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Torture: appearances in recent movies?

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Posts

  • exisexis Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    KalTorak wrote: »
    Nappuccino wrote: »
    Rook wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    "The Empire Strikes Back" has some mechanical glowy-pointy stuff torture.

    I'm pretty sure it's inferred in the first film that Princess Leia is tortured (that ball droid thing with the syringe).

    You'd be hard pressed to find an action film though that didn't have some form of enhanced interrogation though, just watched The Fast and the Furious, some guy gets motor oil forced over his face to give up some info.

    There's a funny torture scene in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang though.

    And in 2 fast 2 furious, the one guy gets a bucket with a rat trapped in it placed over his belly, the villain proceeds to use a blow torch on the bucket to make the rat try to escape by clawing into his belly.

    I don't know if that will help the paper though...

    I remember reading about that in an R.A. Salvatore book.

    Hm. It's also in a Terry Goodkind book. I wonder where it originated.

    exis on
  • RookRook Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    exis wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    Nappuccino wrote: »
    Rook wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    "The Empire Strikes Back" has some mechanical glowy-pointy stuff torture.

    I'm pretty sure it's inferred in the first film that Princess Leia is tortured (that ball droid thing with the syringe).

    You'd be hard pressed to find an action film though that didn't have some form of enhanced interrogation though, just watched The Fast and the Furious, some guy gets motor oil forced over his face to give up some info.

    There's a funny torture scene in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang though.

    And in 2 fast 2 furious, the one guy gets a bucket with a rat trapped in it placed over his belly, the villain proceeds to use a blow torch on the bucket to make the rat try to escape by clawing into his belly.

    I don't know if that will help the paper though...

    I remember reading about that in an R.A. Salvatore book.

    Hm. It's also in a Terry Goodkind book. I wonder where it originated.

    Reminds me of 1984 and room 101. Not quite the same, but very similar.

    Rook on
  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Sniper has a torture scene

    also Heaven and earth has a terrifying torture scene involving ants. that whole movie really is just D:

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
  • ThylacineThylacine Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Crank & Crank 2 both have some torture in them. But they're rather silly. First one is good...the second one I can't say really added anything the first didn't have, except suckage.

    Thylacine on
  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Thylacine wrote: »
    Crank & Crank 2 both have some torture in them. But they're rather silly. First one is good...the second one I can't say really added anything the first didn't have, except suckage.


    whaaaaaat?

    there is something so wrong with this that i won't point out in H/A

    but as it is. the world is not enough also has a torture scene if I'm not mistaken

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
  • NappuccinoNappuccino Surveyor of Things and Stuff Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Thylacine wrote: »
    Crank & Crank 2 both have some torture in them. But they're rather silly. First one is good...the second one I can't say really added anything the first didn't have, except suckage.


    whaaaaaat?

    there is something so wrong with this that i won't point out in H/A

    but as it is. the world is not enough also has a torture scene if I'm not mistaken

    The one with Madonna?

    yeah....

    Nappuccino on
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    Rorus Raz wrote: »
    There's also the possibility you just can't really grow a bear like other guys.

    Not even BEAR vaginas can defeat me!
    cakemikz wrote: »
    And then I rub actual cake on myself.
    Loomdun wrote: »
    thats why you have chest helmets
  • GrisloGrislo Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    necroSYS wrote: »
    I don't know if there's a good example of 24-like torture in the movies though, torture where the audience is supposed to empathize with the torturer.....

    The ending of Hostel's the only thing that springs immediately to mind...or maybe 8mm. But neither of those have any sort of overarching sociopolitical meaning re: the torture.

    Man on Fire was mentioned earlier, I think that falls in this category too.

    Grislo on
    This post was sponsored by Tom Cruise.
  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Grislo wrote: »
    Taken isn't a good movie, but I think it would be interesting for your paper. If you have access to foreign movie magazines, it might be very interesting for you to check out reviews of the movies you end up picking, especially of flicks like Taken, with its 'American abroad' angle.

    I think Empire went for a torture angle in their review.

    EDIT: Hard Candy is an excellent idea.

    Also, Empire review of Taken, which is a bit excessive, but gives an interesting viewpoint whether you agree or not:

    http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=135695

    Man Taken was such a crap film. It was almost like it was trying to reinforce every bad stereotype imaginable of the USA and how it views the world. I mean they even managed to throw in the obligatory evil rich A-rabs at the end, intent on taking our white wemens to satiate their carnal lust. I'm surprised there wasn't an oil tower sticking out of the middle of the headboard.

    I have to agree with Darkwolfe too. It begins to worry me that these days it's OK for any amount of torture to be done in the name of freedom and justice, with the right intentions and that's still heroic and acceptable.

    Popular culture always used to depict torture as commonplace (although usually in the hands of foreigners). These days it seems to be depicting it as acceptable and necessary, and always giving good results. The good guys use it, but only when they feel it's important (and even that gets waived more and more these days, it almost seems like a preference now to "standard" interrogation), and only against those bad guys over there that we don't like, so that's OK. That kind of thinking scares the crap out of me more than anything.

    Back on topic, Quantum of Solace is a film that heavily implies getting information through the usage of torture, although that's never seen on-screen. The presumption is that's how Daniel Craig gets his information from the guys before moving on. Although it's never actually said so maybe I'm just reading too much into it.

    subedii on
  • HevachHevach Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Rook wrote: »
    exis wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    Nappuccino wrote: »
    Rook wrote: »
    KalTorak wrote: »
    "The Empire Strikes Back" has some mechanical glowy-pointy stuff torture.

    I'm pretty sure it's inferred in the first film that Princess Leia is tortured (that ball droid thing with the syringe).

    You'd be hard pressed to find an action film though that didn't have some form of enhanced interrogation though, just watched The Fast and the Furious, some guy gets motor oil forced over his face to give up some info.

    There's a funny torture scene in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang though.

    And in 2 fast 2 furious, the one guy gets a bucket with a rat trapped in it placed over his belly, the villain proceeds to use a blow torch on the bucket to make the rat try to escape by clawing into his belly.

    I don't know if that will help the paper though...

    I remember reading about that in an R.A. Salvatore book.

    Hm. It's also in a Terry Goodkind book. I wonder where it originated.

    Reminds me of 1984 and room 101. Not quite the same, but very similar.

    In the real world, apparently. There was a documentary on the history channel recently about some various torture methods, and it briefly covered a couple real-world devices that involved trapped rats, usually around the face. Animals have been popular in torture forever - horses, dogs, snakes, bugs. Even the US torture memos refer to using harmless bugs in such a way that the victim believes they're dangerous.

    If it hasn't been mentioned, doesn't every Rambo movie depict torture of some sort? I think it was First Blood that had the guy tied to bedsprings being electrocuted.

    Hevach on
  • GrisloGrislo Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Oh, something I forgot previously, but remember due to the OP's 'cop breaking fingers' thing: You have to sneak a reference to Dragnet (the Hanks/Akroyd movie) into your paper. There's a bit where Hanks' cop needs some information from a crook, so he asks his partner to leave the room and pick up some coffee, or whatever.

    Cue Hanks looking at the bad guy and going, 'Well, I guess it's just you, me, this drawer and your balls', after which he slams the previously mentioned drawer shut.

    They cut to outside the room, focusing on Akroyd (the partner) and you hear the drawer shutting, followed by a scream and a smile on Akroyd's face.

    Cut to the criminal sweating and talking very rapidly, obviously spilling all his secrets.

    It goes something like that, anyway. Torture as comedy, and Hanks being funny. It's a must-see.


    Also, I know you wanted more realistic approached to torture, but if you want to see something a bit different, check out Oldboy, or Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. Not very realistic, and they might stray too far into 'Saw' teritory for some, but they are interesting and fairly recent.

    Grislo on
    This post was sponsored by Tom Cruise.
  • AnteCantelopeAnteCantelope Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    subedii wrote: »
    Grislo wrote: »
    Taken isn't a good movie, but I think it would be interesting for your paper. If you have access to foreign movie magazines, it might be very interesting for you to check out reviews of the movies you end up picking, especially of flicks like Taken, with its 'American abroad' angle.

    I think Empire went for a torture angle in their review.

    EDIT: Hard Candy is an excellent idea.

    Also, Empire review of Taken, which is a bit excessive, but gives an interesting viewpoint whether you agree or not:

    http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=135695

    Man Taken was such a crap film. It was almost like it was trying to reinforce every bad stereotype imaginable of the USA and how it views the world. I mean they even managed to throw in the obligatory evil rich A-rabs at the end, intent on taking our white wemens to satiate their carnal lust. I'm surprised there wasn't an oil tower sticking out of the middle of the headboard.

    I have to agree with Darkwolfe too. It begins to worry me that these days it's OK for any amount of torture to be done in the name of freedom and justice, with the right intentions and that's still heroic and acceptable.

    Popular culture always used to depict torture as commonplace (although usually in the hands of foreigners). These days it seems to be depicting it as acceptable and necessary, and always giving good results. The good guys use it, but only when they feel it's important (and even that gets waived more and more these days, it almost seems like a preference now to "standard" interrogation), and only against those bad guys over there that we don't like, so that's OK. That kind of thinking scares the crap out of me more than anything.

    Back on topic, Quantum of Solace is a film that heavily implies getting information through the usage of torture, although that's never seen on-screen. The presumption is that's how Daniel Craig gets his information from the guys before moving on. Although it's never actually said so maybe I'm just reading too much into it.

    The Siege, which I mentioned earlier, relates to this. (Do I need to use spoilers? I will just in case)
    Bruce Willis tortures a guy (I forget if he was a terrorist or a suspected terrorist) to get information on a terrorist cell in New York. Denzel makes a fuss, saying that you can't go that far, but is overruled. It's justified as saving American lives...
    Except that they get no useful information out of him, and as soon as he has dirt on Willis, Denzel arrests him for torture and murder. It questions whether torture can ever be allowed, and then says NO IT CANNOT.

    AnteCantelope on
  • SammyFSammyF Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    When you're done getting your advice, can we go ahead and ask to have this thread moved into Debate/Discourse so I can tell you all exactly what I think is wrong with the movie "Taken?" Because that movie gives me fits of rage. What's wrong with it actually has very little to do with stereotypes about culture or torture, but we can go ahead and discuss torture as well if you want. Spoiler:
    It's not any more effective than other interrogation techniques.

    SammyF on
  • YodaTunaYodaTuna Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    KalTorak wrote: »
    "The Empire Strikes Back" has some mechanical glowy-pointy stuff torture.

    And the torture droid in A New Hope.

    YodaTuna on
  • mullymully Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    my god, has no one said Reservoir Dogs yet? RESERVOIR DOGS.

    mully on
  • ZekZek Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Pan's Labyrinth has a torture scene.

    Zek on
  • NappuccinoNappuccino Surveyor of Things and Stuff Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    mully wrote: »
    my god, has no one said Reservoir Dogs yet? RESERVOIR DOGS.

    Mentioned in the op as being too old.

    Nappuccino on
    Like to write? Want to get e-published? Give us a look-see at http://wednesdaynightwrites.com/
    Rorus Raz wrote: »
    There's also the possibility you just can't really grow a bear like other guys.

    Not even BEAR vaginas can defeat me!
    cakemikz wrote: »
    And then I rub actual cake on myself.
    Loomdun wrote: »
    thats why you have chest helmets
  • Peter PrinciplePeter Principle Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Gollum was subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques" in Fellowship of the Ring.

    Peter Principle on
    "A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business." - Eric Hoffer, _The True Believer_
  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Gollum was subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques" in Fellowship of the Ring.

    And it worked, damnit! TORTURE JUSTIFIED!

    KalTorak on
  • ChopperDaveChopperDave Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone.

    I think I'm going to use Syriana and Rendition as my primary case studies, and possibly Casino Royale as a third. I think it'll be interesting to look at films that ask the audience to identify with the torturee (seeing as identifying with the torturer, strangely enough, seems to be the norm) and see what these films do to challenge or reinforce narratives on torture and punishment.

    Since people seem to be interested in the topic, I think I'll make a sister thread over in D&D to discuss it. Will certainly help me develop my own ideas :P

    edit: ...actually, I'll do so after I eat dinner.

    ChopperDave on
    3DS code: 3007-8077-4055
  • zeenyzeeny Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    You've chosen the wrong media. You'd be way, way better with going with serialized TV entertainment.

    You'd have the heavy hitters:
    Sleeper Cell wins it by a factor of 10.
    Brotherhood.
    Deadwood
    Even BSG & Lost had torture scenes.


    Virtually every drama show with even a slight element of action has had a torture sequence/episodes over the last 10 years, with very different perspectives. If it's not too late, change.

    Edit: Sorry, I didn't see your last post.

    zeeny on
  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    zeeny wrote: »
    You've chosen the wrong media. You'd be way, way better with going with serialized TV entertainment.

    You'd have the heavy hitters:
    Sleeper Cell wins it by a factor of 10.
    Brotherhood.
    Deadwood
    Even BSG & Lost had torture scenes.


    Virtually every drama show with even a slight element of action has had a torture sequence/episodes over the last 10 years, with very different perspectives. If it's not too late, change.

    Edit: Sorry, I didn't see your last post.

    Don't forget Firefly.

    KalTorak on
  • ilmmadilmmad Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Shoot em Up.

    ilmmad on
    Ilmmad.gif
  • TastyfishTastyfish Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone.

    I think I'm going to use Syriana and Rendition as my primary case studies, and possibly Casino Royale as a third. I think it'll be interesting to look at films that ask the audience to identify with the torturee (seeing as identifying with the torturer, strangely enough, seems to be the norm) and see what these films do to challenge or reinforce narratives on torture and punishment.

    Since people seem to be interested in the topic, I think I'll make a sister thread over in D&D to discuss it. Will certainly help me develop my own ideas :P

    edit: ...actually, I'll do so after I eat dinner.

    I'd be very tempted to mention the older ones though - even if its only a brief mention. By limiting it purely to those during the Bush years you are almost begging someone to point to Resevoir Dogs or Dragnet as a rebuttal to your essay, it could be quite interesting to actually compare a modern depiction of torture to an older pre 'war on terror' version. Especially with Resevoir Dogs where the whole scene is famous for being very uncomfortable to watch rather than just tense - prime example of the audience siding with the victim or the torturer.

    Tastyfish on
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