True confessions. I love Halloween. Hate horror films. And wouldn’t know Tobin Bell from a Toblerone, as I just don’t get the whole sadistic slasher genre.
One week from today, SawIII launches a pre-Halloween hype fest, so parents of teens, take heed.
Tobin Bell received a 2006 “Best Villain” nomination from MTV for his twisted role as ‘Jigsaw’ and teens are abuzz he used a vial of his own blood blended with red ink to spatter the 1000 promotional posters going for $20 a pop via Lion’s Gate Films.
Grisly films like Saw III involve copious amounts of blood-letting, torture, dismemberment and half-naked women that end up with a toe tag, so I’ll pass on contributing to kids & media violence stats, and desensitization that’s impacting kids so profoundly.
Are kids seeing the confusing juxtaposition between gruesome violence and charitable giving?
How about controversial gimmicks and ticket sales? Seems it’s all standard Hollywood hype fed via IV bag into the veins of teens everywhere…
What a keepsake…Real, authentic actor’s blood, splattered on a movie poster you can bid to own! Imagine, “Hep C” hanging decor for your room, and interactive blood drive opportunities! wow.
Since I’m a total horror wimp, what’s kitsch to some is cringe-inducing to me.
I’m still purging vivid flashbacks from teen years of sneaking into movies my friends were seeing like ‘The Exorcist.’ I thought I could ‘handle’ it.
Based on Saw II reviews, Linda Blair’s growly head-spinning barf bit is TAME…
…ESPECIALLY compared to the explicitly gruesome imagery of “bodies penetrated by sharp implements, shot, burned up, slammed, smashed, punched, kicked, sawed, cut, and dismembered. Characters bleed lots, vomit, cough blood, smoke and curse relentlessly, inject drugs, cheat and abuse each other out of fear” & so on.
Is THIS the value system the American Red Cross has aligned with to partner nationally?
In kids’ eyes they’re paired with the film by rolling out a huge multi-state blood drive coinciding with the premier Oct. 27th! That’s a confusing endorsement.
Anyone see a blurred boundary here on the messaging front?
“How Much Blood Will You Shed to Stay Alive?” is the villain’s signature phrase, so I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me they’d go after a charitable org with a compelling need that fits the volume of spillage.
Evidently the ‘real blood’ bit has been done before with Adidas, and the rock group KISS, but this controversial maneuver is perversely surreal.
Using the guise of ‘charitable giving’ they’re able to hype, sell, and deflect simultaneously.
The charity link sanitizes the heinousness of the violence.
You’d think the American Red Cross would be concerned about their brand, right? Well…they are. Er…Sorta.
The ‘naughty nurses’ poster with the “give ‘til it hurts” copyline and sadomasochistic goth-like sexuality was initially pulled and doctored up a bit by request of the American Red Cross.
Why? The uniforms displayed the well known Red Cross symbol which is a registered trademark, not public domain. (Here’s the ‘before & after’)
Um. Yeah. Gee. That’s sure the branding association I’d worry about, guys. Let’s guard that mark. Forget the fact that you’re sanctioning violent, slasher, splatter, sexual slop to kids.
How about preventing it, as the “helpful Red Cross!?”
Seen the studies on desensitization to media gore? Sociological impact on kids? Violence against women? Sexualization and objectification? By all means, take the high road and remove your logo. Egad.
Of course, that little PhotoShop ‘oops’ was probably part of the game plan to swirl more controversy around the autographed poster being auctioned off to benefit the cause. (because, voila!…now there are ‘banned’ editions…ooh…subterfuge…teens love the forbidden!)
Granted, the first two “Saw” campaigns raised over 14,000 pints in blood, and they’re hoping to double that by hyping the macabre authenticity and grossness of using the star’s “real blood.”
Maybe next time they’ll ask a star to do a VanGogh number or hack off a digit or something? It costs an arm & a leg to produce such stellar icons of Hollywood worthiness, eh?
And since the villainous “Jigsaw” is suffering from terminal cancer, which is why he’s supposedly on this twisted rampage to ‘teach’ his victims to appreciate life–(how twisted is that?)
Do you think they’ll DOUBLE their civic-minded stake by partnering with cancer foundations the next round?
Only time will tell. It’s all bloody creepy to me. But then…I don’t get the genre.
Hi Amy,
How days are going on? Hope fine!
I think never to see the horror movie for the kids. As the kids are the future of the nation so never to see them such kind of movie. I think every parent should see something new contributions what will inspire them a more in their future life.