How do you feel about catastrophic films sold as entertainment to the masses?

[Minty]

The title should read: How do you feel about catastrophic films sold as entertainment to the masses?...I am waiting for Maciamo to change it thanks in advance Maciamo, my husband hurries me to run some errands for him and I ended up clicking the wrong button...sorry about that...

(AP) Families of Israelis killed in Palestinian suicide bombings have collected 32,000 signatures on a petition to kick "Paradise Now" out of Sunday's Oscar competition, saying the film glorifies terrorism.

"Paradise Now" tells the fictional story of two young mechanics from the West Bank town of Nablus sent to carry out a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. The film won a Golden Globe award in January and is nominated for an Oscar for best foreign film.

But relatives of teenagers killed in a bus bombing in the northern city of Haifa three years ago this Sunday—the day the Oscars will be awarded—say the film disregards the suffering experienced by the bombers' victims, and will encourage more terrorist attacks all over the world.

Read the rest here:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006...RSSFeed&source=RSS&attr=Entertainment_1363700

The thought that you make money from somebody's wretchedness is wretched at optimal. Strong feelings are intense as the bruise is yet uncured, and it will distress people because it stirs up numerous who were included. If your menage that you cherished was included in the catastrophe, you would not acknowledge it.

 

[Duo]

I don't think that this film had that aim. AND i don't think that it has made a lot of money to say that it is profiting from the pain of others. There are bigger possible fish to fry out there,,,ie Munich(grea movie btw).

I don't know...i think that as long as the movie is trying to carry across a message and what not it should be no problem. Always however keeping in mind the pain of those who suffered the event,,,if based on a real one

 

[Kinsao]

Hmm it's a sensitive thing... I think such films are bad if they try to glamourise the event, or if they contain a lot of lies and misconceptions to distort in people's minds what really happened. But if they have the purpose to raise people's awareness in a positive way - to stop a similar thing happening again in the future, or to highlight some injustice that was swept under the carpet - then I think it's good (I don't now specifically about Paradise Now because I've not seen it).

I think it's a bad move if it glamourises terrorism in such a way that it might make impressionable people want to try it. Also, if it's really intense on the blood and gore aspect of the disaster, attack or whatever, it's likely to be upsetting for people who have/had relatives or friends involved in such things, so if the message can be got across without tasteless overstatement, then that's better.

I don't like films about natural disasters, unless they are a balanced documentary, because it really is like getting your kicks out of looking at other people's misfortune. At least with war/terrorism-related issues, a film can be made with a political point.