Filmstalker: The Last Horror Movie withdrawn after real murders

In more reactionary, knee-jerk, blame everything but the real problem style, Tartan Video have announced that it is to cease the future supply of The Last Horror Movie immediately because the film has been mentioned as a cause of a teenage boy murdering two people.

Reading Crown Court is hearing a murder trial where the lawyers of a teenage boy who is alleged to have killed two people have stated that he watched this film repeatedly over four days prior to the murders.

Typical. I can't remember who it was but a famous killer in America claimed the TV series Kojak made him murder. Rubbish. You and your lawyers are trying to find a way out, and if you are guilty then you should pay for it, not the makers and the people who invested their time, money and lives into making a film.

Meanwhile Time Out are reporting that Tartan have withdrawn the film and stopped it earning money.

A spokesman for Tartan said, 'In the light of such tragic events it is only right that Tartan ceases to profit from the sale of the film...Whether there is any link between watching violent entertainment and committing of violent acts has never been proven, but we are taking these actions as a mark of respect for the families of all concerned'.

I'm tempted to ask about all the people behind the film who have made it, all those who have their name attached, their careers or funds invested, waiting for returns, or just to get paid. Don't they deserve some consideration? Is the removal of the film suggesting that a link is accepted and that all those who made it are in some way connected?

What about everything the boy ate or drank for those days before the murders? What about the murder weapon? The books he read, the TV programmes he watched, the pictures he saw, the people he talked to? Should we quickly remove all those things from the shelves too? After all some of them may have had a connection too.

I guess the good side of this is that there hasn't been a cult classic from a banned film in a long time, this might just build the hype to a frenzy for the film.

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When it comes down to it, it is possible that such media can affect the teenage boy.

If he grew up in a household with not much moral teachings, then he is on his own to make his own idea of how the world is going to be run. This film he watched repeatedly could have been like "modeling" for him. It could have been like when I saw "300" and I was in a desired mood to strap on some armor, put on shield, and a grab spear and go fight for glory. Just picture that feeling in a kid who didn't have too great of a family and can't comprehend right and wrong.

Now since the non-murders of the world can tell the difference between good and evil by that gut feeling that goes "this is wrong" whenever we think of murdering people,we have to understand some people don't have that gut instinct, and when that instinct doesn't occur in other people, and sometimes we are shocked because of how overwhelming it is for us to have it.

Posted by: Matthew | March 16, 2007 2:19 PM

So if we don't ever show a potential "murderer" violent images they will NEVER act on their chemical imbalances? afraid not.

The human brain is far more complicated than that and considering brain waves are in some ways electric then perhaps we should shut down the power station and get it over with.

fact is: we have had chemically imbalanced people from cave men times(or garden of eden if thats your thing) and i don't remember hearing about how "scream:the cave man series" influenced people then.

Posted by: pablo | March 19, 2007 1:37 AM