Warner Home Video was responding to this view when it postponed release of ‘Natural Born Killers’ indefinitely.
Banning a film can actually increase people’s desire to see it. If violent films are removed from mainstream cinema, audience demand might be met by an unregulated ‘underground’ industry.
Different Types of Violence in the Media.
Important to recognise differences in which violence is represented in media images. can either be explicit or implicit.
implicit images could lower the age certificate if it’s used in the visual media.
Three types of violent representation;
‘Home Alone’ - ‘comic violence’/‘slap-stick comedy’, like cartoon violence. ‘Platoon’ can be classified as realistic violence. Based on an actual real-life event. Doesn’t use ‘gratuitous violence’ like in ‘Dirty Harry’ which uses violence for enjoyment / thrill.
The effects of being exposed to too much media violence.
Researchers cannot agree on how audiences are affected regarding violence. Among the effects suggested are:
Imitation – which means that some people will be encouraged to copy the type of behaviour shown.
Cartharsis – which means that by experiencing the violence second-hand, audiences will be able to release their own aggression and frustration, and thereby become more relaxed and non-violent.
Desensitisation – which means that being exposed to a steady stream of violent images causes audiences to become numb and accepting rather than shocked or concerned.
The biggest criticism of the ‘hypodermic needle’ argument is that it does not fully taken into account how active the audience is in receiving the media
The Effects Theory – which means that the media are the most influential parts of out lives. Television, cinema, music...etc. can be more decisive in our lives than friends, family, school, religion or our own personality. It has more effect and impact. People who want to blame media for real life violence usually use this theory.
Uses and Gratifications (violence for pleasure) – means that people use the media for pleasure of information. But we’re in control and we choose whether to experience the media or not.
Political Economy – which means those violent images attract audiences. Profiles are better with higher audience figures. Therefore, violent images are important to make money for the television and film companies.
We control the media, and it’s not the media’s fault if we’ve created Gladiators or Power rangers.
Case Studies
- Texas police is studying Marilyn Manson’s music after a teenager stabbed a friend after watching one of the singer’s videos.
- The James Bulger murder in 1993, where the film ‘Child’s Play’ was said by some newspapers to have been viewed by the killers before their act.
- In the spring of 1996, a gunman killed sixteen children and their teacher in a primary school in Dunblane, Scotland. A few weeks later, a similar gun attack took place in Tasmania, Australia. There was speculation that media coverage of the Scottish killings had prompted the second massacre.
- Following the release of the film ‘Natural Born Killers’ in 1994, it was claimed that several copycat killings had taken place in the USA and France. In the UK, there were many calls for the film to be banned. Yet the BBFC decided against such a ban, after investigating the cases involved.
- Actor Dustin Hoffman has starred in violent films in the past but now refuses to accept such roles.
- The BBFC figures indicate a downward trend in the number of films featuring excessive violence. Film distributors can reach a bigger market if films are classified as suitable for a younger audience.
- The Parental Music resource Centre in America led by Tipper Gore who protested about lyrics in heavy metal, rap and pop artist songs, and which led to record companies putting Parental Advisory stickers on the covers of controversial releases.
- In 1997, Nathan Brown (16) was jailed for life for the murder of 14 year-old Carl Rickard outside their school in 1996. During his trail it was alleged that he spent most of his time watching violent video games. His gang had nicknames based on video game characters.
- The drive-by-shooting in 1996 of Tupac Shakur. Many of his songs had been about violent gangster life. His songs may have contributed or reflected his own death.
- In 1994, the decision if ITV to not continue the ‘True Crimes’ series because of amid worries over negative effects from crime reconstruction programmes. Employed good-looking actors might have made the crimes look ‘sexy’. The reconstructions might also have created and built up unneccessary fear.
Video games
The industry’s current mantra states that games are escapist and fun, and don’t lead to copycat violence in real life.
The European Leisure Software Publishers Association’s (ELSPA) Roger Bennett says ‘ the latest research conducted in the UK stated quite clearly that imitation of computer and video games is hardly a problem. Games are viewed as fun and fantasy, and in that context, they shouldn’t – and don’t – cause a problem in terms of imitation.’
as games become increasingly sophisticated, they are beginning to depict violence in ever more graphical and realistic terms. Consequently, it’s more important that it ever has been to keep a close eye on the age classifications that all but the most inoffensive games are required to carry. Games are all about providing their players with the ability to carry out fantasy activities that simply wouldn’t be possible in real-life. And that includes activities that are far beyond the boundaries of the law.
Computer games that stirred up trouble
- Space Invaders drew calls for a blanket ban and early day motions from MPs when it appeared - that youngsters would become hooked on it, play truant and indulge in petty crime to fuel their alien-blasting habits.
- Mortal Kombat - first beat-em-up game to depict blood. As a result, most such games now let parents input codes that ensure the proceeding of blood-free.
- BMG Interactive’s Grand Theft Auto, in which you play a petty criminal performing increasingly major crimes, awards points for stealing cars, shooting pedestrians & even blowing up bus-loads of nuns, prompted outrage.
- Postal (American game) seemed to exist to generate controversy. Heavily armed serial killer with the sole aim of killing as many bystanders as possible & evading the police - offended everybody, the US Postal Service threatened to go on strike.
