----------------------------Original message---------------------------- JARROD W CALLIHAN wrote: >>on the merrits of _Pulp Fiction_ a friend refused to >>recognize any experience of guilt at enjoying and even reveling in the violent >>episodes and yet admitted guilt about laughing at the racial slurs. He then >>went on to accuse me of being hypersensitive and unable to properly >>make a distinction between reality and fantasy and said that it was o.k. to >>feel guilt for having pity for Ralf Fiennes'(sp?) character in _Schindler's >>list_ because it was based on a true story. Guilt is one of the values that the magic of Cinema arouses in people. This value is with the spectator through a long chain of facts in their life and society, though experiencing pleasure or satisfaction during an act that is considered socially repugnant depends intensely on the director's mastery. What Cinema does is to push the boundaries of our counsciousness. >>Is guilt commonly experienced by others through anti-hero identification?<< Not only anti-hero identification. Believe me, I know a lot of people that feel guilty for identifying with John Wayne's or Stallone's heroes. The question becomes more: why do I feel guilty in enjoying something? Which reference from my own experiences do I bring to block this new one? >>I've always contended that for one reason >>or another that was the point of such flicks-- to jar you emotionally. Indeed, but not only emotions as mainly perception in many levels: political, moral, aesthetic... >Pulp Fiction is extremely effective. The importance of the non-linear narrative to >sustain the movie's rhythm is crucial to show that the Director used the basic >cinematographic technique to his advantage. Tarantino created a tension in the >audience by his excellent rhythm (on the best school of Hitchcock, Jarmush and >Wenders), specially because he dealt with death and fear of death. Something that >pulses in our deeper essence. He's a stylist Director that gives "humanity" to >human violence which makes all very mind blowing (who didn't laugh when >Travolta's character blew the head of the guy up in the car?). - Claudio Fernandes - - - - - - [log in to unmask]