tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494650070995979104.post4594628988925632926..comments2024-02-14T10:26:57.981+00:00Comments on CONFESSIONS OF A MOVIE FAN: Movies Don't Create Psychos. Movies Make Psychos More CreativeKCMachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397101563960501540noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494650070995979104.post-2528167479022826242013-05-10T15:29:51.431+01:002013-05-10T15:29:51.431+01:00Interesting question! I like your account of the f...Interesting question! I like your account of the films, though I haven't seen them.<br /><br />I doubt whether anyone could conclude definitively that movies do or don't incite people to mindless or copycat violence. There has been a lot of research on the topic and it seems to conclude that people are not incited or even encouraged to violence by watching violent movies. However, the research has been done with ordinary people. I think that what we need to worry about are the one in a thousand or one in a million people who do seem to have their behaviour affected by observing images such as those you describe. There does seem to be good evidence, both from the incidents you describe and from other well documented cases that some incidents of horrific and gratuitous violence are modelled on movie scenes (eg after 'A clockwork orange', the killing of Jamie Bolger and the recent Colorado cinema shooting).<br /><br />The other issue you raise is about parody. I guess here there is the question of whether the film makers are sincere/genuine/honest in their claim to be parodying or offering some kind of comment or critique. There's the unkind comment about Apocalypse Now that it wasn't an anti war film but rather an anti-war war film. Could the same be said about these?Gazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08673485802659116257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494650070995979104.post-71973139718624313782013-04-24T17:58:06.471+01:002013-04-24T17:58:06.471+01:00Yes, I did have computer games in my mind whilst w...Yes, I did have computer games in my mind whilst writing this article given recent events. As I said, it is an easy way out to blame it on everything but the perpetrator. Good point about the newspaper headlines.Katrinanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494650070995979104.post-77839155315059157432013-04-24T14:08:33.650+01:002013-04-24T14:08:33.650+01:00I find that people tend to look for somewhere to p...I find that people tend to look for somewhere to place the blame after a violent incident - whether it be films or that other regular scapegoat video games. Violent films always come in for their fair share of stick when something happens, but as you pointed out the perpetrators usually have something wrong with them in some way to even contemplate these violent acts. <br />DO violent films make people violent? No.<br />In the same way that violent video games don't turn people into mindless killers.<br />After Columbine the (sci-fi) game Doom was held accountable for the killers actions. Manhunt, Mortal Kombat and Grand Theft Auto have equally been blamed for inspiring killers. Even recently a link was made between games and the Sandy Hook shootings. Unfortunately, as with blaming violent films there is a habit of pointing the finger without substantiating evidence - the killer watched/played A so it MADE them do B.<br />A game doesn't make a person pick up a gun, and neither does a film.<br />The person does it because of a whole range of other reasons; social background, bullying, mental health, drugs and so on.<br />Playing Call of Duty doesn't make me want to go out and shoot someone, and neither does watching a violent film like Natural Born Killers. In fact the reverse is more likely among the vast majority of gamers and film goers.<br />But it's the few that do commit violent acts and try to place the blame on something other than themselves that get the attention.<br />"Ten thousand people watch Scream and don't kill anyone" doesn't sell papers or get the viewing figures of your news show up.<br />"Killer watched violent films, says they inspired him" however does.Troyhttps://troydennison.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com