In the last few years, I have noticed that on screen violence has become as
common as a Cheesesteak in Philadelphia. People often argue that the violence
seen on screen is influencing our culture, yet each year the amount of viewers’
increase. It seems that in order for your film or program to be successful it
must contain violence. In my opinion, this constant levitation of violence on
screen is due to our cultures’ infatuation with the art of violence. Violence is
present in the most of our cultures most enjoyedfilms like Independence Day,
daytime talk shows such as Jerry Springer and even in cartoons that have been
around forever like Tom & Jerry. I can recall a time when daytime talk shows
(Donahue, Oprah) would hardly ever have audience feed back and very few
panelists. My how times have changed. On today’s talk shows, such as Jerry
Springer, there is always a boisterous audience member, or an insane guest. Just
as sure as you will find Abe Lincoln on a penny, you will see a chair fly on
Jerry Springer. The Springer show was the first show to have guests’ fight
without stopping the camera. Jerry Springers’ blatant disrespect for daytime
show rules stirred controversy in the media but it also stirred up something in
the public…. interest.Although Jerry Springer had gone against all the rules
of daytime, his rebellion had made his talk show the most watched show in the
nation. When the Springer show surpassed the ratings of all time favorite Oprah
Whinfrey, it was re-established that violence sells. Recently the Springer show
has stopped airing its’ fierce and very real fights for many reasons, one being
that 23% of the people that watched his show are under the age of sixteen.
Although Jerry Springer is a show intended for adults, childrens’ shows contain
violence as well.When I was a child, I saw nothing wrong with the Elmer Fudd
hunting Rabbits or other Looney Tune characters being blown up, shot, or thrown
off a cliff. Wile E. Cyote was always being killed while scheming to catch the
Road Runner. The most popular cartoons always contained violence. Though not the
most violent, Tom ; Jerry exhibited the cat and mouse chase with a little
extra. There have been countless times I have been glued to the TV as Tom was
beaten up, cut up, or strangled by the witty mouse Jerry. It did not even strike
me as violence, but it was. I watched Tom ; Jerry a few days ago, I realized
that the whole show was based on Tom and Jerry trying to kill each other. Tom
trying to kill Jerry to eat him or keep his master and mistress happy and Jerry
trying to kill Tom to save his life. There weren’t a lot of weapons used in Tom
& Jerry except for a few explosives here and there but never any guns like
in many big screen movies.Everyone loves to go to the movie theatre with their
over priced snacks and sticky floors, but what makes movies sell? The films that
make the most money at the box offices are usually action films that have many
fist fights, explosives and big guns. Independence Day grossed more at the box
offices than any other film in history. The movies plot was typical. A group of
fearless humans attempts to save the earth from vicious extraterrestrial. Will
Smith fist fought aliens, blew up planets and clobbered all the bad guys. The
movie was consisted of a visual feast of explosives, property damages, and
incredible sound effects. Independence Day was to Sci-Fi what Twister was to
disaster films. Although Independence Day contained a massive amount of violence
almost every person in America went to see it, and loved it. Just because our
culture loves violence on screen, it does not mean that we all have sick and
tormented minds, we are not all just killers waiting to happen. Our culture is
obsessed with real issues being dramatized . There is nothing wrong with having
violence in films and on T.V. If a person wants to sit down and watch Will Smith
blow up a planet and save the world, then they have that right. I personally
enjoy watching action films with explosives, fistfights and death counts at
nearly one hundred. I love the feeling of leaving the theatre in awe of what I
just saw. Violence is apart of our culture both on and off the screen, only we
can make light of a serious matter through the production of films, talk shows
and cartoons.
