Does Television Encourage Killing?

I'm confused. There has been a lot of talk lately about the violence in computer games and whether or not that is generating murderous behavior. I don't play the kind of computer games that are under scrutiny but, after seeing a news story about combat computer games the other night, I couldn't help but wonder if computer gaming was the only problem. That news story was followed by a trailer for American Asylum.  The trailer graphically showed people being tortured. And that's hardly the only truly violent program.  How about Kevin Bacon's new series?  The trailers for that made my skin crawl.

Is violence on television less harmful than that depicted in computer games? Is there less impact because we don't "pull" the trigger ourselves?

It appears that many of our mass killers are teens and young adults.  We already know that by playing computers they develop incredible hand-eye coordination. But what else is created by those hours of "practice?" Perhaps a deadened sense of remorse or compassion? And does that apply to television? 

If we produce and promote violent television, are we somehow giving approval to the kind of behavior depicted in the programming? Are we saying that is OK because we depict killers who get away with it?

Since Cain killed Abel, humans have killed one another. I don't know many soldiers or law enforcement officers who felt good about killing, even when it was truly justified. Usually there were grave consequences, both moral and legal, to killing. What are the results when that isn't shown to happen? If the viewer does not see consequence to killing, what prevents that person from doing it themselves?

Does violence on television beget violence in real life? Or does it merely reflect the kind of society we've become? It's an old argument. Perhaps, at some point, it doesn't make any difference because it is a "chicken or the egg" situation.

So let's go ahead and have the discussion about computer games. But let's not ignore the elephant in the room - television.

Taking Chances

Mega-spectacular movies filled with lots of explosions and car chases, buoyed by some kind of super hero, fill our screens with pictures that make millions at the box office but have little to say. Please don’t misunderstand.  I like Bumble Bee as much as anyone. Sometimes, however, I like films that ask me to think about things a bit.

I see it this way.  I read both Sherlock Holmes and biographies of historical figures. One is purely for entertainment; the other can be inspirational and educational.  I write mysteries and I wrote a non-fiction book.  Both serve their purpose. I treat movies the same way.  Die Hard was great entertainment.  Lewis and Clark: The Journey instructs.

I took a chance on Taking Chance.  I knew little about the film but any movie starring Kevin Bacon is apt to get my attention. I brought it home.

"Reflections" is about communication so I am writing about a film that did exactly that.  It spoke to me on many different levels, something that hasn’t happened with a movie in a very long time.

Kudos to Ross Katz, the director, who knew the importance of the long shot, giving me time to absorb the scene and react to it.  Praise to the editor who cut from one tight close-up to another, moving the audience between alternating points of view without jarring it out of the spell cast by the scenes.  Congratulations to Bacon, who conveyed more with his body than could be said in pages of dialogue. And finally, a special thank-you to Katz, the writer, whose bare-bones script said what needed to be said…and no more.

There are several significant messages in this film.  Although I think they are important for all of us to consider, the reason I recommend you watch Taking Chance is not just its thought-provoking story.  I advocate this film because of its artistry and the skill the cast and crew used to bring it to you.  This film tells its story in a whisper. 

This movie really communicates.