Study Finds That Some Audiences Tire of Expletive-Filled Films

[Buscemi]

Mandalorian, Silence was rated R and involved Buddhism. Evangelicals only want PG rated movies that tell them their religion is the only true one.

[Phobics]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

Bingo! That's what I've never understood. Instead of making a stink just don't watch it. Not every film has to be for everyone based on their personal preferences and if you don't watch R rated films anyways why would you even care?

Sadly, today everyone needs to be considered...

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Mandalorian

I thought Silence would appeal to that particular moviegoing population, but they didn't turn out, given the box office.

I'm not so sure that a movie about Catholics, made by a Catholic, that takes place in Japan, where the trailer looks at least somewhat violent is going to really appeal to Evangelicals in general.

[Phobics]

Originally Posted by Buscemi

Mandalorian, Silence was rated R and involved Buddhism. Evangelicals only want PG rated movies that tell them their religion is the only true one.

Don't forget G... PG is too much. After all they made PG really tame and started the pg13 and nanny censors.

[Al_The_Strange]

On the flipside, I oughta mention that I'd never want movies to be watered down just to cater to mass audience appeal.

[Phobics]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I'm not so sure that a movie about Catholics, made by a Catholic, that takes place in Japan, where the trailer looks at least somewhat violent is going to really appeal to Evangelicals in general.

True but the passion of the Christ was violent and it hit big for this crowd... no sex or nudity though, can't have that.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I won't deny that the authenticity exists. I can accept it as a trope for gangster films and other genres.

I'm a guy who could never catch a break with cursing--any time I do it in front of people, it seems like I offend everyone and it ruins things. So I only curse at inanimate objects and video games. But I do hear it often enough from everyone else--from people on the street, people at work, and even my parents. I won't deny that it's part of life, and part of living is putting up with some foul language.

But when it comes to the arts--films, books, the written word in general--I guess it's just a pet peeve of mine when they used curses as flavor words too often. In a few cases, I think it can mess up a story's intended effect. It boils down to balance and intention, and films don't always get it right.

Gotcha. Makes sense.

[Creed]

Originally Posted by Buscemi

Mandalorian, Silence was rated R and involved Buddhism. Evangelicals only want PG rated movies that tell them their religion is the only true one.

Ironically, those PG-rated Christian movies are more insulting than Silence. In fact, it's the best Christian/religious movie I've seen in a while.

Miracles From Heaven is decent as well. Funny how in God's Not Dead:

The atheists are dicks, including the main antagonist, and the antagonist

[Show spoiler]converts to Christianity as he's dying from being struck by a car

. I'm Christian and language doesn't bother me. I hear it everyday (even say it).

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Phobics

True but the passion of the Christ was violent and it hit big for this crowd... no sex or nudity though, can't have that.

Yeah, good point.

I think that was really a matter of timing when it came down to it. That, and the fact that the marketing was brilliant through many Evangelical channels.

[Moviefan2k4]

Originally Posted by Phobics

True but the passion of the Christ was violent and it hit big for this crowd... no sex or nudity though, can't have that.

The violence in Passion of the Christ was 100% relevant, though. That's what so many critics either missed or chose to ignore: Jesus was taking humanity's deserved punishments upon Himself. The scourging and crucifixion were simply the mortal component...but even their details don't hold a candle to the real thing as evidenced by history. The Romans in first-century Israel didn't just kill people - they relished in and excelled at it. If someone was condemned to crucifixion in that age, it was the most horrible fate you could ever suffer...because it was public and purposely prolonged to make the victim into an example. Death often took days, resulting from asphyxiation when the person could no longer push their body up to breathe. The film was sending the unmistakable message of, "He went through this to save you".

By contrast, when was the last time an excessive amount of swearing actually helped drive home a movie's message? Okay, we get that mobsters and such in the likes of Goodfellas often sound like they have trash compactors for voice boxes...but at what point does it simply become an arbitrary excuse? Gibson said he scaled back the violence in Passion of the Christ from the historical fact, because he thought the visuals would keep audiences from receiving the film's message past a certain point. I can't think of a single movie, where a ton of swearing improved the audience's perception of the story. Many still see high levels of it as disrespectful, or a sign of unintelligence...like the people are incapable of expressing themselves otherwise.

[shinobipopcorn]

I think Patrick Stewart had fun contributing to the F count in Logan.

Deadpool may have had a higher swear count, but it didn't have Professor X telling you to fck off.

(I'm not tired of expletive filled films, since I don't really consider such language offensive.)

[Foggy]

Probably the reason why Deadpool was such a box office disaster.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by shinobipopcorn

I think Patrick Stewart had fun contributing to the F count in Logan.

Deadpool may have had a higher swear count, but it didn't have Professor X telling you to fck off.

(I'm not tired of expletive filled films, since I don't really consider such language offensive.)

That was a hilarious line.

Just like Logan's in First Class, except this was coming from a much more unexpected source.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

Bingo! That's what I've never understood. Instead of making a stink just don't watch it. Not every film has to be for everyone based on their personal preferences and if you don't watch R rated films anyways why would you even care?

Well, to be fair, nobody was making a stink. Harris called them and asked for their opinions.

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I'm a guy who could never catch a break with cursing--any time I do it in front of people, it seems like I offend everyone and it ruins things.

You know how to get to Carnegie Hall, don't you?

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

By contrast, when was the last time an excessive amount of swearing actually helped drive home a movie's message?

Full Metal Jacket? Glengarry Glenn Ross? The Bad Lieutenant? Deadpool? Reservoir Dogs?

Add TV and you've got Deadwood, Veep, The Wire...there's a lot smart, sharply written stuff that wouldn't be nearly as good were it sanitized.

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

I can't think of a single movie, where a ton of swearing improved the audience's perception of the story.

Might the fact that you tend to avoid movies like that have anything to do with that?

I can't think of a lot of rap I like but to be fair to rappers, I don't listen to a lot of rap.

I'm just saying...

[Dragon Ranger]

Clay Davis of The Wire "Sheeeeeeeit" - YouTube

[WestMan]

Originally Posted by CelluloidPal

You can apply Spy to that 90%. However, you're essentially asking for censorship in movies, whether the content is excessive or not. It's their choice if they want to do so, even if it's done wrong or done for shock.

This is just your opinion more than anything else.

I'm not asking for censorship. I just find excessive swearing to be trashy and uncreative.

[drush9999]

I hear way more swearing in real life than in movies. I work with people with PhDs, and swearing is way more prevalent. I swear like a trooper in the right company, but draw the line when around kids or in front of my mum

[78deluxe]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

I would have thought Evangelical Christians would be too busy trying to force their beliefs on others than to have the time to watch movies.

Well you were wrong about that and it is something tangible and easily verifiable in the world. Who knows, you might be wrong about other things too.

[TheLaughingMann]

To be honest, I think profanity only matters when it is reactive. You stub your toe, you swear. You have an accident, you swear. You see you're about to die and you cannot stop it, you swear. Any other times, I think it wastes good dialogue that could exist in its place. There are exceptions...anyone have examples? It's still early for me.

[Scottie]

The only major problem I have with the use of expletives is when they are used, especially excessively, out of pure laziness and lack of imagination.