The masochistic victims were just as enthusiastic as the sadistic perpetrators. Hollywood is fond of congratulating itself for films that supposedly encourage audiences to do great things or become more liberal and tolerant. I think film-makers need to come clean on the fact that films also have the power to influence society for ill.
I am very much aware that children see lots of films that they are psychologically ill-equipped to deal with, and I have no doubt that violent films — and especially ones that involve sexual violence — can, especially if they are viewed to the exclusion of other, more civilised movies - have the harmful effect of normalising bad behaviour for certain people, especially if they are immature, psychologically damaged or just plain dumb.
Are you in favour of stronger screen censorship, or more rigid viewing categories? I regard the most irresponsibly pernicious films as a kind of environmental pollution. Similarly, I think Quentin Tarantino is a potentially brilliant writer-director who might achieve that potential if he became less hung up on extreme violence to please the fanboys. As a critic you have to watch all genres of film and be objective, whereas the average film-goer tends to like a narrow field.
Do you find it easy leaving your personal tastes behind? I am anything but objective, and any critic who pretends to be objective is a liar.
No two people watch the same film. I do try to be fair-minded and try to watch films from three angles simultaneously. One is from my own, subjective viewpoint. If I have room, I usually attempt in my reviews to give some indication of what the core audience for a film is.
As a private person, rather than a critic, what sort of film do you love to see? I genuinely like the best films in every genre. I really liked The Cabin In the Woods last year, because it was an intelligent slasher movie. And I liked Wild Bill, even though it was that most tired of concepts, a British gangster film: it simply struck me as one of the best in its genre.
But I do have a soft spot for musicals and I was delighted that Les Miserables turned out to be as good as it was.
My favourite musicals, however, have all been better on stage than on celluloid, so I would love to see a revival of that genre, which would allow us to see and hear more of the best musicals performed with present-day production values. The important thing for a critic is to attend each film with the willingness to be receptive.
I think the greatest movies have the power always to move you. There are also a few films that I think are great and hardly anyone else does. Those are often comedies, and comedy is notoriously subjective. Are you disciplined as a journalistic writer with a set routine and preferred place to write?
I see movies Monday and Tuesday and write about them on Wednesday morning. I carry that discipline through to writing novels or musicals. I have never missed a deadline, and unlike my old pal Douglas Adams I would feel horribly guilty if I ever missed one. Do you have any plans to get involved with the stage again? Yes, I wrote, directed and co-producedHard Times, which I still feel deserved a much longer run than the performances or so it achieved in the West End. I am writing another musical right now, based on the Arabian Nights.
So you write fiction? Wodehouse, or a more grown-up J. My third, Another Fine Mess, is another comic thriller. I hope some brave soul will publish them. And so does my agent. If there was one thing you could change in the film industry what would it be? Do you have a favourite moment from one of them? I hate film premieres as a rule. They go on forever because — rightly — the stars want to meet their public and sign autographs. Good for them, but not so great for the audience waiting for the film to start.
When I wrote for the Sunday Telegraph over many years, I did not receive one piece of hate mail. Since moving to the Mail, my hate mail runs into the hundreds per year or, in the case of Kick Ass, per week. This does not happen, I have seen the film once and it was made very clear what happened to the dogs.
Maybe he misunderstood or was not paying attention, but either way what he wrote is not true and is therefore a lie. I know everyone makes mistakes, but when they are made they should be owned up to and corrected.
Will this happen? I doubt it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Dredd captured the essence of ad, and Chris would know that had he ever given either the comic or the movie the time and attention they deserved. Everybody Is entitled to their opinion.
But a opinion Is just that a opinion. He writes with a alooftness that offended me having only read one article. Attacking truly creative people and attacking art is like painting over the Mona Lisa. He Is a scum bag. As long as ultra violence exists In my world which it does. I want it in my movies books and television. It might be more suited to his cowardly sensibilities. I love his arrogant reasoning too. People that hate me or disagree with me must be mental.
No they just hate you and disagree with you. Saying that Chris you might get a bit shook by the scene where Pee-Wee upsets the biker gang. Maybe you could draw some disgusting comparison between the peril Pee-Wee faces and Mark Bridger.
Just a suggestion. I know you do enjoy a good child killer comparison. In your shitty reviews. I dare you to respond. I miss Chris Tookey!
I for one will miss the reviews and look forward to maybe reading future reviews in another medium. I bought it and devoured it. I would visit it regularly, as much as any site, for years. Great piece Barnaby.
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