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Ok, first off, I'd like to apologise. I don't mean to make anyone feel bad or scared or offend anyone or anything. So if I will, I'm sorry.
Also, if you haven't seen the film, you should. And if you're going to, maybe you shouldn't read this, because I'm propably going to give away most of the plot. Or, if you want to read a summary of the plot, go here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0288439/ and follow the link under plot summary.
I just finished watching Bang Bang You're Dead on DVD. I bought it earlier today, because Randy Harrison is in it and I wanted to see it for that reason. I didn't really have any idea what the film was about.
So what's the movie about? A school shooting. Kinda like Elephant by Gus Van Sant, but I liked this one more. Unlike Elephant, this one got me thinking.
As I understand, atleast one school shooting (= a bunch of students bring guns to school and start killing people) has happened in the US. And there's movies made out of it, Elephant, Bang Bang You're Dead and isn't Bowling for Columbine about it too? What I want to ask is, what for? For Money? Of course, 95% of things in this world happen for money, or so it atleast seems pretty often. Or to make a point? I'd like to think that's atleast a part of the reason these movies have been made, but I don't know if it is. But let's assume the movies are made to make a point. To prevent it from ever happening again.
Does it work? Well... yes and no. I mean, sure, the film got me thinking, so I feel it's natural to assume it gets other people thinking too. But does it really change anything? I hope so, but... I'm not holding my breath on that one. Think about it. Have you seen a film like these, heard the news? What did you do about it? Feel compassion for the kids who actually have to go through something like that? Well, good for you, kinda squat for the kids. Think "But it's just a movie" or "But I live in Finland (or what ever country you live in), it's not like that here, that could never happen here"? Not so good for you, and again, kinda squat for the kids.
Maybe it couldn't happen like that where you live. Maybe guns are a lot harder to come by than they seem to be in other countries. But here, in Finland, where that could never happen - not just because of guns being harder to come by, but because "Finnish schools aren't like that" - here there was a news article about kids... around 11 years old, so let's say 10-13 year-olds. During recess, a bunch of them had pinned down on the ground a kid their age, and tried to push a ballpoint pen into his eye. Atleast blindness, maybe even worse; as I understand it, there's not much bone between an eye and the brains. Good thing someone intervened. So Finland is like that, after all, I guess. Maybe not exactly, but doesn't sound all that much better. I know I'd rather be dumped in a trash can than get a pen in my eye.
Now, what does actually get done about it? I'm not talking about putting the shooters in jail or anything like that. In fact, I'm not even talking about the school where it happened. I'm talking about the school in the neighbouring city, in the next county (or equivalent there of), on the other side of the country. What gets done there?
Also, I'm talking about you. What do you do after seeing the movie, hearing the news? Think about it for a moment and then move on with your life? Maybe. That's what I'm going to do, most likely. I've got my own problems to worry about. I need to find a boyfriend, and pass some exams. After that, it's work for the summer and then more classes in the autumn. Prolly more looking for a boyfriend too. So, as you can clearly see, I don't have time for someone else's shit. I've got my own problems to worry about. But for some reason, they don't feel all that big anymore. But I'm sure the feeling will pass, after all, it was just a movie... And even if it wasn't, that could never happen here, Finland's not like that.
That which is dreamed can never be lost, can never be undreamed.
-Master Li in Neil Gaiman's Sandman
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