Reservoir Dogs
March 31st, 2005
Two issues: violence and swearing. I don’t think it’s violent just for the sake of being violent, I don’t think the obscenities are there just for the sake of getting a reputation. Obscene language can be used to dramatic effect, a few choice terms to enhance a strong feeling. With a film like this the obscene language is all pervasive, and is used in every scene whether overly dramatic or not. I feel the language is just there to illustrate a point; that some of these words are used so much by people as to lose all meaning. They’re the norm - they can fill in for every adjective or adverb. I know people who do speak like the script of Reservoir Dogs, using their three word vocabulary at every opportunity. But it’s not like I wouldn’t associate myself with them anymore just because of the way they speak, simply for the fact that they aren’t putting any meaning behind the words, they’re just there – they’re the norm to them.
“Stuck in the Middle With You” Is anyone supposed to like this scene? Its different violence; violence without a purpose. I can remember the interrogation scenes out of Three Kings, similar, but that was the means to an end. I then thought of 8mm, proliferated with violence along the same theme, needless to say it was also hard to watch. The English Patient had that thumb amputation scene, but while it was sickening - more so since I have an affliction causing me to experience adverse affects at the sight of blood - even that didn’t seem as bad. I was skipping through some of the extras on the DVD, Quentin Tarantino sums up why the scene seems to affect the audience to such an extent:
…the use of the song … light, bouncy, kinda cool song … it makes the scene even harder to watch … because you’re sitting there … tapping your toes … his little dance, then boom! It’s too late, you’re already a co-conspirator.