Re: RARA-AVIS: Re: Violence (was: Violent Saturday)

From: Al Guthrie ( allanguthrie@ukonline.co.uk)
Date: 26 May 2003


----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Sullivan" < DJ-Anonyme@webtv.net> To: < rara-avis@icomm.ca>

> I really like your idea about a classification system of fictional
> violence. Out of curiosity, where would you place Crumley? I always
> thought he was one of the best at writing firefights, especially in his
> masterpiece Last Good Kiss.

That's the only Crumley I've read and, from what I recall, I'd place it in the category of comedy violence. From what I remember, a redneck blows off his own foot, Trahearne (?) gets shot in the buttock and there's a scene with an axe-weilding madwoman. I like this sort of thing, don't get me wrong, and Crumley does it brilliantly. Christopher Brookmyre also does it very well. But I don't think (from what I've read) that either writer portrays violence realistically. Most of us are not lucky enough to experience violence through a comedy filter. Fictional violence has to scare me to seem real. If it's amusing, I'm inclined to believe it's been sanitized for public consumption. Just my take on it, Mark, since you asked.

Al

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