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Cathartic Media - 10/6/2009 2:00:15 PM

DemonKia

Posts: 5521
Joined: 10/13/2007
From: Chico, Nor-Cali
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I was just ruminating on the notion of 'cathartic films', which, in that moment meant movies that are so intensely painful that they are sure & extensive cry-fests.

The first one of that particular type I experienced was 'The Elephant Man', when I was a teen. It was also where I learned to seek these out on vid, not in the theater. Having to sit thru the whole thing, weeping steadily for most of it, was just a little more than I had been prepared for . . . . .

What prompted this thread of thought was seeing the preview for 'Precious' yesterday. I thought both, OMG, I must see this movie & OMG, there is no way I'm sitting in a theater & watching it. I'll buy the video later & watch it in 15 minute increments. (Hell, just watchin' the trailer yesterday & now had the tears leakin' . . . . )

'Sick: The Life & Death Of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist' is another movie, a 'lifestyle' one, to which I've turned for it's ability to take me to these profound emotional spaces in recent years . .. . . & there are ones I cannot make it thru even when I feel a certain moral-socio-political obligation to support what they are about. 'Hotel Rwanda' springs to mind in that direction . .. ..

I also have a tastes for text media (mostly non-fiction) that are sometimes just as emo, morbid & etc . . . In particular, two titles stand out for being the most painful things I'd ever read: 'Killing Hope' by William Blum & 'The Emotional Life of Nations' by Lloyd deMause . . .. . .

Sometimes I think it's partly emotional masochism; sometimes I think it's cathartic; sometimes I feel called to be a 'witness to history', or even just a perceiver of the panorama of the personal . . . . . . . .

& that's without even touching on the topic of fear catharsis thru horror & suspense media. Please, throw it all into the pot.

Do you like your media consumption to induce intense emotional states? Which feelings do you prefer?

& if you do, what media has taken you where?

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RE: Cathartic Media - 10/7/2009 4:34:58 AM

Aneirin

Posts: 6121
Joined: 3/18/2006
From: Tamaris
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I understand, what you say, as I am predisposed to flaring with anger at injustice, I seek out what the intention of the media is before I step in, as it is just not worth the feelings I get. This does not help very much with my college art studies, as much of the reading list, is contentious, thought provoking stuff, which once I know the authors intent, I avoid. My tutors know this and try to help. My understanding is there is too much injustice in the world as it is, things that nought can be done about, why add to it, why invite feelings any worse than they are.

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Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

(in reply to DemonKia)

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