During the late 70s through to the late 80s, Home Video and VHS were on the rise. With this, new unregulated videos entered the market, readily available for their customers. These films were known as "Video Nasties" and featured graphic nudity, gore, imitable violence and even in some cases, rape. These were only a few of the themes featured, and each film aimed to provide a "shock factor" that was larger than one you'd find in your last 'Nasty'. The fact that these films were so readily available, selling in Garages and Sweet Shops, sent the UK into a Moral Panic. The fact that the content here was unregulated and untouched by the government, made it so that anyone (even children and teenagers) could get their hands on the most graphic of films around at this time. Noticing this, measures were put into place by the government to try to censor (ban) these films so that the could not be seen by the younger audiences that were so tempted as to see them. It is argued that this was "motivated by fears surrounding new technologies", which I believe is true to an extent, however, I also think that the only reason that these measures were adopted by the government was because it was something that you could blame the current Moral Decline on, a 'Scapegoat'.
The enforcement of censorship amongst these 'Nasties' was originally put in place to protect those of a more vulnerable mindset, of course; being the children and teenagers that could get their hands on these films. The largest age group that did so are the 12-16 year olds (primarily of which were boys). Mary Whitehouse, was a member of the NV&LA or the National Viewers and Listeners Association, this was a group of ordinary people who took it upon themselves to watch films available on the market and warn people of the content of them. However, after viewing just one of these 'Nasties', notorious amongst film history; "I Spit On Your Grave", Mary decided it upon herself that something was needed to be done about these films, their content and how available they are to the market. Mary started a pressure group of those who wanted to control how available these films are on the market. Being a traditional Christian and a mother, she took it upon herself to protect others from the horrors of these films, specifically the children. Rightly so, from a moral view, that these films should be banned from viewing by Children and Teens. It has been said that these films can be influential and therefore damaging to the children and teenagers who watch them due to their 'copycat' violence and graphic nudity. However, I do not believe that she had this idea in her mind in it's purest form. Mary Whitehouse had only seen the one nasty, "I Spit On Your Grave", which is arguably one of the most graphic and potentially damaging films to children, and refused to watch any more Video Nasties. This means she didn't have much to go on, only basing her views on what she'd seen in one of the many nasties that were around at this time. Even when she did have a point and we were lead into believing that it could damage children, most films at this time were a lot tamer than this. For example, "Evil Dead", with it's Claymation zombies who turn all "gooey" once they were killed, yet "I Spit On Your Grave" had real people with realistic looking blood, shot in a realism style. With these two points in mind, I believe that Mary Whitehouse did have a good moral view on the situation at hand, these films; as a new technology, were far too easily obtainable for Children and Teenagers of the 80s. But I believe her reasoning was inconclusive as it was not backed up with much evidence as she'd only seen one of the films and the argument would do much better in the hands of someone who was not as deluded by their theism and had actually seen more of the films that were under criticism.
The conservatives also jumped on the bandwagon after hearing of Mary's conquest, making the Video Regulation
Monday, 9 February 2015
Monday, 2 February 2015
3.5.1 - Video Nasties, Liberal vs Government
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
3.4.2 - Video Nasties
Nasties are the films that exhibitionist would not show in cinemas. These are films with gore, sex scenes, horror and other explicit themes. These are horror films. Usually low budget, special fx driven films. Usually had challenging ideas like rape, kidnapping etc.
As cinemas refuses to show these, people who wanted to watch these would have to rent through VHS pirates.
The fear behind the non showing of this is because the government would worry that people were going to reenact the scenes in the films.
Who should regulate what is socially acceptable?
⚫Pressure groups
⚫Director/Producer/Distributor
⚫Individual responsibility (Do I wanna expose myself to these themes?)
⚫BBFC - Appointed a charter they have to analyse against, get paid to certify. Need a certificate to be released in cinemas and DVD
⚫Government
Individual and government are in conflict over film regulation/banning
The banning of films can be bypassed by online viewing, some even use it for advertising! Most films are banned before they are even viewed, creating a moral panic
Monday, 26 January 2015
3.4.1 - Multiplex, cinema synthesis
Quality of cinema has decreased time
A lot of books are films now, adapting
No original ideas anymore due to increase in vfx
Since our birth, our perception of films have changed, as films have changed over time.
Film has changed from art form, to a product, lost all message
Watching films on internet gives us wider choice than cinema.
Monday, 19 January 2015
3.3.1&2 - Economic, Technology and The Rise of the Blockbuster
Economic
⚫Box office shows cinema attendance
⚫Production budgets over $100mil+ are more likely to be CGI based
⚫Marketing budget spending is increased, meaning there is more hype. JAWS did this through FEAR as well as the presold audience of the book. The poster is iconic and people wanted to go just to be part of the event.
⚫In 1970s and 1980s there was a recession, people had less income to spend on cinema
⚫Film studios started building multiplexes, to show their films, outlets to show their films. People going to these cinemas could only see the blockbusters. This effects the exhibition as people wanted to see the blockbusters, so they show them. These put fleapits out of business. The fleapits are now niche cinemas, show indie films. These multiplex cinemas are put in shopping centres to become part of leisure activity. These film studios only let their films be exhibited in their multiplexes, as they want the profit, affecting the distribution of their film. Trailers are shown to promote the studios other films for free, thus making them gain more money.
⚫Merchandising from the movie (e.g: Star Wars making $20bil on Merch since 1977)
Technology
⚫VHS was the first way that people could watch films at home, meaning that there was a decline in cinema
⚫Event movies drew people back into the cinema, showing that films are better as am experience, however, can work other way if other people are a distraction.
⚫People may find comfort in sitting at home watching films, rather than spending more money to see it in the cinema
Social:
⚫Peak of attendances was after wars, this was for distraction from war. They showed war films as propaganda, raising morale. This was also due to the Pathe news reels shown in cinemas
⚫2011 caused a raise in the attendances as 3D was introduced to cinema. People will go to cinema to see a film in 3D for the experience. This counteracts Piracy, as well as people paying more for tickets. The 80s did that for JAWS, to counteract VHS viewing. This is a parallel to cinema now
JAWS and Star Wars did well, so they made more of them. Creating the blockbuster formula. This effects the production of films, movie studios will commission films like JAWS and Star Wars.
These caused the rise of the blockbuster.
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The rise of the blockbuster
The films in the 70s were based on their times, hard edge. Vietnam was a big topic.
This was the era of independence also known as New Hollywood. However, Star wars follows stock character roles Pirate, Princess, Farmboy/Knight, despite being futuristic based. Star Wars being a big success shows that the audience in the 70s wanted something that wasn't hard filmmaking, wasn't distressing to watch, but was fun and fresh. Star Wars did this.
The audience has gone to this film several times, meaning it was beyond an audience, it was a fanbase. This means merchandising existed and sold well. Sold $20bil worth of merch since 1977. Showing that it is more than just a movie.
JAWS, being made between Godfather and Star Wars, was the transition from New Hollywood to blockbusters. It stayed in cinemas for 6 weeks, spending loads on advertising to generate hype.
VHS was the first time that you could watch movies at home, which declined the cinema. ET was the biggest selling VHS video of all time.
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1985, at the end of the rise of the multiplex, Milton Keynes got a multiplex cinema, the first in the UK. This was after it was trialed in America successfully.
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Steps of filmmaking:
1) Production (Pitch and Financing)
2) Distribution (getting the film out there)
3) Marketing (advertising)
4) Exhibition (showing the film)
Production:
⚫Test screening - Affects production
⚫Film lab
⚫VFX Studio
⚫Legal
⚫Producer/Writer
⚫Artists & Designers
Distribution:
⚫Marketing
⚫YouTube trailers
⚫Web distribution
⚫Cable/Satellite viewing
⚫DVD Retailer
⚫Merchandising
⚫Distributor
⚫Film sub service
Exhibition:
⚫Test screening - is a screening of the film, not final
⚫Web distribution - a showing of the film online
⚫DVD Retailer
⚫Film sub service
⚫Multiplex cinema
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