For the second week in a row, the sequel to "The Hunger Games" sits atop the box office. "Catching Fire" broke the record for both the largest three day and five day record Thanksgiving weekend.
"Catching Fire" resonates with audiences because of its revolutionary overtones and strong female lead. It's nice to see a film that has such a strong heroine that espouses values that both males and females aspire to embody. But for all of Katniss' spunk, grit and determination, the film remains one of the most violent features in theaters this year.
Al Jazeera published an article last month that found that gun violence in PG-13 movies has tripled since 1985. In recent months, the nation has become more aware and critical of the increasing gun violence in the country.
In September, Prindle interns Suzanne Spencer and Zach Crenshaw, both seniors, organized an event in which news reporter Suzanne McCarroll talked about ethically reporting incidents of mass homicide after the massacres at the Aurora movie theater and Columbine High School. The deaths of Trayvon Martin, the students at Sandy Hook and the countless other stories of gun violence that are getting national attention reflect an increasing national consciousness about this issue.
Why then has film not caught up with this consciousness? Why do Hollywood and film makers more broadly continue to portray gun violence in film? Why do we as consumers continue to support films that illustrate such violence?
This week Seth Friedman, professor of communication, and theatre and film studies seniors Bre Moore and Maddi Vering joined me and other Prindle interns in facilitating a conversation about the ethics surrounding violence in film at our second Popcorn and Pop Culture event. Violence is nothing new in film. "Bonnie and Clyde" was the first movie that showed the violent death of the protagonists. While it may seem worthy of a PG-13 rating by today's standards, the film was groundbreaking in its use of violence and gore. But perhaps the use of violence in film does more than just glorify its existence.
Friedman complicated my own thoughts about the use of violence in film by suggesting its subversive role. He went so far as to suggest that the use of violence could be antiwar. If you think back to the most vicious scenes in "Saving Private Ryan" or "Full Metal Jacket" the gore, the death, the brutality does not appear to celebrate violence. In both scenes the characters have adverse reactions to war, to violence. Film makers have a unique chance to erase the romantic associations we may have with violence.
One filmmaker in particular struck me as being one of the most unabashed proponents of violence in film. Quentin Tarrantino has long made violence a central theme of his movies. "Reservoir Dogs," "Kill Bill" Vol. 1 and 2, and more recently "Inglorious Basterds" and "Django Unchained" all have an absurd amount of guns (or swords) and blood present to almost a comical degree. The connection between violence and comedy may desensitize viewers to the realities of violence, but it also has the potential to make audiences think about the efficacy of such violence. Tarantino has made several comments regarding his use of violence most of which refers to the distinction between film and reality. Tarantino places the burden on the viewer. As consumers, he believes we have a responsibility to recognize fiction and not try and replicate it in our society. Tarantino's movies remain popular among critics and society at large for a variety of reasons including his use of violence, the stories and realities he creates, and other reasons that vary from individual to individual.
I want to return to "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." While it might seem comical for me to ask that you not run around with a bow-and-arrow and take out individuals that you believe are the enemy, I do ask that you look past the superficial use of violence and think about what the director is actually trying to say. It is ultimately up to each of you to determine what your stance is on the use of violence in film.
-Kennedy is a senior majoring in political science from New York City