Monday, March 26, 2012

The Hunger Games - (bad example of what Hollywood is capable of)

Well today is my Birthday.  I am 58!  Now can someone please tell me how that happened.  I'm not going to freak out or anything.  I am going to embrace 58 and be thankful for all that I have and be thankful for just being here.  Here to be part of this beautiful world......if only everyone could get along.  We have one planet, one beautiful planet,......why is there so much hunger and hate and killing.  Life is about love!  It's so simple, yet so hard........which leads me to the movie I saw this weekend with my daughter........

                                                                  

She was so excited to go see it after having read all three of the books.  Yes,  "The Hunger Games."  Well I went with her but spent much time in the lobby of the theater..........Why is there a movie about innocent children killing innocent children.  This movie is supposed to take place after the destruction of the United States.  There is a new group of colonies.  They are ruled by a head colony.  I'm watching this movie as a mom and am watching young children being killed in what is called a game.  Young, innocent children are killed for the enjoyment of the audience.  These games take place every year.    I didn't read the books.  I don't care that I didn't read the books.  Children are being killed because the society that they live in has these games every year and the citizens watch it as a reality show but it is a reality show gone wrong!  And it is being commentated as the killings are going on.  A play by play description.  The commentators talk about the skills of the children, how they are doing in this ridiculous game.  People in the control room can actually place ferocious animals right in front of the children to attack them.  Obstacles are put in their way.  The children are physically hurt.  Life-threatening wounds.    The children have to use survival tactics to stay alive.  They are actually running from one another in fear that they will be killed and THEY WILL eventually...... only 1 or 2 can live.  So it is survival of the fittest.
I looked around the theater and saw so many teens.  I saw children that looked like they might be 12 or 13 years old.  What is this movie telling them?  To me this movie is promoting violence.  It is making it seem that it is perfectly natural for one young innocent teen to kill another.  "Hunger Games" makes light of killing.  It is condoning it.  It is glamorizing it.  It is making it a game.
And whoever wrote these books and made this movie is making a lot of money.  It did amazing at the box office this weekend.  Shame on them!  Something just doesn't seem right to me.  All this press for a movie that is promoting violence.  I can understand violence in a movie (although I don't ever like violence) when it is good against evil.  But these are innocent children forced to fight and kill to entertain the citizens of this country.  They are putting on the ultimate reality show.  How does an author write a book like this.  Does he or she think about the repercussions?  There are beyond impressionable kids out there.  What is this teaching our young children?
Are my missing something here?  I think that this movie is disgusting!  I know that I am 58 and not a teen but honestly I don't think that my age has anything to do with how I am viewing this movie.  And if it does then aren't the "grown-ups" in this world supposed to set examples for the younger generation?  And as a side note.  There were about 5 coming attractions before the movie.  Each and every one was violent in some way.  Are adventure movies, love stories, mysteries not good enough any more?
Hollywood.......I think that you should rethink what you are all about.  I think that you should rethink the messages that you are sending.

written by Elyse Rose

10 comments:

  1. Hi Elyse, Thank you for your post about the Hunger Game. I am so with you and agree with all your comments about this movie and this kind of entertainment. We complain that our schools are less and less safe, to me it is just a simple consequence of how we are entertaining adults and, often, direct and indirectly, children. Thank you for raising your voice and demanding a different kind of entertaining. Keep writing. Your posts are always refreshing. Evelyne W. from Bremerton, WA.

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  2. I can hear the passion in your written word. I don't go to the movies much anymore; watch them on tvo or netflix or 1 of the gazillion tv channels we get. Having said that I obviously will not see this movie but I can totally agree about the violence. We've gotten so good at special effects that they seem real. On a positive note a friend of mine in her 20s also said don't waste your money. Hopefully people like you will express their opinions enough to stop the violence (a little? - call me an optimist) Happy Birthday.

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  3. I didnt read the books and have no desire to see the movie.
    And now i really don't. I completely agree with you I don't get It!

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  4. Thank you for writing this, Elyse. Not only won't I go to see it, I will strongly suggest that others skip it too. We need to be promoting harmony...not dissonance!

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  5. You said it perfectly. I will never understand violence in any form or to any living thing. The only violence I will ever believe in is IF I ever have to defend my children, family or my dog. And hopefully I will never have that happen.
    And Happy Birthday to you!! xoxo

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  6. Great post. I will definitely not see this movie and I thank you for saving me from two hours in the theater lobby!

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  7. Hi Evelyne,
    Thank you for your comment. You are so right when you say that our schools are less and less safe. And people want to know why. Because of negative influences like "The Hunger Games" that show innocent youth killing innocent youth and making light of it. Movies like this negate the value of precious life. I feel that everyone looses sight of what is so important because of the almighty dollar. Thank you for reading my blog. I appreciate it! Elyse

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  8. Hi Jaime,
    I agree with everything you said. I too would defend my child, family or dog. And I also cannot understand violence in any form. People learn it from something and movies like the Hunger Games can only hurt impressionable people both young and old. And thank you for the birthday wishes! Elyse

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  9. Hi Sandi,
    Thank you for your comment and boycotting this movie. You are right...we need to promote harmony. It seems so simple but I guess greed gets in the way. Elyse

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  10. Andee,
    I know I don't get it either.
    Ann, It's good to hear that a 20 something person did not like the movie.
    Anonymous, I really did save you from standing in the lobby because the movie is just too difficult to watch.

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