Instead, we as a society are constantly drowned in sanitized, videogame violence. Murder and rape are indeed repulsive, but for the melodrama to work, do I need to be subjected to such a graphic, in-my-face portrayal of the violence and humiliation? One that is presented like a porno snuff film? This raises an interesting question: If violence is going to be used in a drama, should it be graphically represented to be as repulsive and foul as it really is? Or should we be spared the details? Think about it: if all violence on TV and movies were as disgustingly graphic as in this film, violence might start to disappear from pop culture-we just wouldn't be able to take it. But (and as they say, this is a BIG BUT) I can't enjoy the uncut film because the murder of Kersey's wife and the viscous rape of his daughter is simply too repulsive to watch. Near the end, Bronson's actions even seem to have driven him a bit mad, loosening his grip on reality (evidenced when he confronts the last thug and starts vacantly spouting Western cliches like they're both in "Gunfight at the OK Corral"). And I don't think the story is as cut-and-dried as it seems on the surface. I also thought that the way Bronson's character made the transition from bleeding heart peacenik to fascist vigilante was very well written and well-played. Well, I wouldn't say "DW" shows truth, but it does raise questions people often don't want to face. But, that's art-a lie that tries to show truth. Basically another take on the Dirty Harry formula-what if a peace-loving regular guy became a Dirty Harry? Even as a kid I could see that the simplistic political/social theory the film served up would only work in the self-contained, fictional world the filmmakers had created. Before seeing the uncut versions, I thought the film was just an entertainingly intelligent little bit of slicked-up exploitation. I recently watched "Death Wish" for the first time ever on video, having only seen edited-for-TV versions in the past.
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January 2023
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