tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post7266869061734624376..comments2024-02-05T10:41:31.777-05:00Comments on I Saw Lightning Fall: Britt Offers Two Takes on SF ViolenceLoren Eatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12488412683340389286noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post-3725949996237044562011-06-18T11:20:06.843-04:002011-06-18T11:20:06.843-04:00I'd think of the original Stargate (which show...I'd think of the original <i>Stargate</i> (which shows my age) or maybe <i>Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World</i> (which I haven't actually seen yet) as good examples of light-hearted films that incorporate violence in a more appropriate manner. But Tarantino is a great example of someone who does it in all the wrong ways. <i>The Wall Street Journal</i> had <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203550604574360451237742752.html" rel="nofollow">a great piece</a> on all the problems with <i>Basterds</i>.Loren Eatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12488412683340389286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post-82666366832419229032011-06-15T06:49:20.666-04:002011-06-15T06:49:20.666-04:00The point being that Zombieland admits that violen...The point being that Zombieland admits that violence is bad and goes, "But isn't this kind of <i>fun</i>?" in a shamefaced tone, whereas Basterds just goes, "Man, violence is <i>cool</i>," and leaves it at that.Scattercathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00302815654553659644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post-41707431912477375762011-06-15T06:47:48.149-04:002011-06-15T06:47:48.149-04:00For me, it's the difference between Inglorious...For me, it's the difference between Inglorious Basterds and Zombieland, which I saw in short succession when they first came out. Both feature copious amounts of almost cartoonish violence taken against mostly anonymous or semi-anonymous "pure evil" enemies, but Zombieland seems to realize that violence isn't really awesome and takes the time to put a fig-leaf romance/sentimentality plotline in between shooting people (or people-ish objects) in a manner played for laughs. In contrast, Basterds never seems to realize that there might be a problem with what it's doing. (To the degree that if it were anyone but Tarantino, I would suspect the whole film was some kind of metajoke on the audience. There's a moment where we see Hitler laughing and clapping at a scene in a movie in which a German soldier guns down Allied forces, and immediately afterward, the 'heroes' of the film come in and begin gunning down all the Nazis. The people in our theater <i>laughed and clapped</i>, apparently blissfully free of irony or cognitive dissonance.) If I hadn't heard Tarantino get uncomfortably enthusiastic about how cool all the action scenes are and brush away concerns by Godwinning the conversation, I'd swear it was done on purpose. (And there are those who do.)Scattercathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00302815654553659644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post-59194477582275565412011-06-14T15:22:39.338-04:002011-06-14T15:22:39.338-04:00If it's something light-hearted in the same sp...If it's something light-hearted in the same spirit as kids' games of cops and robbers, then I'd agree. The real problem occurs when a storyteller wants us to enjoy things that ought to repulse us. As far as electronic entertainment goes, <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/06/09/payday-the-heist-is-a-game-about-robbery/" rel="nofollow">this</a> strikes me as stepping over the line.Loren Eatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12488412683340389286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post-3629670931237698302011-06-14T10:04:54.953-04:002011-06-14T10:04:54.953-04:00I'd agree, except that sometimes light-hearted...I'd agree, except that sometimes light-hearted violence is fun. A good shoot-em-up can be an enjoyable experience, as long as everyone involved is clear that what they're doing isn't really helpful and is purely for fun.Scattercathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00302815654553659644noreply@blogger.com