Violence in a Box
November 21, 2010 2:31 PM Subscribe
For a homework assignment my daughter has to analyze a TV show or movie that has violence in it but violence is not the main theme of the screenplay.
So this means that Hurtlocker and the Sopranos are out but Harry Potter may be okay. Any other suggestions?
So this means that Hurtlocker and the Sopranos are out but Harry Potter may be okay. Any other suggestions?
If she's old enough, I'd suggest The Godfather. There's violence, yes, but it's really a film about family and capitalism.
posted by TrialByMedia at 2:42 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by TrialByMedia at 2:42 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you want something über cheesy and formulaic, try Criminal Minds. There are a billion episodes out there and it's on network TV (and therefore free, I think you can view past episodes on CBS's website).
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 2:46 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 2:46 PM on November 21, 2010
Perhaps natural disaster movies about Mother Nature's ability to indiscriminately wreak havoc?
2012
Dante's Peak
Twister
Deep Impact
posted by invisible ink at 2:47 PM on November 21, 2010
2012
Dante's Peak
Twister
Deep Impact
posted by invisible ink at 2:47 PM on November 21, 2010
How about a man who never learned to love until he meets a scrappy orphan, who finds in him the father figure she never had? You want The Professional.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 2:52 PM on November 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 2:52 PM on November 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - she fights vampires and there's plenty of stabbing involved, but there is also Buffy studies.
posted by invisible ink at 2:55 PM on November 21, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by invisible ink at 2:55 PM on November 21, 2010 [4 favorites]
White Fang - has violence due to the dog-fighting scenes, but is also about the immeasurable bond of trust and love formed between Ethan Hawke's character and White Fang.
posted by invisible ink at 3:01 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by invisible ink at 3:01 PM on November 21, 2010
nthing The Godfather. The Coen Brothers are also good for that kind of thing. And on that note (thinking about Blood Simple) if you want to go really out on a limb, perhaps pick one from Yojimbo or A Fistful of Dollars.
posted by holgate at 3:08 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by holgate at 3:08 PM on November 21, 2010
Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, and Tom and Jerry.
posted by Houstonian at 3:12 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Houstonian at 3:12 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ditto Buffy. I think it's something that most high school students can understand, the violence is handled in various ways--amusingly, frighteningly, etc.
posted by Ideefixe at 3:15 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by Ideefixe at 3:15 PM on November 21, 2010
Oh I'd very much suggest The Talented Mr. Ripley. It's about personal deceit, pursuit and intrigue but there are a couple scenes of inexpressibly brutal violence.
posted by carlh at 3:16 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by carlh at 3:16 PM on November 21, 2010
Homer is constantly choking Bart on "The Simpsons". Interesting why this bit of violence is considered funny and acceptable.
posted by trialex at 3:22 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by trialex at 3:22 PM on November 21, 2010
Best answer: The Coen Brothers' Burn After Reading. It has two scenes in particular that are surprisingly violent in what is otherwise definitely a comedic film.
posted by fso at 3:30 PM on November 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by fso at 3:30 PM on November 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
Breaking Bad and Dexter both fit the description.
posted by dortmunder at 3:52 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by dortmunder at 3:52 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
What does she like? If Harry Potter would fit the bill it seems like she could contort an awful lot of things into the assignment and she could maybe pick something she'd not otherwise spend a ton of time analyzing seriously.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:53 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:53 PM on November 21, 2010
Even though Dexter is "America's most loveable serial killer," it's not really about the murders. It's about Dexter trying to relate in society.
posted by radioamy at 4:04 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by radioamy at 4:04 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Pulp Fiction. Violence is both central and entire incidental to that film.
posted by StephenF at 4:05 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by StephenF at 4:05 PM on November 21, 2010
Punch Drunk Love. A few disturbingly violent sequences in what is essentially a love story. Seriously, I think this is pretty perfect for what you're looking for.
Dazed and Confused. Possibly not appropriate for high school. Also from Paul Thomas Anderson (who directed Punch Drunk Love), it's a movie about the porn industry in the 70's and 80's that's primarily about outcasts finding a place where they belong. Again, a few shocking violent moments that drive the film. If it weren't for the porn setting, and a few (brief) instances of full frontal nudity, I'd say it's a very good choice as well.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 4:15 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Dazed and Confused. Possibly not appropriate for high school. Also from Paul Thomas Anderson (who directed Punch Drunk Love), it's a movie about the porn industry in the 70's and 80's that's primarily about outcasts finding a place where they belong. Again, a few shocking violent moments that drive the film. If it weren't for the porn setting, and a few (brief) instances of full frontal nudity, I'd say it's a very good choice as well.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 4:15 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh this is a little embarrassing. That should be Boogie Nights. Dazed and Confused is a completely different movie.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 4:16 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 4:16 PM on November 21, 2010
There are lots of really great war movies that aren't particularly violent in themselves.
Patton, for instance: sure it's the Second World War, but the theme of the movie is really about whether he was mad or bad or how much of which. The battle sequences are important but incidental.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 4:32 PM on November 21, 2010
Patton, for instance: sure it's the Second World War, but the theme of the movie is really about whether he was mad or bad or how much of which. The battle sequences are important but incidental.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 4:32 PM on November 21, 2010
Apocalypse Now. It's about psychic wounds more than literal violence (though lots is implied, it being set in a war zone, but the actual violent moments are super disturbing), with the added benefit of being able to throw in discussion of Heart of Darkness!
posted by lhall at 4:47 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by lhall at 4:47 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Excepting certain genres of horror movies (slasher flicks, so-called torture porn, Uwe Boll), violent films and TV shows aren't really about the violence.
posted by desuetude at 4:47 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by desuetude at 4:47 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Boardwalk Empire might fit.
posted by blaneyphoto at 4:52 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by blaneyphoto at 4:52 PM on November 21, 2010
Let the Right One In, possibly the least violent vampire movie ever. Let Me In, the recent and decent US remake, might still be in theaters.
posted by acidic at 5:43 PM on November 21, 2010
posted by acidic at 5:43 PM on November 21, 2010
Violence is not the main theme of either The Hurt Locker or The Sopranos. Reservoir Dogs, for pete's sake, isn't about violence. I can even make an argument that violence isn't the main theme of Hostel or other so-called 'torture porn' horror films. Is the point that she's supposed to look at movies which are not expressly violent but have moments of violence in them? Or perhaps movies where the violence isn't gratuitous? Or films where violence is unexpected?
posted by incessant at 6:12 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by incessant at 6:12 PM on November 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
The Edukators is a very good German film about young, non-violent would-be revolutionaries, love, and how revolutionaries become the establishment. There is violence, but it's an aberation.
Layer Cake is an interesting variation, because although there's quite a lot of violence, the principle aspect of the protagonist/narrator is his belief that he's above the old-school thuggery of the criminal trades because he's smarter than the "fossils". How that plays out, and how his smarts stack up when he encounters the old-school criminals, is a big part of the film. It may not be quite what you're after, though.
O Brother, Where Art Thou has violent moments, but it's not the point of the film, and the protagonist is living by his wits and flexible grasp of the notion of truth.
posted by rodgerd at 12:00 AM on November 22, 2010
Layer Cake is an interesting variation, because although there's quite a lot of violence, the principle aspect of the protagonist/narrator is his belief that he's above the old-school thuggery of the criminal trades because he's smarter than the "fossils". How that plays out, and how his smarts stack up when he encounters the old-school criminals, is a big part of the film. It may not be quite what you're after, though.
O Brother, Where Art Thou has violent moments, but it's not the point of the film, and the protagonist is living by his wits and flexible grasp of the notion of truth.
posted by rodgerd at 12:00 AM on November 22, 2010
How about an episode from The Wire, season 4, which focuses on the Baltimore school system?
posted by Paris Elk at 1:49 AM on November 22, 2010
posted by Paris Elk at 1:49 AM on November 22, 2010
How about a man who never learned to love until he meets a scrappy orphan, who finds in him the father figure she never had? You want The Professional.Do look for the directors cut (La Version Intégrale).
posted by Akeem at 5:18 AM on November 22, 2010
I guess very few movies/tv shows are explicitly about violence, like the way A History of Violence or Fight Club is. So I'm going to guess movies/shows where violence is not a major theme, but has a single scene involving violence?
Just so you know, SOMEWHAT SPOILER ALERTS involved.
There is no blood in There Will Be Blood until the very end. But might be kind of a long movie to slog through for a high school student if that's not her thing.
There's a fight between the main character (Leonard) and a stranger in Memento about halfway in, when Leonard is in a shower. But the movie's not "about" violence at all, it's about Leonard trying to piece together a murder mystery (or is it? It's a mystery. You'll have to watch the movie to understand).
The brief scene when George McFly knocks out Biff near the end of Back to the Future.
There's a fight between the main character and a football player in Brick. And some other violence. Another murder mystery (kind of Raymond Chandler meets Fast times at Ridgemont High).
In the biopic Basquiat, there's a scene where Basquiat gets beaten up by two people (who presumably don't know who he is and assume he's just another hobo/junkie).
posted by Busoni at 6:07 AM on November 22, 2010
Just so you know, SOMEWHAT SPOILER ALERTS involved.
There is no blood in There Will Be Blood until the very end. But might be kind of a long movie to slog through for a high school student if that's not her thing.
There's a fight between the main character (Leonard) and a stranger in Memento about halfway in, when Leonard is in a shower. But the movie's not "about" violence at all, it's about Leonard trying to piece together a murder mystery (or is it? It's a mystery. You'll have to watch the movie to understand).
The brief scene when George McFly knocks out Biff near the end of Back to the Future.
There's a fight between the main character and a football player in Brick. And some other violence. Another murder mystery (kind of Raymond Chandler meets Fast times at Ridgemont High).
In the biopic Basquiat, there's a scene where Basquiat gets beaten up by two people (who presumably don't know who he is and assume he's just another hobo/junkie).
posted by Busoni at 6:07 AM on November 22, 2010
Continued: TV Shows. Again, MAYBE SPOILER ALERTS.
Kurt from Glee gets violently harassed all the time. Not punched, but shoved against lockers and such. Finn punches Puck when he discovers Puck is the actual father of Finn's girlfriend's child (Season 1 Episode 13, "Sectionals).
In Mad Men, Don Draper punches out comedian Jimmy Barrett for blabbing to Mrs. Draper how Barrett's girlfriend and Don had an affair (Season 2 Episode 9, "Six Month Leave"). If it counts, Joan Holloway is raped by her fiance (Season 2 Episode 12, "Mountain King").
Don't know if this counts, but in Arrested Development, the Bluth Brothers get into a fight/wrestling match outside a courthouse (Season 1 Episode 13, "Beef Consomme"). But it's played for laughs, not a "serious" fight.
Jonathan Ames, part-time private eye, unwittingly delivers his client into a trap involving Russian mobsters in Bored to Death (Season 1 Episode 5, "The Case of the Lonely White Dove").
Going back to movies, I'd also like to mention that the above-mentioned-albeit-mistakenly-so Dazed and Confused does have a scene of violence, closer to the end, a fistfight between two characters. The rest of the movie simply recounts the last day of school (or rather the hours after last period is over) for a bunch of 1970s high-schoolers.
posted by Busoni at 6:29 AM on November 22, 2010
Kurt from Glee gets violently harassed all the time. Not punched, but shoved against lockers and such. Finn punches Puck when he discovers Puck is the actual father of Finn's girlfriend's child (Season 1 Episode 13, "Sectionals).
In Mad Men, Don Draper punches out comedian Jimmy Barrett for blabbing to Mrs. Draper how Barrett's girlfriend and Don had an affair (Season 2 Episode 9, "Six Month Leave"). If it counts, Joan Holloway is raped by her fiance (Season 2 Episode 12, "Mountain King").
Don't know if this counts, but in Arrested Development, the Bluth Brothers get into a fight/wrestling match outside a courthouse (Season 1 Episode 13, "Beef Consomme"). But it's played for laughs, not a "serious" fight.
Jonathan Ames, part-time private eye, unwittingly delivers his client into a trap involving Russian mobsters in Bored to Death (Season 1 Episode 5, "The Case of the Lonely White Dove").
Going back to movies, I'd also like to mention that the above-mentioned-albeit-mistakenly-so Dazed and Confused does have a scene of violence, closer to the end, a fistfight between two characters. The rest of the movie simply recounts the last day of school (or rather the hours after last period is over) for a bunch of 1970s high-schoolers.
posted by Busoni at 6:29 AM on November 22, 2010
3 O'Clock High is an 80s teen comedy/drama about a luckless kid who is going to be beaten up later in the day. The climax is inherently is violent, but the theme is about self-esteem and self-respect.
posted by rabbitsnake at 6:43 AM on November 22, 2010
posted by rabbitsnake at 6:43 AM on November 22, 2010
I'll second Busoni's suggestion of There Will Be Blood.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:59 AM on November 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:59 AM on November 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
Can you think of a movie where violence is the main theme of the screenplay?
posted by Sutekh at 8:02 AM on November 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Sutekh at 8:02 AM on November 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
Can you think of a movie where violence is the main theme of the screenplay?
Kill Bill
Natural Born Killers
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 6:29 PM on November 22, 2010
Kill Bill
Natural Born Killers
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 6:29 PM on November 22, 2010
Can you think of a movie where violence is the main theme of the screenplay?
Robocop. It's a satire on violence, but the violence is absolutely at the core of it - as are any number of Verhoeven's other films, English and Dutch.
Gettysburgh.
posted by rodgerd at 11:30 PM on November 24, 2010
Robocop. It's a satire on violence, but the violence is absolutely at the core of it - as are any number of Verhoeven's other films, English and Dutch.
Gettysburgh.
posted by rodgerd at 11:30 PM on November 24, 2010
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posted by invisible ink at 2:37 PM on November 21, 2010