Violence

[graceanne]

I won't tell you how many times I've seen Aliens.

K's right, it's an awesome movie!

I probably miss out on some good movies, just cause of the violence, and that's okay. I like to sleep at night. I've seen all of the House movies, all of the Halloween movies, Critters, some movie about a psychotic leprochaun, and one of the Jason movies. Granted I was between 4 and 8 when I saw those (bad babysitter), but I didn't sleep for years. I still can't sleep with the door open on my closet, and I won't go near my car after dark. I'm not much better 'cause LofR, the first one, had me up for days. I like my sleep more than I want to be entertained.

 

[Keroin]

It's kind of weird what works for me or bothers me versus what doesn't. I can't explain why or why not.

I'm not one of those people that liked Clockwork Orange or Caligula. Barf. Maybe that specific kind of seventies stylization just doesn't work for me. Also I really resent shock value crap. I love Pulp Fiction and I detest Kill Bill. I don't like feeling like my chain is being jerked by film violence - Pulp Fiction had enough actual ideas to shock ratio that it works for me - Kill Bill doesn't.

But I LOVE Takeshi Kitano, especially Fireworks which has some majorly violent moments, as punctuation - and I found the violence really beautiful in it. If it moves the story along it's OK. Kind of like singing.

Then there's stuff like watching the Stan Brakhage autopsy footage or a video of a sky burial - where it's not corn syrup and food dye. I'm OK with that some of the time and not others, it's really just where I'm at on a given day. I think dead people being cut up is OK, people being killed is not my cuppa.

I was exposed to a lot of film studies stuff, and it's interesting how old really disturbing filmic imagery actually is. The carriage scene in Potemkin and the eyeball slicing in Un Chien Andalou still make me wince more than Takeshi Mike or Wes Craven or anything that tries hard.

Liked Clockwork Orange but couldn't stand Caligula. I'm generally not a fan of the stylized seventies stuff, either but CO worked for me.

Now, the first time I watched Kill Bill, (1&2), I was kind of, 'bleh, shock violence'. The second time I watched them, I found them infinitely more enjoyable. Not sure why. Maybe I was expecting the level of violence so I was able to focus more on the interesting and quirky details. And I do really enjoy that over-the-top Hong Kong style.

There is a Thai film called Tom Yum Goong, (the English version is The Protector), which has brutal acting and a thin story but some of the very, very best and most beautiful martial arts sequences of all time - including a steady cam shot that goes on for almost five minutes!! Worth watching if you have a chance.

This guy makes Jackie Chan look like a rank amateur.

As for real "gore", after working in the animal hospital, medical stuff doesn't bother me at all. I can eat spaghetti and watch surgery at the same time. But real death, non-fiction death...nope. Do not like.

 

[Keroin]

I probably miss out on some good movies, just cause of the violence, and that's okay. I like to sleep at night. I've seen all of the House movies, all of the Halloween movies, Critters, some movie about a psychotic leprochaun, and one of the Jason movies. Granted I was between 4 and 8 when I saw those (bad babysitter), but I didn't sleep for years. I still can't sleep with the door open on my closet, and I won't go near my car after dark. I'm not much better 'cause LofR, the first one, had me up for days. I like my sleep more than I want to be entertained.

You know, everyone has to have their boundaries and, yes, sleep is more important than entertainment, especially when you have kids. I used to love horror movies as a kid, even the gory ones. Not sure when that changed but I never watch them now.

OK, that's a lie. I watched The Ring and it scared the bejeebus out of me!

 

[rida]

Violence in Action Movies, I find it more often than not just not a big deal. The whole story/action is usually sooo fictional that even the violence I can believe is fictional. I still not like to watch people being cut up so I often close my eyes
Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, Kill Bill, Bravehart would fall in this category.

Violence in Mistery, Detective, Thriller kind of movie can create all range of feelings, from disturbed to the point of not being able to watch (Seven, Silence of the Lamb, Alien) to fascinate me (Dexter, X-Files, Numbers).

And then there is the violence of movies that talk about true events ... and this one is the most disturbing. Not because I cannot sleep at night, but because I just cannot handle so much sadness. (For example Boy don't cry, Schindler List).

Splatter/Horror movies? No fucking way! LOL

 

[Keroin]

Violence in Action Movies, I find it more often than not just not a big deal. The whole story/action is usually sooo fictional that even the violence I can believe is fictional. I still not like to watch people being cut up so I often close my eyes
Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, Kill Bill, Bravehart would fall in this category.

Violence in Mistery, Detective, Thriller kind of movie can create all range of feelings, from disturbed to the point of not being able to watch (Seven, Silence of the Lamb, Alien) to fascinate me (Dexter, X-Files, Numbers).

And then there is the violence of movies that talk about true events ... and this one is the most disturbing. Not because I cannot sleep at night, but because I just cannot handle so much sadness. (For example Boy don't cry, Schindler List).

Splatter/Horror movies? No fucking way! LOL

Yeah, Boys Don't Cry gutted me. And I'm with you on the sadness thing.

I love Dexter. What a wonderfully drawn anti-hero!

 

[sb2009]

what gets me feeling squicky is when there are one or two (a small group) who are opposed by a larger group who is in authority but are abusing thier power. (childhood issues much? LOL)

For example, i once got really upset during a cop movie when the protagonist spent time in jail, falsly accused, and then was continually harrassed and beaten by cops. I cried and cried.

 

[intothewoods]

I'm with rida - although it's the sadness and despair and not the violence per se. I do watch good movies that are hard to watch, but I find it grueling. I mean, some movies just haunt me for days or weeks on end. I honestly spent a month heartbroken after Brokeback Mountain. It's such a moving love story.

Anyway, violence. I don't like gratuitious violence. I don't typically like action movies at all, with a few exceptions.

I admit I was never that into Pulp Fiction. To be fair, it's been years since I've seen it though, so maybe I should watch it again.

LOTR - Parts of the movies were fun, but wow was that shit slow. OMFG slow.

Dexter is one of those shows that I feel was slow to hit its groove, but then it got really good.

Did anyone watch Battlestar Galactica? There was some hot violent kinky sex in that show.

 

[00Syd]

Yeah, Boys Don't Cry gutted me. And I'm with you on the sadness thing.

I love Dexter. What a wonderfully drawn anti-hero!

Oooh I love Dexter, too. Who knew we could like a serial killer so much?

 

[sb2009]

Dexter is great! I cheer when he kills people LOL

 

[ultramarineblue]

Cruel and violent actions to animals just for the sake of cruelty bothers me. I can watch violence towards people more than that. I don't particularly like watching it but I can't watch someone being really violent to an animal. I think there was a scene in Butterfly Effect that made me forward the movie.

Movies like Seven and Silence of the Lambs don't really bother me. If it's too gross, I might turn my head. Most of the time, I still watch it. I don't like gory stuff for shock value though. It just seems pointless.

I really like Dexter too. Funny thing is that the second time I would watch an episode it would bother me just a tad when watching an episode the first time wouldn't.

 

[Keroin]

I'm with rida - although it's the sadness and despair and not the violence per se. I do watch good movies that are hard to watch, but I find it grueling. I mean, some movies just haunt me for days or weeks on end. I honestly spent a month heartbroken after Brokeback Mountain. It's such a moving love story.

Anyway, violence. I don't like gratuitious violence. I don't typically like action movies at all, with a few exceptions.

I admit I was never that into Pulp Fiction. To be fair, it's been years since I've seen it though, so maybe I should watch it again.

LOTR - Parts of the movies were fun, but wow was that shit slow. OMFG slow.

Dexter is one of those shows that I feel was slow to hit its groove, but then it got really good.

Did anyone watch Battlestar Galactica? There was some hot violent kinky sex in that show.

Mm, I tried to watch Battlestar Galactica, because I love sci fi but it was just too soap opera for me. And I liked the original Starbuck better

Brokeback Mountain was amazing and Heath ledger...wow. I know a lot of cowboys and Heath just absolutely nailed that role.

Oooh I love Dexter, too. Who knew we could like a serial killer so much?

Dexter is great! I cheer when he kills people LOL

The character is written and acted perfectly. Too much on the "good side" and we wouldn't believe him as a serial killer. Too much on the "bad side" and we wouldn't accept him as a protagonist. Also, IMO, that TV show has the best intro of all time.

Cruel and violent actions to animals just for the sake of cruelty bothers me. I can watch violence towards people more than that. I don't particularly like watching it but I can't watch someone being really violent to an animal. I think there was a scene in Butterfly Effect that made me forward the movie.

Movies like Seven and Silence of the Lambs don't really bother me. If it's too gross, I might turn my head. Most of the time, I still watch it. I don't like gory stuff for shock value though. It just seems pointless.

I really like Dexter too. Funny thing is that the second time I would watch an episode it would bother me just a tad when watching an episode the first time wouldn't.

Seven gave me nightmares. I was the tongue guy that did it. Eek. I was disappointed with the ending but I loved Morgan Freeman in that show.

Yes, cruelty to animals makes me squirm. I know exactly which scene you are referring to in the Butterfly Effect. I can watch it but it sure presses all my buttons.

 

[intothewoods]

Mm, I tried to watch Battlestar Galactica, because I love sci fi but it was just too soap opera for me. And I liked the original Starbuck better

Brokeback Mountain was amazing and Heath ledger...wow. I know a lot of cowboys and Heath just absolutely nailed that role.

Totally soap opera. I admit I'm a bit of a sucker for that.

 

[00Syd]

The character is written and acted perfectly. Too much on the "good side" and we wouldn't believe him as a serial killer. Too much on the "bad side" and we wouldn't accept him as a protagonist. Also, IMO, that TV show has the best intro of all time.

Oh my goodness, I completely agree! The opening sequence is absolutely genius, and almost more grotesque than some of the stuff that goes on in the actual show. I want to know who created it, and send them fan mail.

 

[Keroin]

Totally soap opera. I admit I'm a bit of a sucker for that.

LOL.

Me? More lasers, less angst.

Call me shallow, I can take it.

 

[Keroin]

Oh my goodness, I completely agree! The opening sequence is absolutely genius, and almost more grotesque than some of the stuff that goes on in the actual show. I want to know who created it, and send them fan mail.

There are only two TV shows that I will watch the opening to for every episode: Dexter and Firefly - I love the song for the latter.

 

[FurryFury]

You know, everyone has to have their boundaries and, yes, sleep is more important than entertainment, especially when you have kids. I used to love horror movies as a kid, even the gory ones. Not sure when that changed but I never watch them now.

OK, that's a lie. I watched The Ring and it scared the bejeebus out of me!

Yeah me too. My kids laughed it off. WTF?!?

 

[FurryFury]

Cruel and violent actions to animals just for the sake of cruelty bothers me. I can watch violence towards people more than that. I don't particularly like watching it but I can't watch someone being really violent to an animal. I think there was a scene in Butterfly Effect that made me forward the movie.

Movies like Seven and Silence of the Lambs don't really bother me. If it's too gross, I might turn my head. Most of the time, I still watch it. I don't like gory stuff for shock value though. It just seems pointless.

I really like Dexter too. Funny thing is that the second time I would watch an episode it would bother me just a tad when watching an episode the first time wouldn't.

I loved, loved, loved Butterfly Effect but violence toward animals does squick me out. It also makes me angry.

Also "real" fight stuff on TV and even my girl's fights bother me. Afterward, I can watch the playback to see a technical thing or whatever, when I know she survived and is fine. LOL.

 

[sb2009]

I love the song for Firefly. Well, I love the series, but the song....I have read sci fi for years, sincei was a teen...and the whole "cowboy/western" song hits the nail on the head for me, the spirit of sci fi.

 

[FurryFury]

Mm, I tried to watch Battlestar Galactica, because I love sci fi but it was just too soap opera for me. And I liked the original Starbuck better

I can't watch it either. I tried. I liked the original. My husband and daughter like this one. I just don't.

Brokeback Mountain was amazing and Heath ledger...wow. I know a lot of cowboys and Heath just absolutely nailed that role.

I was very dissappointed with Brokeback Mountain. I wanted to like it. I didn't. I saw nothing redeeming about the characters and they didn't even use lube.

The character is written and acted perfectly. Too much on the "good side" and we wouldn't believe him as a serial killer. Too much on the "bad side" and we wouldn't accept him as a protagonist. Also, IMO, that TV show has the best intro of all time.

I never thought I'd like Dexter. I do. What a surprise! His looks are not good for me but the show is well written and very clever.

Seven gave me nightmares. I was the tongue guy that did it. Eek. I was disappointed with the ending but I loved Morgan Freeman in that show.

Seven was dark and dirty looking. There was nothing that made it worth my time. I was pissed off I'd spent that time on that movie.

Yes, cruelty to animals makes me squirm. I know exactly which scene you are referring to in the Butterfly Effect. I can watch it but it sure presses all my buttons.

Butterfly Effect can be hard to take but it works for me in part because of the actor's challenge in playing all those different role, differently. It nails the emotional reasons for wanting to create change as well. I really love that film. Too bad the so called sequels suck so much.

 

[FurryFury]

There are only two TV shows that I will watch the opening to for every episode: Dexter and Firefly - I love the song for the latter.

I have to NOT look at the Dexter opening it's so icky to me. LOL. That's so funny.

I feel the same way about True Blood.

 

[graceanne]

Mm, I tried to watch Battlestar Galactica, because I love sci fi but it was just too soap opera for me. And I liked the original Starbuck better

K watches BG and I agree - SOAP OPERA. I also won't watch SG1 and SG Atlantis for the same reason.

I loved, loved, loved Butterfly Effect but violence toward animals does squick me out. It also makes me angry.

I did not like butterfly effect. K did, but it was too weird for me to enjoy.

I love the song for Firefly. Well, I love the series, but the song....I have read sci fi for years, sincei was a teen...and the whole "cowboy/western" song hits the nail on the head for me, the spirit of sci fi.

K watches firefly, and it's one of the shows that I'll watch with him. Good show.

 

[intothewoods]

LOL.

Me? More lasers, less angst.

Call me shallow, I can take it.

Dude, I said I was a sucker for a soap opera! We all have our guilty pleasures. Actually, it's also that I like puzzles to a certain degree. But fuck Lost. That is just fucking annoying.

As for Butterfly Effect - um, we are talking about the one with Ashton Kutcher? I really can't get past Ashton Kutcher.

 

[eastern sun]

When I was a kid I went with friends to see some movie where this beautiful dark-haired slave girl was put in a wicker basket during an illusionists' act, but after he thrust about seventeen swords through the basket. blood started pooling on the floor and the look on the guy's face was priceless. It was the first taste of screen violence that totally got under my skin. And I spent many, many days trying to imagine what it looked like inside that basket.

And when I was about 13 years old, I would sit and pore over whaling books published by Greenpeace while I was babysitting. I was fascinated by the gore.

I scared myself so much with Night of the Living Dead and Jaws, I had nightmares for years, and I still watched every sequel that came out.

I used to make myself look at photographs from Hiroshima. And I ended up working with violent people.

I had a fascination with violence of both the real and fictional kind.

Until my kids were born. As soon as I had a baby, I couldn't stomach the violence in movies or on the news. And I saw no reason to excite myself that way just for entertainment. It was frustrating to hear screams and explosions coming from the television set while I put the baby to sleep. And still today, I find it very disturbing and surreal to sit quietly with my daughter in her bedroom while women are being brutally murdered in our living room.

Nowadays, I'm on a roller coaster between the two extremes. I love Lord of the Rings and have been watching the battle scenes with my kids since they were little. I also was fascinated by the torture and brutality in movies like Syriana and the Last King of Scotland. But then I'm just as likely to feel contempt and disgust for some cheesy crime drama because there's too much gratuitous, superficial violence obviously designed to get the boys off. It's like, if it doesn't cut deep enough, why bother?

 

[Keroin]

When I was a kid I went with friends to see some movie where this beautiful dark-haired slave girl was put in a wicker basket during an illusionists' act, but after he thrust about seventeen swords through the basket. blood started pooling on the floor and the look on the guy's face was priceless. It was the first taste of screen violence that totally got under my skin. And I spent many, many days trying to imagine what it looked like inside that basket.

And when I was about 13 years old, I would sit and pore over whaling books published by Greenpeace while I was babysitting. I was fascinated by the gore.

I scared myself so much with Night of the Living Dead and Jaws, I had nightmares for years, and I still watched every sequel that came out.

I used to make myself look at photographs from Hiroshima. And I ended up working with violent people.

I had a fascination with violence of both the real and fictional kind.

Until my kids were born. As soon as I had a baby, I couldn't stomach the violence in movies or on the news. And I saw no reason to excite myself that way just for entertainment. It was frustrating to hear screams and explosions coming from the television set while I put the baby to sleep. And still today, I find it very disturbing and surreal to sit quietly with my daughter in her bedroom while women are being brutally murdered in our living room.

Nowadays, I'm on a roller coaster between the two extremes. I love Lord of the Rings and have been watching the battle scenes with my kids since they were little. I also was fascinated by the torture and brutality in movies like Syriana and the Last King of Scotland. But then I'm just as likely to feel contempt and disgust for some cheesy crime drama because there's too much gratuitous, superficial violence obviously designed to get the boys off. It's like, if it doesn't cut deep enough, why bother?

Yes, I definitely had more of a fascination with violence and gore as a kid. I remember this old book I found about big disasters and the middle was full of black and white photos. All quite grizzly. There were a few of the Hindenburg but the one that stays with me to this day was from a factory fire. It was a textiles factory and the employees were all women. They locked them inside except for lunch breaks so that the women couldn't sneak out for cigarette breaks. A big fire broke out and the women were trapped. Several jumped from the upper story windows, only to impale themselves on the wrought iron fence below. It was horrific...and they had photos of this.

I was horrified but I looked at those photos again and again. I can still see them. These days, if I found such a book, I wouldn't want to see, I'd put it away but as a child I could not look away.

Strange.

 

[Soumis]

My take on violence in movies is pretty varied. Action, epic violence is not a problem. Disturbed torture of animal or people is. My response is closely related to my feelings about the perpetrators and victims of the violence.

I can't stand horror movies. Butterfly Effect had me huddled in my chair with my eyes closed waiting for it to end. I just don't do scary, not one little bit.

Side note: I loved Battlestar Galactica and Firefly.