GB wrote:
"This is particularly evident in the new crop of novels where
it is mandatory to include an action scene on every single
page of their three-page chapters."
So who is this? Bruen? Huston? Both have short chapters and
very brutal violence.
Will some of these detractors please name names, give titles
and/or authors? I'd like to know exactly what we are
discussing. Yes, I think most of us would agree that violence
can be gratuitous, but I think there'd be a lot of
disagreement about what books are guilty of this. And we need
specific examples in order to discuss where that line is. I
mentioned I drew it at Rex Miller's Slob and I put down
Stokoe's High Life some time go and am in no rush to finish
it -- wasn't so much that the violence and perverse sex,
often both together, were so disturbing as they got boring,
while plumping up and impeding the story, what there was of
one.
While I disagree with miker about Russell James's Slaughter
Music being over the line (like Al Guthrie, I think it's a
great hit man novel) and Last Exit to Brooklyn, I'm glad he
offered titles to show where his line is.
As for the movies that were cited, I'm one of those who
thinks Marvin getting his head blown off in Pulp Fiction is
exactly comparable to Daffy Duck taking a shotgun blast from
Elmer Fudd in the face. Doesn't mean other violence in movies
-- Irreversible, American History X, Reqiem for a Dream,
slashefilms, etc -- doesn't disturb me, some with an
underlying point, others without.
Haven't seen Hostel, but from what I've heard, I'd guess it's
more horror or splatterpunk than noir.
Mark
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