Haunted By Violence

*BE ADVISED THERE ARE FILM SPOILERS FOR THE FILMS MENTIONED BELOW*

There's a comment I've made that, and I'm sure others have made as they get older. Most likely males admittedly. How when younger they recall seeing an attractive girl out at night they think 'she's pretty' (or sadly words to that effect). But now, a lot older, in the same situation, all I can think is, 'put a coat on, it's cold out there!'

Over the years, as well as being a film fan, I have been a Karate student and then instructor. In that time, there have been many, many people in the classes over the years, from children to adults. As you get to know the students, sometimes over years, you get protective of them. Of course, they move on as they get older and then others come in and take their place and the cycle continues.

But the key phrase in the above, is being protective of them, especially the younger ones. I would imagine teachers and coaches feel the same. It's a natural thing, I expect, hoping for the best for them. In some ways, small ways I accept, it would be like having children and worrying about them. For the record, I don't have any.

So why am I talking about this in relation to film?

Recently, there have been two films that got under my skin in ways I never expected, Incident In A Ghostland and Hounds Of Love. Both films are different, but both got to me in similar ways.

Incident in a Ghostland is the story of two sisters who, along with their mother are attacked in a home invasion. Years later, one of them returns home only to discover she never left....and that she and her sister are still being attacked in their home as children.

In the film, the sisters, Beth and Vera are subjected to some brutal violence. It's not easy to watch. The writer and director of the film, Pascal Laugier doesn't hold back as he puts the girls through hell. They are abused, most likely sexually. Up until the end you really don't know how or will get away from their abusers. It's an intense and gripping film certainly and I did have a sense of relief when they are saved at the end. However, I did find the film a little uneasy and unpleasant to a degree, because of the level of violence inflicted upon them. Laugier is no stranger to brutality in his films, he made the film Martyrs after all and like that film it puts the victims and audience through the ringer.

Hounds Of Love is a different film, but gave me the same reaction.

Inspired by true events, Hounds Of Love is about a couple who abduct, abuse and murder teenage girls. At the beginning of the film we see the couple lure a victim and while we never see her again in the film, we hear her her terrified sounds as she is suffers, while we see glimpses of items that have been used upon her. We don't need to see the violence as your mind does it for you. Later on, after abducting another victim the couple go into the room where they keep her and as the door slowly closes we see and hear her screaming. We don't need to see what they do to her, as the imagery from early on puts into your head what is coming and you know you don't want to see that. Wisely, writer and Ben Young keeps the more brutal violence off screen, though the moments we do see aren't easy to watch. Again at the end, it's almost a relief when the girl, Vicki, escapes.

Both of these films really got to me and I've been wondering why that is. I've been watching films for a long, long time(!) and have seen all kinds of them. I love horror films and I love violent action films. I've seen films, again Martyrs comes to mind, that inflicts brutal violence on women and while uncomfortable to watch never hard the same effect.

So what is it with these two? Well, actually it's not these two. In 1996, a film called Eye For an Eye was released. It stars Sally Field as a mother who's daughter is raped and murdered and when her killer walks out of court vows revenge. The plot itself is quite generic in that sense and I have to say I didn't like the film, but it does have a scene that really hits hard, the murder scene. We get very brief glimpses of what is happening to the daughter in the house, but what makes it work, is Field's performance as she has to listen to the attack (she was on the phone to her when it happens) as well as the performance of Olivia Burnette as Julie, the daughter. While the film never matches that scene, there's no denying that scene gets to you.

There have been other films, that have had similar scenes, Scorsese's remake of Cape Fear for one. I recall watching Wes Craven's The Last House On The Left. the abuse and murder of the two girls in the film isn't easy to watch, even now. It's a film that still holds up well by today's standards. And there are others you can mention, The Accused for example. And of course the infamous I Spit On Your Grave, the original and remake as well as its sequel.

And I think I have given the answer. In Eye For An Eye, Hounds Of Love and Incident In A Ghostland it involves teenage girls. In two of the cases, the characters I think are under 16. As I've mentioned I enjoy violent films, horror films and other genres too, but films with violence involving children being the victims are always the worst to watch and they should be. I also think in these days, of things such as Me Too and the tales of men abusing women in all manner of situations, films with violence towards women and girls, especially ones should be uncomfortable to watch. To glamorise the violence I feel, trivialises it.

Some of the films mentioned have the victims fighting back against their attackers, but I do often feel they push the limits of the brutality to their victims too far. Does a film really need an extended, horrific rape scene, to show what is done to the victim to justify they violence they inflict on their attackers later on? Personally, I don't think so.

I mentioned at the beginning that as an instructor you sometimes feel protective to your students. I think that has played a part in this too. You want the best for them in their future lives but you are aware of the dangers out there. As parents, teachers and others too in class you want to prepare them as best you can.

I won't stop watching films with violence in them, even ones that cover such disturbing issues. As long as they have the same effect on me, I know they are working. But if ever a film like Incident In A Ghostland or Hounds Of Love doesn't affect me in some way, then it may be time to rethink that.