tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10506214.post7474622230401990850..comments2024-01-23T13:41:41.463-05:00Comments on The Forager Blog: Thoughts on The Devil's Rejects inspired by Wes Craven's The Hills Have EyesJon Hastingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030406521787423155noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10506214.post-27692094791899884852007-05-04T18:48:00.000-04:002007-05-04T18:48:00.000-04:00Hi Michael -Definitely stuff to think about: I've ...Hi Michael -<BR/><BR/>Definitely stuff to think about: I've been thinking about my reaction to this movie off-and-on since I saw it two years ago, but it wasn't until watching the Craven movie (which is definitely one of the flicks that inspired it) that I was able to articulate exactly what my problem with it was.<BR/><BR/>And part of me <I>does</I> admire it: it has, if nothing else, the courage of its convictions, even though I <I>do</I> think its convictions are pretty screwed up.<BR/><BR/>The difference between this movie, though, and a concert or between this movie and Rob Zombie's music or even between this movie and <I>House of 1000 Corpses</I> is that there's no <I>theatricality</I> here - there's no ritual distance, if you will: instead you get graphic violence and torture and glorification of the people doing the torturing. Like I said - that gives the movie a kind of purity that things like <I>Sin City</I> or <I>Old Boy</I> or even <I>The Wild Bunch</I> don't have, but maybe, when it comes to this kind of thing, a little impurity goes a long way.<BR/><BR/>I (think I) get what you're getting at by talking about other action movies, but I'm not sure I'd want to generalize about this. That is, my reaction to <I>The Devil's Rejects</I> is based on a number of specific things happening at the same time in that movie (i.e., graphic violence & torture, nihilism, a full frontal attack on my values and those values that actually make civilized life possible, etc.). I mean, I'm sure we can come up with action movies that are just as nihilistic or ones that are even murkier morally, but revelling in destruction is just one part of "action movies in general".<BR/><BR/>I thought Priscilla Barnes was pretty amazing - what fearless acting!Jon Hastingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01030406521787423155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10506214.post-88051633019936734782007-05-03T21:39:00.000-04:002007-05-03T21:39:00.000-04:00I know what you mean. At the same time ... Well, w...I know what you mean. At the same time ... Well, why <I>shouldn't</I> a movie aim to give the same bad-ass, fuck-it-all thrills that a satanic heavy-metal concert does? (Or that I assume it does, never having been to one ...) It's morally irresponsible, sure. But as long as no 5 year olds are present, why not take a holiday from everyday morality? Kick-ass, cut-loose, bring-it-on-down ... <BR/><BR/>I mean, part of the fun of action movies has always been destruction, no? Which they'd usually tie up with us rooting for the good guy. Why not be franker about the joys of destruction? <BR/><BR/>Not sure about this, btw. And just wondering. Anyway, I always like to look at myself twice when I decide I don't like a movie for moral reasons. <BR/><BR/>I thought Priscilla Barnes was great. How'd you react to her?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com