The University News

Originally posted by

Mary Jefferson

When I see movie reviewers giving rave reviews to a movie, the subject of which is murder and canabalism, I have to wonder what this portends for the future of this society. I have no intentions of seeing Sweeney Todd, not because I don't love beautiful music, especially Steven Sondheim's, but because I don't want to support such movies about such anti-social topics.

People like to pretend that movies have no influence over behavior. We have a multi-billion dollar ad industry in this nation that says differently. I recall how my frineds, siblings, and I acted out scenes from movies we saw as children. Often times crimes that are committed in our society bear a tremendous resemblance to crimes described in articles or stories or shown in movies or films. I recall a scene having to be cut from a movie a few years ago because some young people were run over by vehicles because they laid down in the middle of a street, as shown in the movie before the cut.

Be assured we will get more of what view and we support.

If you don't like it, go to church and pray Huckabee wins.

Originally posted by

Mary Jefferson

When I see movie reviewers giving rave reviews to a movie, the subject of which is murder and canabalism, I have to wonder what this portends for the future of this society. I have no intentions of seeing Sweeney Todd, not because I don't love beautiful music, especially Steven Sondheim's, but because I don't want to support such movies about such anti-social topics.

People like to pretend that movies have no influence over behavior. We have a multi-billion dollar ad industry in this nation that says differently. I recall how my frineds, siblings, and I acted out scenes from movies we saw as children. Often times crimes that are committed in our society bear a tremendous resemblance to crimes described in articles or stories or shown in movies or films. I recall a scene having to be cut from a movie a few years ago because some young people were run over by vehicles because they laid down in the middle of a street, as shown in the movie before the cut.

Be assured we will get more of what view and we support.

By that logic, you could not watch "The Wizard of Oz" because it depicts witchcraft, or "Gone with the Wind" because it depicts slavery, or "Romeo and Juliet" because it depicts young people commiting suicide.

"Sweeney Todd" is not saying that cannibalism is a good thing. Or that murder is a good thing. Yes, the protagonist kills a lot of people, but you would be very wrong to say that the film is promoting such actions. Indeed, the film's theme is none other than the dangers of such obsessions and thoughts of revenge.

Furthermore, my job as a critic is not to judge a movie's content, or a character's actions. Should I refuse to sympathize with someone because they made a mistake? Such thinking leads to narrow-minded bigotry, and I don't have to tell you about the effect of THAT on society.

I am to judge a movie based not on what it's about, but HOW it is about it. "Sweeney Todd" is a beautiful film, exquisitely made and acted, and Tim Burton's best work. Therefore it deserves a good review.

And I have to say, without trying to pass judgment, that it is impossible to judge a film that you have not seen. Period. If you want to be taken seriously, that is.