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violent films are to blame

sleazenation

11:31 / 17.10.01

Well it had to happen sooner or later, someone was always going to attemt to pin some of the blame for the WTC horror on the media but i never thought it would be vetran film director, Robert Altman.

So should we all have our crayons taken away lest someone take inspiration from our work?

or do people agree with Altman?

Eloi Tsabaoth

16:33 / 17.10.01

Yes. You see, if the suicide bombers had watched something nice like Mary Poppins they may have attempted to kill American citizens by flying kites, or jumping into a chalk drawing of the oval office.It was the evil films that did it...
Robert Altman is clearly at that wonderful 'pyjamas in the daytime' age...

Mordant Carnival

16:42 / 17.10.01

quote:Originally posted by Impending Democracy:
Robert Altman is clearly at that wonderful 'pyjamas in the daytime' age...

'Underpants on over trousers' stage, more like.

YNH

18:31 / 17.10.01

Y'know, Crunchy brought up something like (a simile... remember the difference) this in the Headshop: the US gov. conferencing with hollywood's hottest in a brainstorming session about possible avenues of attack and possible defenses. So, in some ways, Altman was not the first; the Joint Chiefs of Staff were. And the directors weren't arguing.

On the other hand, how many movies had that image? Comic books, though, they show that shit all the time.

The real problem with Altman's outburst is that it sets the tone of the debate at an outrageously simple fringe height, so nobody can agree with him; and, of course, media critics get his dirt on their shoes.

Molly Shortcake

22:05 / 17.10.01

Thank you Mr. Altman. All this time I've been blaming the media for the media and the terrorists for terrorism, Doh! These two sweethearts love to use each other though - they're so entrenced in spectacle that the line between them isn't clear at all...

I wonder what video game Hitler was into?

[ 18-10-2001: Message edited by: Ice Honkey U.B.C.S ]

[ 18-10-2001: Message edited by: Ice Honkey U.B.C.S ]

Cop Killer

05:20 / 18.10.01

quote:Originally posted by Impending Democracy:
Yes. You see, if the suicide bombers had watched something nice like Mary Poppins they may have attempted to kill American citizens by flying kites, or jumping into a chalk drawing of the oval office.

That would have been so much scarier, though, if they made it work 'n all.

Perhaps we should start blaming the media for everything. I'm currently blaming them for my bad hair day.

reidcourchie

06:34 / 18.10.01

YNH you've changed your tune.

Chubby P

08:06 / 18.10.01

Its okay to show TV footage of real life events every 5 minutes for several days but not okay to show fictional events that may inspire terrorists.

If you were a terrorist which would you find more inspiring? True success or fictional success? I'm sure the terrorist were big Marilyn Manson fans and had read the Authority as well.

DaveBCooper

08:06 / 18.10.01

No, violent people are to blame.

Aside : apparently, Fred and Rosemary West’s video club rental records showed they rented Disney films. Hmm.

DBC

sleazenation

08:06 / 18.10.01

and lets not forget all those who find support for their antisocial acts in the bible... oh own goal there maybe fiction is to blame.

The Return Of Rothkoid

10:18 / 18.10.01

Fuck that; the new theory has to be that sensory input is to blame.

e-n

10:47 / 18.10.01

You'll note that the article mentions that Altman is preparing to release a movie.strange timing that
what a wanker.

johnny whatif

12:26 / 18.10.01

quote: Fuck that; the new theory has to be that sensory input is to blame.

Ha! That's right! As of the 1st January 2002, all children born will have all contact between their sensory organs and their brains disconnected, thus reducing the number of possible functional terrorists... What an idea!

PS. I'm with e.n on this. Altman's a wanker. I'd expect kneejerk reactions like that from politicians, not from a filmmaker who, until recently, i'd quite respected. I'm not a big fan of explosive action movies, but i'm bang alongside peoples right to make and watch them...

PPS. How about banning the words "gun", "knife", and "explosive" too, because, obviously, if they didn't exist, no terrorist would be able to work, huh? Another doozy of an idea?

[ 18-10-2001: Message edited by: johnny whatif ]

MJ-12

12:37 / 18.10.01

If we stop making action films and turn out nothing but Merchant Ivory period dramas and Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan romantic comedies

then the terrorists will have won.

Not Here Still

16:09 / 18.10.01

Hmmm. Maybe Altman suspects the terrorists have seen Dr T and the Women (or whatever it's called.) It's enough to inspire anyone.

This is bollocks, and I think we all know it's bollocks. Does anyone really believe that violent films lead to violent responses?

What I'm more worried about is the film of 'Enduring Freedom.'

It will be made, eventually: It will be absolute shite, defintely; and there will be a cameo from Jonze, Fincher et al playing themselves helping the Government, depressingly.

YNH

02:30 / 19.10.01

quote:Originally posted by reidcourchie:
YNH you've changed your tune.

I was simply cast in jackboots during that thread. Note the "dirt on shoes" comment and that'll clear everything up. Not "are to blame" but "in some instances may contribute to." Altmanesque comments (with rapid dissemination) tend to make the discussion difficult to have, y'know.

Chubby P

08:00 / 19.10.01

Actually the action movies are having an influence. I checked out the cnn website and on the right in huge writing it had 'America Strikes Back'. A lot of it portays John Wayne types going in to clear up that dirty old town of Afghanistan! To be fair some of the reports are more grey in reporting the conflict but a lot are black and white. Heroes vs villains. Good vs Evil. Very Hollywood. Media influencing media.

So the finger points back at you Mr Altman and I say that your work is just influenced by the media around you and you in turn are influencing the media around you and hence if you believe your accusations hold true then you shoulder as much responsibility as all those accused action film do.

Molly Shortcake

13:16 / 19.10.01

On the media = terrorism thought:
Enquirer declares "world exclusive" on self.

Mystery Gypt

08:02 / 20.10.01

nevermind the fact that the people we're at war with DON'T FUCKING WATCH TV OR MOVIES.

or the fact that invariably, government folks who are against "media violence" would never consider banning actual guns.

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