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October 1994

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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 19 Oct 1994 10:17:49 -0400
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did anyone else find the torture basement scene gratuitous?  on the
basis of one viewing, i felt like the film would have been much stronger
without that scene.  thoughts?
 
I did find the scene gratuitous, but necessary.  I say this because it is
one of the few shots in the film that the audience *may* realize that
violence is, in fact, painful.  This is specifically why I don't think
the film holds up.  Don't get me wrong, it *is* entertaining, but you
can't avoid looking at the means.  Someone on the list mentioned earlier
that one of the funniest scenes is when Tarantino gives his speach on dead
nigger
storage.  I laughed my ass off when I saw that part, but then I checked
my laughter, the problem is I don't think I was among the majority in
doing so (wondering why I was laughing, that is).  I think most of us
would agree, in any other context no one would find this funny.  This is
distinctly different from how Taratino treats the same sort of issues in
Resevoir
Dogs.  In Dogs, we are constantly reminded that the lead character is
lying on the floor bleeding to death, and we are forced to identify with
his pain, but in P.F. most of the violence is just plain humorous, and this
 relies on the suspension of disbelief of a whole other sort, as we
identify more with the release mechanism of violence, which, in my
personal opinion, can and should be sought for else where.

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