Al wrote:
"Never fear. This is my last post on this topic, although if
you'd like to continue the discussion off-list, I'd be more
than happy. I'm afraid I'm boring everybody else now."
Not me. I'm also finding the discussion very
interesting.
"By that logic, if you read some more violent books, and
watch a few movies (try ICHY THE KILLER: I almost didn't make
it through the skewering scene . . ."
Yeah. That and the tongue scene were pretty rough.
". . . you'll get inured to the level of violence you're
currently uncomfortable with, and then it in turn will be
acceptable. Problem solved. A friend of mine who was studying
film had to do this to get through the course."
You really think that works? To a degree, sure, but I've seen
a lot of violent movies and read a lot of violent books and
some things still get to me. Like Karin, I'm particularly
sensitive to abused mouths. For instance, no matter how many
times I see it, the curb scene in American History X will
make me cringe. Then again, I don't think I've ever really
seen it all, as I immediately turn away. I've just started
your latest book and the baseball bats to the teeth by Cooper
and Tina (well, to the jaw) got to me more than the swings to
other parts of the body. This is not to say either was
inessential (or especially explicit). The first draws the
line between Cooper and the second establishes Tina's
toughness.
In another wy, the final scene in Requiem for a Dream really
got to me, made me physically queasy. However, the cut,
r-rated version does not work nearly as well.
Similarly, hospital scenes get to me, always will. They just
push a button in me.
So while I do think exposure can temper reaction a bit, it
cannot completely override a person's buttons.
Finally, while a very explicit, graphic movie scene-- say the
one in Ichi where he skewers the guy's cheek and chin -- can
get to me, it does not get to me nearly as much as far less
explicit footage of something I know to be real. They're both
just projected light and shadow, but my mind supplies very
different contexts.
Mark
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
--------------------~--> In low income neighborhoods, 84%
do not own computers. At Network for Good, help bridge the
Digital Divide!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/S.QlOD/3MnJAA/Zx0JAA/kqIolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rara-avis-l/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email
to:
rara-avis-l-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 19 Mar 2005 EST