1. Introduction - A brief description of my independent study and a discussion based on representation, stereotypes and moral panics
Hypothesis: The media is becoming more and more violent even though there are certain regulations preventing some levels of violent. We as a society are becoming desensitised which leads to a ease of the regulations and less moral panic until another film tries to push the boundaries.
I will be investigating if the media has become increasingly violent, especially with the rise of torture porn horror sub genre. Torture porn horror (also known as Gorno) is extreme sexualised violence especially to women.
2. Why is there a rise in torture porn horror such as saw and the human centipede?
3. Media representations in torture porn horror and does it reinforce stereotypes
Within torture porn the typical representation is sexualisation of women. stereotypically the protagonist, such as the females in 'The Human Centipede' or victims such as the many women throughout the 'saw' franchise e.g. the infamous Amanda (who escaped Jigsaw trap and became an accomplice) or Dina (the first victim in 'Saw3D'. The women, stereotypically, in torture porn films are young 'girly girls' with make-up or girly clothing e.g. Dina wore a pink crop top and bra and wore mascara (like the victims in the human centipede) and had her hair tied up in a stereotypical schoolgirl pigtails, this particular female was also an asian female which links to the stereotypical and perverted idea of asian schoolgirls being the sexual fantasy of many males, this is possibly the deliberate representation of the female to ensure it draws in a male audience, as research shows that males receive a greater amount of pleasure from sexualised females being victims of violence. Females are also stereotypically shown in longer death scenes or go through torture more slowly and shown more graphically an example of this would be in the film 'grotesque (2009)' the scene where a male and female are both strapped to a table while a man chainsaws through their fingers is shown more during the females torture than the males and is done more slowly to the female. Another example isn't exactly in a torture porn horror film but a conventional horror film called "Mirrors" One scene had a female taking a bath with some obvious body parts being shown, it then shows that her reflection in the mirror is still there as she takes her bath and slowly her reflection kills her by stretching open her own jaw slowly ripping the jaw off, at the same time the female victim in the bath is struggling to get out and ends up in a blood bath with her ripped jaw.
Within torture porn the typical representation is sexualisation of women. stereotypically the protagonist, such as the females in 'The Human Centipede' or victims such as the many women throughout the 'saw' franchise e.g. the infamous Amanda (who escaped Jigsaw trap and became an accomplice) or Dina (the first victim in 'Saw3D'. The women, stereotypically, in torture porn films are young 'girly girls' with make-up or girly clothing e.g. Dina wore a pink crop top and bra and wore mascara (like the victims in the human centipede) and had her hair tied up in a stereotypical schoolgirl pigtails, this particular female was also an asian female which links to the stereotypical and perverted idea of asian schoolgirls being the sexual fantasy of many males, this is possibly the deliberate representation of the female to ensure it draws in a male audience, as research shows that males receive a greater amount of pleasure from sexualised females being victims of violence. Females are also stereotypically shown in longer death scenes or go through torture more slowly and shown more graphically an example of this would be in the film 'grotesque (2009)' the scene where a male and female are both strapped to a table while a man chainsaws through their fingers is shown more during the females torture than the males and is done more slowly to the female. Another example isn't exactly in a torture porn horror film but a conventional horror film called "Mirrors" One scene had a female taking a bath with some obvious body parts being shown, it then shows that her reflection in the mirror is still there as she takes her bath and slowly her reflection kills her by stretching open her own jaw slowly ripping the jaw off, at the same time the female victim in the bath is struggling to get out and ends up in a blood bath with her ripped jaw.
4. Do the media representations in torture porn wish to allow audiences to be entertain and escape?
Torture porn horror rejuvenates the horror genre and brings back some of the desensitised audiences as it provides a new sense of entertainment. Torture porn horror tends to have very unique narratives and gruesome death scenes to provide entertainment for audiences and through the narrative audiences tend to be scared at the same time and escape into the film and feel sutured into scenes where they feel as if they are in as bad of a position as the victims of the film and therefore end up screaming and looking away.
5. Audience theories and how does the violence affect the audience?
Bobo doll/copy cat theory, Audiences of unstable minds or of young age could end up mimicking the actions portrayed on screen and end up performing some of the violence to their friends, family or even members of the public.
Gerbner (2002) sees a cause-effect relationship between screen violence and real-life violence.
Some feminist sociologists, e.g. Dworkin (1988) and Morgan (1980) have suggested that there is a strong relationship between the consumption of pornography and sexual crime.
Gerbner (2002) sees a cause-effect relationship between screen violence and real-life violence.
Some feminist sociologists, e.g. Dworkin (1988) and Morgan (1980) have suggested that there is a strong relationship between the consumption of pornography and sexual crime.
The hypodermic needle, The model suggests that children and teenagers are vulnerable to media content because they are still in the early stages of socialisation and therefore very impressionable and therefore may find some violence seen on TV and in films as appropriate.
McCabe and Martin (2005) concluded that media violence has a disinhibition effect – it convinces children that in some social situations, the ‘normal’ rules that govern conflict and difference can be suspended, i.e. discussion and negotiation can be replaced with violence with no repercussions.
Newson argued that sadistic images in films were too easily available and that films encouraged viewers to identify with violent perpetrators rather than victims. Furthermore, Newson noted that children and teenagers are subjected to thousands of killings and acts of violence as they grow up through viewing television and films. Newson suggested that such prolonged exposure to media violence may have a drip-drip effect on young people over the course of their childhood and result in their becoming desensitised to violence. Newson argues that they see violence as a normal problem-solving device and concluded that, because of this, the latest generation of young people subscribe to weaker moral codes and are more likely to behave in anti-social ways than previous generations.
Fesbach and Sanger (1971) found that screen violence can actually provide a safe outlet for people’s aggressive tendencies. This is known as catharsis. They suggest that watching an exciting film releases aggressive energy into safe outlets as the viewers immerse themselves in the action.
Young (1981), argues that seeing the effects of violence and especially the pain and suffering that it causes to the victim and their families, may make us more aware of its consequences and so less inclined to commit violent acts. Sensitisation to certain crimes therefore may make people more aware and responsible so that they avoid getting involved in violence.
In his selective filter model, Klapper (1960) suggests that, for a media message to have any effect, it must pass through three filters.
Selective exposure – the audience must choose to view, read or listen to the content of specific media. Media messages can have no effect if no one sees or hears them. However, what the audience chooses depends upon their interests, education, work commitments and so on.
Selective perception – the audience may not accept the message; some people may take notice of some media content, but decide to reject or ignore others.
Selective retention – the messages have to ‘stick’ in the mind of those who have accessed the media content. However, research indicates that most people have a tendency to remember only the things they broadly agree with.
Moral panic is possibly created from films that express graphic violence like the genre torture porn horror does, it would create anxiety and fear amonst the public.
6. Increase of violence in society? violence towards women?
Prosecutions and convictions for crimes of violence against women and girls have risen by 15,000 over four years. The figures come from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which covers England and Wales. This figure was produced in 2012 which does suggest that due to the rise in violence in films and the rise of torture porn horror that there are more and more crimes occurring against women. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18949533
Fesbach and Sanger (1971) found that screen violence can actually provide a safe outlet for people’s aggressive tendencies. This is known as catharsis. They suggest that watching an exciting film releases aggressive energy into safe outlets as the viewers immerse themselves in the action. Which therefore could link to Young (1981), who argues that seeing the effects of violence and especially the pain and suffering that it causes to the victim and their families, may make us more aware of its consequences and so less inclined to commit violent acts. Sensitisation to certain crimes therefore may make people more aware and responsible so that they avoid getting involved in violence.
7. How much change has there been of violence within the media? - I will compare my historical texts to my contemporary texts as well as link SHEP to this
More rules and regulations, BBFC had to tighten its policy recently due to 'The Human Centipede', cuts are also now needed for certain films to be allowed to be shown to an audience e.g. the Human Centipede 2 had to have 32 cuts to it before it was unbanned from the U.K. David Cameron is also promoting an idea to internet service providers (ISPs) to ban explicit content online or have an adult call in to the ISPs to unblock certain content.
More rules and regulations, BBFC had to tighten its policy recently due to 'The Human Centipede', cuts are also now needed for certain films to be allowed to be shown to an audience e.g. the Human Centipede 2 had to have 32 cuts to it before it was unbanned from the U.K. David Cameron is also promoting an idea to internet service providers (ISPs) to ban explicit content online or have an adult call in to the ISPs to unblock certain content.
8. Conclusion - A summary of my key points linking them back to the title of my independent study and talk about a general overview of positives and negatives.
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