In the wake of the tragedy at a screening of 'The Dark Knight Rises' which saw the deaths of 12 people after a mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado, there's been an inevitable amount of introspection and worry for all those the tragedy has touched, including Hollywood.
In the intitial aftermath of the shootings, there were questions about whether the film would be pulled, and the Paris premiere was cancelled. Warner Bros did pull trailers for the movie 'Gangster Squad' which featured uncomfortably similar scenes to the dreadful reality of events of the early hours of Friday morning.
Yet now events are beginning to be put into perspective, the film industry is saying that they shouldn't be held responsible for events, and that violence in movies is not to blame for the actions of those who perpetrate crimes like those committed in Aurora.
According to the Associated Press, DreamWorks Studios co-founder David Geffen said: "I don't think that's true at all. I think it's a tragedy and to blame the movie business is incorrect and inappropriate." Geffen was speaking at a meeting on Sunday of the Television Critics Association in Beverly Hills.
According to WLFI, recording artist Will.i.am was one celebrity who spoke out ahead of the Teen Choice Awards, saying: "If you are not raising your kids to have balance in life, that is one place we have to look at."
Hollywood has always been the subject of debate as to whether violent films promote violent acts, or are merely depicting the realities of certain parts of the human psyche. Controversies have erupted around films that depict graphic violence, such as 1994's 'Natural Born Killers', which went unreleased in the UK after the Dunblane massacre.
Yet in recent years, calls for censorship have become less fashionable, with more accepting that violent films can also serve an artistic purpose. Since the tragedy at the screening of 'The Dark Knight Rises' debates have focused more on the leniency of gun laws or security measures rather than the content of the film.
James Holmes is accused of first degree murder, and appeared in court yesterday to hear the charges put against him. He will likely face a lengthy trial, and if found guilty could face the death penalty.
The Dark Knight Rises...
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