A Review of Ultraviolent Movies: From Sam Peckinpah to Quentin Tarantino

Most of us, as human beings, can say that we abhor violence in real life, and would only use it if absolutely necessary. Strangely enough, many of us still love to watch violence in films and TV. The book Ultraviolent Movies: From Sam Peckinpah to Quentin Tarantino, explores thoroughly the fascination audiences have with cinematic violence worldwide.

Author Laurent Bouzereau, in the preface, recounts an incident he once witnessed. A young bike messenger in Manhattan was nearly hit by a driver, and in retaliation, the messenger assaulted the man with a wrench, knocking him unconscious. Basically, Bouzereau's point is that while real-life violence disgusts him, he and many others enjoy it onscreen.

The first chapter, entitled, "They Wrote the Book...," discusses the classic films Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch, A Clockwork Orange, and Taxi Driver. In Bouzereau's opinion, these films set the stage for many of the more graphic films we see today. In each example, the films had mixed reactions; many critics praised the performances and artistic merit, but were shocked at the depiction of violence onscreen. Taxi Driver, in fact, was partially blamed for John Hinckley, Jr.'s assassination attempt on President Reagan, according to the book.

Later chapters explore "Killer Couples," "The Mafia and Gangs," and "Psychos" (including, of course, Hitchcock's Psycho.) This book, published in 1996, may be a bit dated in terms of the movies it discusses, but its message is no less prevalent today. Whenever a violent incident happens, particularly in the United States, politicians and parents are quick to point to a movie, TV show, or video game as the source of the violence.

In the "Killer Couples" chapter, one of the prominently featured films is Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers, which at the time of its release was the subject of major controversy. At the end of the chapter, Bouzereau interviews Stone, discussing with him the themes featured in the film, as well as his views on violence in media and its effect on people.

Ultraviolent Movies is well-written, thoroughly researched, and fascinating. Even more than ten years after its publication, it is interesting and relevant to the movies of today. Though moviemaking technology has advanced since then, it is still worth reading for its analysis of the film process, and how cinematic violence, whether we like it or not, has an effect on us as a whole. I'd even recommend this book as academic reading material for film analysis and/or sociology courses.

When I read this book for the first time, I learned of films that I'd never come across. One chapter discusses the highly controversial Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, directed by John McNaughton. Loosely based on the confessions of murderer Henry Lee Lucas, the film follows the murderous exploits of a killer named Henry, and his roommate Otis. Later, in college, I had the opportunity to see this film; it's intense, and definitely not suited to everyone's tastes. But having read the chapter on it, I gained a better understanding of what the creators were aiming for. Later still, I had the chance to cite the film, and this book, as references in an academic paper on serial killers.

In the same vein, another featured film is the Belgian C'est Arrivé Près de Chez Vous, a.k.a. Man Bites Dog, also controversial for its graphic violence and lurid subject matter. It's probably safe to say that few in the U.S. have seen this film, or even heard of it. However, its vicious satirical take on reality TV is becoming ever more relevant, with today's overabundance of such shows.

Bouzereau, besides being a talented writer, is a skilled interviewer; his discussions with Oliver Stone, special effects wizard Greg Nicotero, and master of horror Clive Barker enhance his subject matter all the more. That, along with his understanding of the art of film, and his appreciation for a variety of styles, makes Ultraviolent Movies a fascinating read.