Contexts:
Social
Technological
Economic
Political
Liberal means the people, individuals can control what they can and want to watch. Government can restrict, control and regulate what you can/can't see, to protect the people
Video Nasties around at this time, low budget, gory horror films that could not be controlled as there was nothing in place to stop them from showing anything.
Media used this to whip up a moral panic (this is purely a media thing, no one was really panicked), "five year olds tune into nasties", to protect the children. This started a phase of nannying. The government wanted to regulate the films able to be shown, get paid for the research and were able to put on what they want.
The government then blamed the violence and disorder in the world at the time on the video nasties
Is it really the government's job to protect us? Surely we can be liberal and protect ourselves!
Video regulation act (VRA)
Passed to censor the film. Originally a list of 80 films, including Texas Chainsaw Massacre. However, the ideas in the film were gruesome and implied, but no violence was shown. This film was actually implicit and banned for no reason.
However, Evil Dead was the number 1 nasty, as it has zombies, gore, violence and horror. Despite it all, was done with plasticine. However, was really only banned for the tree rape scene and the pencil killing scene (this can be inimitable). They then used the controversy to make the film, which was then banned. The film production company uses it for marketing, making more people wanna see it.
The VRA wanted people not to be able to see these films at all, and even started to advertise how to stop fainting at these films and warning people that they were banned for a reason.
Case studies
⚫Texas Chainsaw Massacre
⚫Evil Dead
⚫Last House on the Left
What do they have in common? (Style, Themes, narrative, budget, genre, directors & where are they now?)
Evil Dead:
Ideas - rape, graphic violence that was inimitable, gore, horror, dismemberment (by chainsaw)
Low budget - Only one known actor,Makeup for zombies wasn't too great, camera was mainly handheld, cheaper but effective, use claymation for gore etc., filmed in woods
Narrative - People all get killed in one house, horror, some evil character or force
Themes - Demonic possession (Mary White House is Christian), reanimation, teens in the woods.
Genre - Horror
Director - Sam Raimi (Now mainstream)
Conclusion - Uses banned title to promote, meaning that teens tell it with word of mouth and want to see it! "Forbidden fruit"
Last house on the left
Ideas - Murder, family slaughter, graphic violence, dismemberment (by chainsaw), immitable violence
Budget - Low budget
Narrative -
Themes - Teenagers, filmed in woods
Genre - Horror
Director - Wes Craven (Now mainstream horror director)
Conclusion - Uses real people rather than claymation as theirs no possession, filmed like a documentary, making it a lot more real
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Ideas - Murder, slaughter, graphic violence, dismemberment (by chainsaw), immitable violence, threat
Budget - Low budget
Narrative -
Themes - Teenagers, filmed in remote location
Genre - Horror
Director -
Conclusion - Uses real people rather than claymation as theirs no possession, filmed like a documentary, making it a lot more real
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