Term paper on Violence In Movies

Free Violence In Movies papers

V-Chip
The V-Chip On February 8, 1996, President Clinton signed into law the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which dramatically altered the telecommunications industry over the next several years. One of the most controversial sections of the bill was Section 551, titled "Parental Choice in Television Pr

Use Of Focus Groups And Referenda In Uk
Pete Robinson Does British and foreign experience support the view that the greater use of focus groups and referenda today are signs of a healthy democracy? Alternatively do they undermine the role of parliament? Increasingly in Britain today the use of focus groups is becoming more and more comm

VIOLENCE IN MOVIES

The last few years have seen an increase in violence in movies. Action movies seem to get more 'exciting' than the previous movies each year and therefore, more violence is shown. Many people complain that violence is influencing our country and it's youths which causes many youths to fascinate about violence, eventually experience the fascination of violence for themselves and go crazy - go on a killing spree or something similar.

Violence in movies do in some way affect youths and people in society. It affects people's views of themselves, other people, the world and people's thoughts on certain things. Beliefs or values and attitudes may be affected by violence in movies. For example, if a certain person is a racist and believes white people are superior to black people, they may watch a movie which displays racial discrimination, such as 'American History X', and after viewing violent action against blacks, the person may decide to take action and go out and kill black people. This is an example of someone's beliefs/values and attitudes being affected by violence in movies.

It is believed that whatever is seen at the movies, children will praise certain shows and characters featured and try to be like them. They look up to their hero and want to do everything that person does. In an action packed movie, the hero or the 'good guy' is loved by children and they may try to copy their actions, thus leading to violence. So it is believed that violence in movies will increase physical aggressiveness among children and violent criminal behavior.

One method by which violent movies may promote criminal violence is simple imitation. Two surveys of young American male violent felons found that 22-34% had imitated crime techniques they watched on an action packed movie. On the questionnaire I conducted, 60% of the people who participated in the questionnaire said they have an urge to go fight, kill, save people, etc, after watching a movie full of violence and action.

This is only an urge, but may still result in the action of violence taking place. Children do imitate the behavior of models such as those portrayed in movies and other things such as television. They do so because the ideas that are shown to them on television are more attractive to the viewer than those the viewer can think up him/herself. This can be seen with the advent of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Young children cannot seem to get enough of these fictional characters and will portray them often. But it is Not only can violence in movies inspire children to take action, but can also inspire and empower potential criminals.

Of course, not everyone who watches a Rambo or Terminator movie becomes a criminal. The harm of violent television is felt most by the already vulnerable segments of the population. Alfred Blumstein, dean of John Heinz School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie-Mellon, notes that "the glorification of violence on television has little...