Does the Horror and Violence of Films Influence Society?

The cinematic industry has grown increasingly towards a shift in violence and horror in its films. However, the real question is, what kind of impact does this violence have on American school children and adults. I answer that question and more in this essay.

There has been much debate throughout the course of American society over the use of violence in books, films, and video games. Several years ago, a bill was passed in Congress which required that all video games have ratings on them such as "M" for Mature and "E" for Everyone. These ratings were required because games such as that involving shooting like "Vice City" were thought of to incite violence among teenagers and young children. With the rating system, parents and adults could know the risks of such video games.

Likewise, there is a ratings system for movies like Rated "R" or PG 13 or PG. Still the question is do these films have a real impact on children and society. The answer as this essay will show, in some cases. As scientists and doctors have proven through careful studies and research, the impact of violence really depends on the personality and character traits of young adults and children. A child or teenager who has been brought up in an abusive family and has been hit as a child is more likely to lash out at other people especially if they have just seen a very violent film like the "Chainsaw massacre."

Other children who have been brought up in caring and nurturing environments really aren't affected by these films. The best ways to deal with horror and violent films that teenagers and young children have seen is by talking with them according to James Ranol of Brown University. By having parents talk with their children it allows children to understand what they have just seen and that the film is not real. Some children think that shooting guns is cool. Parents must talk with their children to make them understand that it is not cool at all and in fact very dangerous.

In the United States there has been an increasing movement towards prohibiting games that promote violence from going onto the market to be sold to children and teenagers. Prohibition of these games, while i do favor the idea, would be bad for this country because it violates the freedom of manufacturers to make profits and sell their games. In order to curtail the problem of violence, parents must be more aware of the games and films that their children watch on a daily basis.