Letter: Horror films not to blame for social and moral collapse
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: I was sorry to see even such a thoughtful columnist as Bryan Appleyard ('Making a killing in videos', 1 December) miscuing the argument over violent films. Child's Play 3 is not 'an irredeemably trashy horror movie', let alone a 'splatter movie'. It is a typical Hollywood horror film, produced by the studio that gave us the rather more frightening Jurassic Park.
The Child's Play series is not significantly different from many other series: Psycho, Halloween, Omen, Exorcist, Amityville, Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday The Thirteenth, Evil Dead, It's Alive, Hammer, Edgar Allan Poe and so on. Audiences have enjoyed the thrill of being scared by ghost stories long before film was invented.
For what it is worth I should also point out, for those like Bryan Appleyard who have not seen the film, that Child's Play 3 contains no scene remotely connected with the murder of James Bulger. It is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek affair about a demon doll attacking a military cadet camp. That so many serious commentators have been prepared to indulge in a judge-
induced hysteria has understandably baffled the police who investigated the murder. The social and moral collapse that could have allowed this terrible event deserves a more considered response than agonising over film technology giving adults new ways of experiencing surrogate terror.
By the way, Sky's schedules are not 'filled with' splatter movies. More than 80 per cent of all Sky movies are suitable for transmission at 8pm or earlier. More than half the remainder, restricted to 10pm transmission or later, are so restricted because of their sexual or verbal content. And even the most violent films include such critically acclaimed titles as the Oscar-winning Silence of the Lambs, and a string of Scorsese films (Mean Streets, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Cape Fear).
Less handwringing and more informed analysis are what we have come to expect from your columnist. Knee-jerk anti-Murdochism is no substitute.
Yours faithfully,
DAVID ELSTEIN
Head of Programming
British Sky Broadcasting Ltd
Isleworth, Middlesex
3 December
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments