Shocking scene reflects an outrageous reality
Sen. Phil Berger has expressed his outrage at the depiction of a child rape in a film. He's right. We should all be outraged, but not at the film.
The rape scene was in the film because it is in our society. The very week he raised his concern about the scene, a 6-year-old Arizona girl was abducted, sexually assaulted and left by the side of a road in a strange town. The telling of that incident was two paragraphs in the paper. It will be forgotten by the end of the week.
The arts are a reflection of the culture that produces them. They represent our lives back to us, showing us who we are in our highest and in our lowest. The arts come from the core and are felt at the core, which is why Berger has reacted so strongly to the film.
The film is the messenger — it did not show an actual rape; it showed the telling of a rape, much more effectively than two paragraphs in a newspaper. Be outraged, but not at the messenger.
Anne Willson
Greensboro
Comments (7)
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How do you think the State of Georgia felt about Ned Beatty getting raped in the filming of Deliverance???
Get real.
Posted on February 4, 2007 8:34 AM
DD,
It was ruled "boys being boys" in West Virginia.
Posted on February 4, 2007 9:33 AM
DD, Deliverance was certainly a "haunting movie". I saw it, again, on Cable several (?) weeks ago.
It was certainly a rough presentation but one that is not too far afield. The movie has its own unique sociocultural portrayal of a small segment of an otherwise isolated community. I know that it doesn't flatter the people in the region, but in its historical context, it is/was probably true and obviously the movie doesn't reflect the morality of the total community any more than did the rape of the little girl.
My response to those types of films rest in the motive and artistry of the writer, director, and the producer of the film. If there is something in society that needs to be addressed, then, so be it. But I don't want to be socially, religiously or otherwise "raped" just so the particular movie can make money.
Posted on February 4, 2007 11:26 AM
JJ,
I'm reading a biography on James Dickey, the author of Deliverance, and it is fascinating. Lewis was Dickey's alter ego and the others were modeled on other friends of his. Dickey actually studied at High Point College during WWII as the army was trying to keep small colleges afloat by sending officer candidates to them.
Posted on February 4, 2007 1:55 PM
Well written and to the point, Anne Willson. Sen Berger is fishing for votes and little else.
Posted on February 4, 2007 7:24 PM
Haven't seen the film so I can't really judge it one way or the other. I've seen plenty of other films that seemed to be little more than child molestor porn which had no redeeming moral or value. I have a hard time believing this is worse.
I tend not to judge a movie before I see it.
Wasn't way too long ago when there was an uproar over The Last Temptation of Christ. As a Christian, I felt a little apprehensive about seeing the film due to some of the statements that had been made about it. While I admit, it was kind of a stretch for Willem Dafoe to play Jesus, I wasn't offended by it in the least. In fact, it strengthened my faith in God.
Posted on February 5, 2007 12:20 PM
Berger is a GOP shill, who will stoop to whatever level they demand of him. Guess there aren't enough issues in Rockingham County for him to rant about---I mean with the full employment, high wages, and low crime rate....:)
Posted on February 5, 2007 4:10 PM