I realized that other people have their reasons just as I have mine, and just as I'd rather not be put in a position to justify my rationale, it's probably better to leave them be and mind my own world.
AR Master on 12/4/2007 at 11:12
.
Lady Taffer on 12/4/2007 at 14:58
Yeah, I was thinking about it a lot and I figured it really does come down to personal taste. I'm sure there must be lot of decent good folks who enjoy that kind of thing . .. though I guess I never will understand why, and plenty of really scummy people get off on this stuff .. it's just impossible to really tell one from the other.
It really irks me because I realized the whole tone of my arguments sounds like I'm preaching a huge sermon, and frankly it's true. The one thing I would urge you though, if you don't already, is enjoy your violent films, but be mindful of them and what is it about them you really enjoy and is that healthy, is it not. . etc. .
There are a few violent films today that I rather like and I'm still trying to figure out what it is about them that I'm ok with as opposed to others.
AR Master, whether you're really a mysoginist prick or just joking (which I doubt) . .either way, welcome to my ignore list. Have a nice day. :)
SD on 12/4/2007 at 15:08
Meh, if you've seen the original, a remake is just gonna be :bored:
Rug Burn Junky on 12/4/2007 at 15:11
Lady Taffer, which was it, your father, an uncle or a family friend, that molested you when you were younger?
