One of Oliver Stones masterpieces, Natural Born Killers, caused severe controversy due to the graphic, but sincere portrayal of how the media devilishly feeds on violence and how the people of the country respond to these glamorized acts of wrong doing. Although the nation has condemned the movie for its shockingly violent scenes, critics like Roger Ebert and devoted Stone fans like Jason O’Brien have a different perspective on the message that this movie is trying to portray. That is, the simple fact that we, a television based society, have narrowed our variety of entertainment to violence, sex, and sexual violence. A master a satire, Oliver Stone takes film viewers through a twisted tale of two mass murderers, their glorification by a journalist and the nation’s idolization of them.
The techniques used in this film create a feeling of violence beyond that of the actual murders that take place. Through its breakneck rhythm, changing color to black and white and cartoons to television anti-sitcoms, all while showing violent acts of murder and sexual abuse, takes shock to a new level. What makes this film so shocking is the fact that it shows how our nation reacts to such horror. “Stone was attempting to make a film that made us experience the true nature of violence, in order to see how absurd it is when the media makes killers heroes.” (O’Brien) Stone comically portrays Mallory’s childhood as a television sitcom. Her father’s abusive words towards her and her mother are the punch lines that the crowd is most pleased with. “ Maybe Stone meant his movie as a warning about where we where headed, but because of the Simpson trial it plays an indictment of the way we are now.” (Ebert) This clearly is a mirror image of our nation’s behavior during similar instances like the O.J. Simpson trial. During this time court TV was more of a soap opera than a trial of a man suspected of viciously killing two people.
One important scene in the film is the portrayal of Mallory’s home in the style of an American family sitcom. Oliver Stone was clearly mocking television shows that our society has grown up watching, like Leave it to Beaver and I Love Lucy. On the surface, sitcoms offer merely a sanitized picture of daily life. It represents the American dream, but not the true way of American life. Through this sce...
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...here is enough evidence right there to make Stone a free man. In my opinion, if you are going to blame Stone than you are going to have to blame every producer/director that ever made a violent film. I happen to think that this movie was quite an eye opener to the kind of entertainment we thrive on. It also pointed out how television can subtly blur what is real and what is fantasy.
Works Cited
Ebert, Roger. Chicago Sun Times. 08/26/1994. http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews /1994/08/937174.html
O’Brien, Jason. Oliver Stone: Our Greatest Film Director.
August 9, 1999. http://www.oscarworld.net/stone/
Default.asp?PageId=3
Wager, Lesa. In Defense of Oliver Stone and the Film Industry. August 11, 1999. http://www.oscarworld.net/
Stone/Default.asp?PageId=28
Weinberger, Michael. Natural Born Killers: A Postmodern
Analysis. http://www.users.viocenet.com/weinsb/whole.
Htm
2. According to Sobchack, contemporary screen violence greatly differs than portrayals of violence in years past. Today, violent scenes are careless and lack significance because we as audiences have become calloused and desensitized to any acts of violence. She states that there is “no grace or benediction attached to violence. Indeed, its very intensity seems diminished” (Sobchack 432). Senseless violence, gruesome acts, and profound amounts of gore are prevalent in movies today, and because even this is not enough, it must be accompanied by loud blasts and noise, constantly moving scenes to keep audiences stimulated and large quantities of violence for viewers to enjoy what they are watching. Decades ago, it was the story that was engaging to audiences and filmmaking was an art.
In the article “TV’s Callous Neglect of Working- Class America” written by Noel Murray explains the modern day TV shows un-relatable plots to Americans today. Murray describes how shows in the ‘50s through the ‘90s were relatable to Americans and how they lived their lives. The TV shows then were able to get such great reviews because the jobs the actors had in the shows were average money making jobs. The characters are meticulously when it came to how they used the money they earned. However, as the years have passed, the shows that are on today are not as relatable to Americans. The shows express the fantasy, perfect life that everyone strives to have, but in reality, it is not possible for every family. The programs on today do not convey the difficulties that average Americans face each day, causing the shows to become more and more relatable to average TV viewers.
This week’s readings of the reviews of Spike Lee’s ‘Do the Right Thing’ and Marilyn Fabe’s “Political Cinema: Spike Lee’s ‘Do the Right Thing’, raised a number of questions regarding not only the moral issues the film addresses but also the intention of the artist. This dialectical opposition, which Pamela Reynolds suggests “challenges the audience to choose” (Reynolds, p.138) between the narrativized hostility shown between that of the hero and villain. More specifically Lee’s portrayal of violence vs passive opposition. This can be perceived through Lee’s technical employment of contradictory quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr and Malcom X at the conclusion of the film, which not only highlights this concern but also deluges further into themes of political opposition. Marylin Fabe discusses this where she states that Spike Lee’s film carries a “disturbing political message” (Fabe, p.191). Arguably, ‘Do the Right Thing’ acmes themes of racism (Black vs White); with underlining motifs of imperialism (colonisers’ vs colonised), psychoanalytic (power vs powerlessness) and even Marxist theory (ownership vs public space/consumption), with Clarence Page stating that Lee provides a “public service… (not trying) to provide all the answers, but raising the questions.” (Reid, P.144). In saying this we explore this concept of the role of the artist, with Georgopulos stating that the role of the artist is to create a consciousness within the audience by revealing a fraught set of truths about the human condition. Thusly, the reactions and responses to the films reveal Lee to be successful in conveying his intentions, which back in its zenith, explored this issue of racism in a way that had rarely been seen, and presented the ways in which t...
This essay will examine my thoughts and those of David Sterrit on the critically acclaimed television show The Honeymooners. First, I will talk about the Honeymooners and it’s setting in postwar America. Secondly, the social and cultural issues the series portrayed. Next, would be the psychological perspective and the aesthetics of the show. Finally, the essay would conclude with my thoughts on how the Honeymooners were impacted by these aspects, but also how the show managed to leave a legacy in television today.
While Price does make a persuasive argument I cannot agree with the theme of his commentary. I have been a fervent viewer of television and films for years on end. Admittedly, much of what I watch on television qualifies as escapism or mere entertainment. I do not have a high degree of respect for the medium; however my love and admiration of film is intense. One could easily dismiss movies as superficial, unnecessarily violent spectacles, although such a viewpoint is distressingly pessimistic and myopic. In a given year, several films are released which have long-lasting effects on large numbers of individuals. These pictures speak to us as people and convey messages that are timely and timeless. Words are powerful, but visual images are overwhelming.
Violent Media is Good for Kids, by Gerard Jones, is an article which makes many claims to support the argument in which a controlled amount of violence could be beneficial for a young, developing child. Even though the topic of this article can be controversial, the claims serve to support the argument in many noteworthy ways. It is written in such a way that it tells a story, starting when the author was a child and works its way to his adulthood. In this case the author uses, what I believe to be just the correct amount of each rhetorical strategy, and fulfills his goal for writing the article. This argument is interesting and at the same time, effective. Throughout the analyzing process logos, ethos, and pathos are searched for and scrutinized.
...s at that time who have come of age. Perhaps no film in recent history has captured more attention and generated more controversial debate. This film resonates the feeling and question that common people had about the JFK assassination in the 60s. As a result, the debate about the validity of JFK extended much further into the war-torn cultural landscape of America in the 1990s than most observers noted. The JFK was a telling incident demonstrating the larger cultural conflict over values and meaning in America and the competition to define national identity. The whole affair demonstrated how effective a motion picture can be as a transmitter of knowledge, history, and culture. As a result, the debate about the validity of JFK extended much further into the war-torn cultural landscape of America in the 1990s than most observers have noted.
It has been said that the Declaration of Independence was more democratic and for equality and the Constitution was more for a republic that benefited only some people. The Declaration was idealistic the Constitution realistic. That 1776 gave us liberty and 1787 gave us order. Although as unfair as it may sound this seems to be true. After gaining liberty this country had to establish a system that would have order.
Gina Marchetti, in her essay "Action-Adventure as Ideology," argues that action- adventure films implicitly convey complex cultural messages regarding American values and the "white American status quo." She continues to say that all action-adventure movies have the same basic structure, including plot, theme, characterization, and iconography. As ideology, this film genre tacitly expresses social norms, values, and morals of its time. Marchetti's essay, written in 1989, applies to films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Rambo: First Blood II. However, action-adventure films today seem to be straying farther away from her generalizations about structure, reflecting new and different cultural norms in America. This changing ideology is depicted best in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (1994), which defies nearly every concept Marchetti proposes about action-adventure films; and it sets the stage for a whole new viewpoint of action in the '90's.
On March 3, 1915 the movie The Birth of a Nation was released at the Liberty Theatre in New York City. This film was financed, filmed, and released by the Epoch Producing Corporation of D.W. Griffith and Harry T. Aitken. It was one of the first films to ever use deep-focus shots, night photography, and to be explicitly controversial with the derogatory view of blacks.
Representations of violence in the media (defined as through news, film, and television) throughout history have contributed to desensitization to violent actions. Through character development, even the worst serial killers are portrayed in a manner that elicits a sympathetic response in the audience, effectively minimizing their crimes and leading to a positive relationship between the viewer and the killer’s crimes.
The film Cruel Intentions is a narration based on a bet between two step-siblings exploring society’s sexual boundaries. We are first introduced to Sebastian, a fifth year high school Senior with no respect for anyone/ thing except his own reputation of sexual conquest. His stepsister Kathryn is, well, as she puts it “I'm the Marsha fucking Brady of the Upper East Side”. A quick summary, Sebastian wants to have sex with Annette, the new head master’s daughter who wrote a manifesto on why she intends to wait until marriage. Kathryn makes a bet with he that he won’t be able to, and spends the rest of the movie trying to corrupt innocent little Cecile who is her ex’s new infatuation. Cecile is in love with the cello teacher of a different race, but through Kathryn’s temptation is learning the arts of sex from Sebastian. There is a trip up in the end for Sebastian falls in love with Annette which doesn’t go over too well with Kathryn and they all bite the dust in the end, (except for maybe Cecile).
Pollitt, Katha. "Natural Born Killers." The Nation 26 July. 1999. Rpt. in Violence in the Media as "Violence in the Media Reflects the Violence in Society." Ed. James D. Torr. San Diego: Greenhaven. 2001. 47-49.
Cruel Intentions The film Cruel Intentions, directed by John Hughes, is a fast paced. glimpse into the lives of the young New Yorkers whose entire existence. revolves around power, sexuality and to some extent class A drugs. Hughes The direction for the movie concentrates on those who prey on innocence.
Recently, FX aired the second season of American Crime Story, a series focusing on murders well-known within American history, such as OJ Simpson’s trial for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, and the assassination of Gianni Versace by the late spree killer Andrew Cunanan. As these stories grasped the attention of millions of viewers, Scott Bonn, psychologist and criminology professor, studied the motive for the audience’s intrigue to this category of shows. Although Simpson and Versace were icons of their time, already appealing to the public, the concept of serial murder was what drew the vast audience, and the center for Bonn’s research. Bonn discusses how the impact of true crime television is harmless, as it merely just caters to the craving for thrills by the audience. However, true crime entertainment humanizes the inhumanity of these crimes, thus desensitizing the severity for those directly impacted. The persistent advertising of serial killers enables an unhealthy obsession within the American people, causing their fascination to not only be motivated by