The Art Of Torture Analysis Essay Example

films also offer insights into our present society. Moreover, torture porn movies can provide additional proof of Stanley Milgram's renowned experiment on obedience to authority. This experiment involves participants being directed to press buttons that allegedly deliver varying levels of electric shocks to an individual situated in a neighboring room. As the voltage surpasses a particular threshold, the subjects are able to hear the cries of pain from the person enduring the shocks.

The test subjects are given instructions to continue increasing the voltage. Most comply, with some even wearing a slight smirk. However, unbeknownst to them, no actual shocks are being administered and the cries of pain they hear are merely pre-recorded. This study is significant as it demonstrates mankind's ability to inflict pain, particularly in high-pressure situations. The stakes are heightened in the Saw movies, where another person's life is on the line. Nonetheless, it remains intriguing to observe how swiftly individuals prioritize their own survival over that of others.

These films demonstrate how individuals who are mentally sound are able to harm others due to emotions such as anger, revenge, fear, survival, or for amusement. For instance, in a scene from Hostel, the character Paxton faces the theft of his cell phone by a group of children while he is already distressed by the loss of his friends. Fueled by anger, Paxton decides to physically assault one of the children by strangling them. However, upon realizing his actions, he releases the child. This initial incident foreshadows Paxton's capacity for causing harm to others.

At the end of the film, Paxton discovers his friend’s murderer and decides to seek revenge by following the man, cutting off

his fingers, and ultimately killing him. The act of torture has been a widely debated topic, especially since the Abu Ghraib case which involved American military guards tormenting Middle Eastern prisoners. Despite initial acceptance of torture in our society, torture-themed films force us to question its morality. These movies present a clear dilemma: is it ever acceptable to torture someone? Watching the depiction of torture on screen may evoke two responses: it might make viewers reevaluate their stance on torture or fulfill a dark desire to inflict harm on others.

Some moviegoers may need to identify with characters being cut in the same way that some people cut themselves, as a means of feeling something. Both outcomes can be seen as positive. Stephen King compares this act to lifting a trapdoor in the civilized forebrain and feeding raw meat to hungry alligators lurking in the underground river below. He suggests that by doing so, one can prevent the metaphorical alligators from becoming a threat (Worland 14).

The debate about whether feeding these alligators will temporarily satisfy them or result in more alligators is still ongoing. Torture porn movies often attempt to justify their excessive torture by incorporating moral lessons. Despite the explicit content, these films may contain positive messages. For example, the Saw series only targets individuals who have escaped punishment for their wrongdoing, and the traps imposed by Jigsaw often mirror the crimes committed by the victims.

The third Saw movie depicts a scene where a man faces a challenging choice involving the life of a woman who released his son's murderer. Despite hesitation, the man ultimately fails to save her and she dies. This particular

scenario delves into the concept of whether forgiveness is possible towards someone who has caused harm. In another film titled I Spit on Your Grave, a young woman experiences brutal rape, torture, and abandonment as she is left for dead. Subsequently, she seeks retribution by mercilessly killing her tormentors in an equally brutal manner.

Although society may disapprove of the young heroine choosing revenge over seeking help from the police, we cannot help but support her because of the heinous acts committed by these men. We often disregard the pain and suffering she must have endured at their hands. The film delves into the notion of revenge and urges us to contemplate its moral acceptability.

Eli Roth’s Hostel, Lars Von Trier’s The Antichrist, and Steven Monroe’s I Spit on Your Grave are all considered to be exemplars of the torture porn genre. Interestingly, Roth is the only one who maintains a distinction between the torture aspect and the pornographic element. In Hostel, the two themes briefly intersect when the characters witness a dominatrix arousing her client through whipping. On the other hand, Trier and Monroe integrate pornography and torture, either by depicting actual torture taking place during sexual intercourse or by using the sexual act itself as a form of torture.

Some similar aesthetics are shared within the subgenre as well. Both James Wan’s Saw series and Hostel are considered torture porns, despite the absence of actual pornographic content. They both begin with brighter colors but progressively become bleaker as the films unfold and the situation deteriorates. However, The Antichrist diverges from this trend. Lars von Trier opts for a more artistic approach by utilizing desaturated colors and

slower frame speeds. This deliberate choice reinforces the notion that torture porns can be regarded as forms of art.

These films incorporate close ups of the blood as it initially spurts out from the victim. The directors of all these films choose to boldly keep the camera focused on the mutilation or sex act throughout, unlike most movies that quickly cut away after conveying the message. Torture porns are a gruesome but evocative form of art. They stir specific emotions in the audience and confront humanity's darkest fears. By presenting us with excruciating scenarios that may be difficult to watch, they force us to confront uncomfortable questions that society avoids discussing.

According to Rob Zombie, the purpose of art is not to be safe. He expressed this when he reassured one of his actors who had gone through trauma from playing a psycho killer in The Hills Have Eyes. However, individuals who are not enthusiasts of this horror subgenre can find solace in the fact that these movies are losing popularity and their box office earnings have recently decreased. Additionally, it has been stated that James Wan, the Saw films' director, is weary of making such movies and intends to direct a romantic comedy for his next undertaking.

Work Cited “One-third support ‘some torture’”. BBC NEWS. 19 Oct. 2006. 4 May 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6063386.stm

Worland, Rick. The Horror Film: An Introduction. Blackwell Publishing 2007.

Edelstein, David. “Now Playing at Your Local Multiplex: Torture Porn”. New York Movies. 28 Jan. 2006.
7 May 2011.http://nymag.com/movies/features/15622/

Rogers, Thomas. “The Meaning of Torture Porn”. 7 June 2010.
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