Monty Python, the famous British comedy troupe, was a group of some of the most creative people that entertainment has ever seen, as evidenced in films such as “The Life of Brian” and “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” The comedy it used was a bit edgy but was not very extreme, at least not to its target audience – Europe. Today, though, extremism in entertainment is constantly evident.
Many do not seem to be able to express themselves anymore without resorting to some extreme.
Last year Stephen Spielberg remade H. G. Well’s classic “War of the Worlds.” It was an extremely popular radio show, book, and movie before Spielberg decided to tap into that overflowing well of success. When he did make his stand on it, he used a great amount of imagery that brought to mind 9/11. The movie rode on this imagery, butchering the classic story along the way.
In 2003 the Farrelly brothers released “Stuck on You,” a movie about Siamese twins who are trying to break into the acting world.
Advertisers, directors and musicians have begun to rely on the extreme to get their points across. I do not want to be taken the wrong way. I think this should be allowed. There is no question that this should be allowed. If someone wanted to make a comedy about a black, homosexual cripple who is beaten daily, he should be able to. We have the power to create the offensive. We have freedom of speech.
That does not mean we need to continuously take it to the extreme. Creativity is lost somewhere in the process when extremist images are continuously pushed down everyone’s throats.
The recent film “Brokeback Mountain” infuriated many people and then got the Oscar nod for best picture. “Brokeback Mountain” was not made with the intention of offending people. But it did push the boundaries, and I can say without making too big of an assumption that pushing the boundaries is what helped it to get nominated. There is nothing at all wrong with the aforementioned movie, but the fact that the controversy surrounding it helps it in the Oscar race is slightly appalling. Simple praise for a well-executed film is slowly draining from society.
Our culture has progressed to the point that many are simply attempting to push the boundaries to see what will be allowed. “South Park” did it by using offensive language on the show, regardless of the network’s rules against it. “South Park” happens to be a very clever show, and it did not lose anything because of its language – rather, it pushed the boundary in a inventive and funny way.
Spielberg, on the other hand, simply pushed 9/11 imagery on the viewer with no real point other than to evoke empathy for victims of giant alien tripods destroying the world.
This was done for simple shock effect and not much more. It did not accomplish anything; as a result, the remake of “War of the Worlds” was far less effective and interesting than all the versions that came before it.
In today’s horror movies, the films center around the gruesome deaths of the characters and showing every ounce of blood that spews from the victim’s open wounds. This did not use to be the case. Horror movies from the days of old were terrifying because the death was shrouded in secrecy, because the killer was not seen (see “Psycho”).
The sex appeal in old movies was also suggestive, leaving the details up to the viewer’s imagination. Now the camera zooms in on silicon-filled breasts that look like some kind of scientific experiment gone wrong. It is like going from a Tavern-on-the-Green-style extensive menu of sophisticated sexual delights to a Shoney’s buffet of over-stuffed, greasy breasts.
Entertainment should be allowed to be offensive and, done correctly (see “Family Guy”), should push the limits. But there comes a point where it is no longer interesting or exciting. It is simply boring.
Those in entertainment should rely on the creativity that was once present in art rather than playing the 5th grader’s game of “What can we get away with?”
 
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