Have you ever left the cinema halfway through a film? If you have, why?
November 6th 2006 20:12
I have, for some peculiar reason I saw The Passion of The Christ with some friends. I think my decision was only down to curiosity rather than an intense desire to see the film. I left during the scene where Jesus was being whipped. The unrelenting public violence incorporating all my senses was too much: if I closed my eyes I could hear the whipping and torture, if my eyes were open I could see the tormentors’ vengeful faces. Watching him being whipped almost to his death too much for me. It was at this point that I left, quite traumatised. It felt as though it dwelt almost lovingly on the violence. I understood that the film needed to show the violence of certain acts and that its harsh depiction was to be expected, but in my opinion, Mel Gibson made the mistake of diluting all the violent aspects beyond some viewers' tolerance levels. He claims he wanted "to create a lasting work of art and to stimulate serious thought and to inspire tolerance, love and forgiveness."
Subtlety is not a word in Mel Gibson's lexicon, and he has made the most relentlessly violent film I've ever seen - horrendously violent. I was shocked by the ultra-violence of this film and as a result the tragic story left me numb rather than inspired.
Waiting for my friends to come out the cinema, it was easy to spot any The Passion of The Christ viewers; they were the pale quiet crowd.
A film I that nearly left was Boise Moi. This film became renown for its violence and real sex scenes: a vividly nihilist road movie set in France. A friend and I saw it at the Valhalla before it was actually given a rating other than it being R. We thought that the sex scenes were likely to be graphic and realistic (especially seeing as it was French!), but we didn't realise the extent of the violent rape scene that happened within the first ten minutes of the film. It was the most brutal rape scene I have ever seen, it was unrelentingly explicit. I can still see it in my mind when I think of the film. Thankfully, it was a relatively short film, but nonetheless, it left us awfully traumatised. I have often wondered why I didn’t leave the cinema; I think I was in too much in shock. Other people in the cinema actually left after the rape scene.
In both cases, I feel that the director made the mistake of elongating the violent scenes to the point where viewers were saturated and unable to bear the explicit messages being portrayed. Thus, it seems making the significance of their films less meaningful.
Subtlety is not a word in Mel Gibson's lexicon, and he has made the most relentlessly violent film I've ever seen - horrendously violent. I was shocked by the ultra-violence of this film and as a result the tragic story left me numb rather than inspired.
Waiting for my friends to come out the cinema, it was easy to spot any The Passion of The Christ viewers; they were the pale quiet crowd.
A film I that nearly left was Boise Moi. This film became renown for its violence and real sex scenes: a vividly nihilist road movie set in France. A friend and I saw it at the Valhalla before it was actually given a rating other than it being R. We thought that the sex scenes were likely to be graphic and realistic (especially seeing as it was French!), but we didn't realise the extent of the violent rape scene that happened within the first ten minutes of the film. It was the most brutal rape scene I have ever seen, it was unrelentingly explicit. I can still see it in my mind when I think of the film. Thankfully, it was a relatively short film, but nonetheless, it left us awfully traumatised. I have often wondered why I didn’t leave the cinema; I think I was in too much in shock. Other people in the cinema actually left after the rape scene.
In both cases, I feel that the director made the mistake of elongating the violent scenes to the point where viewers were saturated and unable to bear the explicit messages being portrayed. Thus, it seems making the significance of their films less meaningful.
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Comment by Little Angry Doll
Falling Haiku Leaf
Inner West Life
He wins.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Does that mean that you and your husband are equal now with dodgy films? I didn't see Branagh's Hamlet, it looked a bit dull to me and I watched Titanic for free so the only thing I wasted was time and not money.
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Little Angry Doll
Falling Haiku Leaf
Inner West Life
Comment by Adele
Lost Fanatic
Day Break TV
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I'm sure there will be another dodgy film that your husband chooses and then you will be even...or you could just get revenge and make him see some other awful film
Tracy
Comment by Ruth
NSW
ACT
VIC
SA
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NT
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Fight Club is a film that has perplexed me. I also thought it was awfully violent and at times found it hard to watch, but the theme is intriguing. Also, so many people say this is such a good film that I think I missed out on some of it as I was really tired when I saw it. But I know I would have trouble watching the violence....decisions, decisions.....
Tracy
Comment by Jimbo
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Thanks for your comment, gosh, it sounds awfully violent. I actually didn't know much about it so I looked it up and found this interesting comment about it:
Never has a movie this year been so magnificent and touching as ''Children of Men''. The crowd in Venice were all in shock, for they witnessed something immensely special during that screening. There were many people crying, and, I must admit, I was part of that group. The film has a power that is really undefinable. Of course, there were those who had mixed reactions. However, and I can fully assure that, they were the minor.
The complex movie shook audiences in Italy and has, since of now, become the favorite contender for the Golden Lion. However, before I say this is the best movie of the year, I must add that further on today (Monday Sept. 4th) I will be watching another sci-fi: the awaited ''The Fountain'', a movie I have been waiting for eternally and that seems to be up to the expectations. But, until that session doesn't start, I will actually say ''Children of Men'' is CURRENTLY the best movie of the year.--10/10
Tracy
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
I wish I'd walked out of POTC, those images will always stay with me. Talk about a disheartening movie.
The film I walked out of two days ago was called A Friend of The Family and I had reservataions about stepping in as it sounded depressing from the Italian FIlm Festival brochure, but I got tired of the mixture of relentless minimalist formalism and misanthropic storyline about half an hour into the fim. Before that, my mum and I walked out of the other POTC- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, much later than I would've liked as I was under the mistaken impression that she was enjoying it. I included a short review of it on my blog here.
Adele,
I didn't like Fight Club at all until the last 45 mins, when something happens that dramatically reinvents everything that happened before and makes it much more interesting.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I know what you mean about those images haunting you forever, I feel the same about The Passion of The Christ and Bais Moi. The violnece still makes me shudder.
I haven't heard of A Friend of the Family, it was part of the Italian Film Festival?
I haven't seen Piratee, I didm't really think thjat much of teh first one so I couldn't be beothered with the second one. I'll hop across to your blog now and read your review.
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I've heard so many different reactions to Borat. That's great you enjoyed it so much. I actually had free tix to it a while ago but couldn't go, what a pity.
Tracy
Comment by Adele
Lost Fanatic
Day Break TV
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
The big three-
Forrest Gump
Pretty Woman
Titanic
These films are like Kryptonite to me..
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
Yup, it was playing at the Palace Academy Twin cinema at Taylor Square. The tagline was something like 'Everybody steals, and everyone's unhappy'!
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I agree with your selection, they are definitely a weekly DVD rental choice rather than paying money...they are all quite long ones too!
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
That sounds like a chirpy tagline for a film!
Comment by historylass
The Written Word
History Lass
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by historylass
The Written Word
History Lass
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I can understand that, especially hearing more about Mel Gibson's reasoning, thanks for explaining that. I guess it's one of those hard director decisions. I thought the film was a good depiction and well-made , it was just the violence that really affected me.
Tracy
Comment by historylass
The Written Word
History Lass
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
I left about 30 minutes into Gladiator (and will probably be pelted with rotten tomatoes for saying this)… but, it was the most stupid load of codswallop I've ever seen in regards to the carry-the-violence-over-the-edge cinematography. The last Samurai was another one (although I did end up watching that by skipping battle scenes on DVD, later - to discover a really good story-line)...
I didn't think that the violence in either of these films needed to go beyond the level of Braveheart, or Troy, in order for the audience to get the gist and still enjoy the sense of history also being portrayed...
Lilla…
PS I read somewhere that the Passion was based on an 18th century nun's vision? Having seen parts of it on video (because I was also reduced to tears) I feel the story needed the violence to carry the complete impetus of its truth through to conclusion.. I never felt it was gore for gore’s sake…
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
Comment by Whatever
Cinema of Australia
But I did fall asleep in Brokeback Mountain, A Portrait of a Lady and that Mohammed Ali one, with Will Smith as the lead because they went for too long or got boring.
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
Another movie I DIDN'T leave, but actually snuck into halfway, was HOT CHICK. Shhh, don't tell anybody. It was a good laugh ("you can put the weed in there!").
Comment by Joy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Your comments about Gladiator made me laugh. I don't think it's everyone's cup of tea. I watched it and quite enjoyed its over-the-topness, but I think it had something to do with travelling for 3 months and it being one of the only films I saw in English. I haven't seen The Last Samurai. I think that's the beauty of seeing a film on DVD/video, being able to fastforward the film to better bits.
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I know what you mean about Mel Gibson. I can understand that there was a reason behind the film's violence, that it needed to portray Jesus' life truthfully. The problem for me is that I didn't and don't trust the angle that Mel Gibson comes from, I was worried that I was playing a role in encouraging his bigoted views.
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Does that mean you didn't like the films you fell asleep in? I fell asleep in one of The Lord of The Rings films. I don't know which one, I was confused and tired in all three of them.
I loved Brokeback Mountain (despite the hype) and I though Portrait of a Lady was good. They are both atmospheric films with little dialogue, maybe that's why you found it hard to stay awake? I didn't see Ali and I probably won't, I know it's supposed to be a good portrayal of his life, but it extremely likely to be too violent for me-it is about boxing after all.
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
After seeing Bais Moi, I decided to purposefully avoid films with strong rape scenes. Irreversible came out after Bais Moi, so I stuck to that decision. I thought the idea of the story being reversed was interesting, but I also knew the violence was graphic, so I'm not going to see it.
Your experience in Hot Chick is the opposite of leaving halfway through a film....glad you enjoyed it..
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Did you like the portion of the film you saw before you left? I hadn't heard of Fly Away Home before so I looked it up and smiled at the tagline:
A family of orphaned geese who lost their way. A 14 year old kid who will lead them home. To achieve the incredible, you have to attempt the impossible.
It sounds like one of those films that could go either way, cheesy or inviting...
I found a few comments saying that the cinematography was beautiful, that always attracts me.
Tracy
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
You missed a pretty interesting movie... the beginning rape scene is violent, but those characters do more than their fair share of retribution.
I liked it, actually, though it gets a little too nihilistic.
The French is so dirty and foul in that movie!
Also, the rape and murder scene in Irresistible were much more horrific, I thought.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
No, I nearly left but I didn't. I was just trying to work out why I left Passion of the Christ and not Bais Moi. I think I was too traumatised to go into the street and wait there if my friend carried on watching. I also hoped that once the rape scene was over, then it might get better and it did. The violence continued but there was a strong theme occuring.
I agree with you, it does turn into an interesting film. The way the girls get their own revenge is also graphic and brutally violent, yet suspenseful too. I kept wondering how many people would they need to kill to feel appeased because of their brutal rape.
It brings up the issue of revenge, is it OK, if yes, how much is enough. I've never seen a film like it.
There's no way I could see Irreversible.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I didn't get to see Boise-Moi before it was banned in Australia. I hate being told I can't see a film. I wouldlike to see this, but I fear I will find it none too remarkable when I finally do.
I found Irreversible to be a brilliantly made film. The violence is most definitely intended to shock. But it is a film made with a very specific context and a fierce intelligence. Where as a film such as I Spit on Your Grave is blatant misogynism and exploitative, sadistic, indulgent filmmaking with no shreds of intelligence.
Generally I don't walk out of films (I have this strange "phobia" where if I do, the film has bet me, don't ask .... )
There are a couple of exceptions.
I walked out of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. I found it so unbearably annoying. I was with several friends who all felt the same, so we left as a group statement.
Another was Pump Up The Volume. Not really sure why, but again I was with two friends, and if I remember correctly, it was at a film festival, and we were a little squiffy and found Christian Slater's antics to be irrevocably irritiating.
I walked out of Oliver Stone's The Doors on my second viewing (a year or so after it was first released). The first viewing had been such a profound experience - ahem - that disintegrated while watching it again. I didn't find any of it convincing at all the second time around. So I upped and left the cinema a third of the way into the movie so as to retain what fond memory I still had left of the trippy flick ...
These experiences were many years ago. I haven't walked out of a flick for a long time. I'm not sure what criteria a film would have to make me walk out of one these days ... Perhaps if i made a horrible mistake and a film turned out to be so insidiously trite and unrepentently irritating ....
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Comment by theadora
at the boardroom
Ad Magnum Opus
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I agree with what you said about Boise-Moi being banned here in Australia and not having the choice to decide for yourself whether or not to see it. It was a film of paradoxes for me, the rape scene scared and traumatised me, yet at the same time, the essence of the film was interesting (as I said to Cib). I don't regret seeing it, it was an experience that I learnt something from.
Tracy
Comment by Johanna
PCOS Mum
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I haven't seen Cold Mountain, to be honest it looks like Boring Mountain to me. I liked The Hours and thought it was well-made and interesting. Did you find it too slow? I've heard other people say that about The Hours.
Tracy
Comment by Johanna
PCOS Mum
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
What did you think of Requiem For a Dream? I thought it was an excellent portrayal and decidedly dark descent into the hell of the human condition, specifically, addicition.
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I've felt that with other films that I can't remember now, knowing that the pace and silences were part of the story, but at the same time getting frustrated.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I haven't seen The End of the Affair. Is the fact that you haven't seen the rest of the film a sign of how much you liked it?
Tracy
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Thanks for sharing that image with me...what film did you miss?
Tracy
Comment by Whatever
Cinema of Australia
I think Lord of the Rings was too action packed to fall asleep in, but would have otherwise.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I slept through one of the Lord of the Rings films, I don't know how 'cos there was so much happening and lots of noise, but I think it was all a bit much for me - so I snoozed.
Comment by Joel
Comment by The Voices in my Head
The Voices in my Head
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I know what you mean, there have been a few films that I thought were utter rubbish but I stayed because I didn't want to feel as though I wasted my money. Ironically, I was wasting my time which is just as valuable.
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I haven't seen Jacob's Ladder although I've heard a lot about it. Was it the blurring of the line between reality and delusion that was too eerie?
Tracy
Comment by The Voices in my Head
The Voices in my Head
Voices~
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I'd really like to read your review but that link didn't seem to work,
Tracy
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
I really like my fake violence - Lestat thrills me, 'American Gothic' and 'Buffy' are all faves of mine, but I cant take war movies. So senseless.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Thanks for popping in. I haven't see Private Ryan and I don't think I will. I've heard all sorts of mixed reviews about it, but ultimately I think it will be too violent for me. I can understand your reaction, I've felt like that with other films. Film volence that is so realistic that I can imagine it happening are the ones I tend to avoid. I also don't like war films, so I guess it's pretty definite I won't be seeing it. Hope you weren't too traumatised by the experience.
Best wishes,
Trace
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Those of us with overactive imaginations(and I think all orblers qualify for that) do not need it spelled out!
The scene in "Conan the barbarian" when James Earl Jones kills his mother is brilliant - no blood, no gore, just silence and snow and her hand falling from his. Masterful.