FRAME by FRAME

News and commentary from Russell Johnson and Twenty One Productions.
Pointless "Art"
Monday, April 24, 2006
I have been debating wether or not to even write this piece but as much as I struggle with it, something compels me to, so here goes.

Yesterday I was surfing the mighty web and I stumbled upon a band and their music video, I can only assume they produced, and after the first viewing I was disgusted. This was a music video for a black metal or death metal band. And I will not give away the name or where to find the video not because of cowardice but because I won't promote something that I find that appalling.

Now before you, dear reader, goes into a tizzy about my refusal to "name names" let em tell you this. First and foremost I am the biggest anti-censorship person on the planet. So, as far as this particular video is concerned I support the bands right to produce it and put it out there. That's not why I am writing this. For as much as I would never ask a band and or video makers to refrain from making such a video, I have just as much right to say what a steaming pile I think it is.

Secondly, if anyone thinks it's because I am against "death" metal you couldn't be more wrong. As well as being a filmmaker, I am also a musician. I have played in countless bands and I listen to everything. I don't discriminate when it comes to music. If I can bang my head or dance, or just friggin' air guitar to it, I like it. A good song is subjective, but I can run the gamut of musical genres and find something good in all of them. I've heard many death and black metal bands such as Cannibal Corpse, Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Satyricon and so on. Not just heard of them but listened to their actual music. I can't say I have liked any of it. Atreyu has a cool sound but I don't know if they would apply. The fact this music is around and people get money to play it is intriguing to me. But that pretty much goes for anything.

Lastly, if you think it's because I don't understand the "youth" or just don't like gore and horror. Wrong again. Just like music I love all types of movies. Horror included. My brother-in-law has a horror collection that would put most horror experts to shame. And I have seen my share. Bad Taste, Dead Alive, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Devils Rejects (a recent personal favorite), House of a Thousand Corpses, Zombie by Lucio Fulci, Re-Animator, Audition and many more. All full of gore, eviscerations, de-captiations, torture, and brutality. But what I saw on-line in this music video was nothing original, creative or scary. It was brutality and torture just for the sake of it. POINTLESS!

I can appreciate pretty much anything in the creative realm. Wether it be fine art, or horror. It all has it's place somewhere, even if I don't personally like it. But my dislike of this particular video had much less to do with the fact it was not to my own personal tastes, it was senseless. And maybe that was their point. If so, job well done. But I seriously doubt this was their intent. This is my own opinion and you know what they say about opinions. Just like assholes everyone has one. Well that may be but even my asshole hasn't created something as foul as this video. My shit is roses compared to this nonsense. I'll promote a lot of stuff, and things I don't particular enjoy myself, but in this humble writers opinion it has to have some merit. Any merit. Character development, meaning, originality, vision, a hot chick, something!

I will give you a bit of what this video entailed and I'm sure many have seen it and probably enjoy it, and I'm sure many more will stumble upon it such as I did. But basically, a guy, kidnaps a girl, tortures her and kills her. End of video. The video didn't even give me just a hint of why this guy is doing this. His childhood, his mental state, his hate for women and life in general. Given any of this to begin with I wouldn't have given this video a second thought. But this was pure voyeurism, and a celebration of torture, mutilation and death. Shit the only thing that really shocked me is that they didn't add rape into the mix. I didn't find this video necessary just as I didn't think the scene in the, Maria Bello, Vincent Cassel, movie "Irreversible" where the guy kills the other one with a fire extinguisher was necessary. Okay the scene itself was necessary but the graphic and explicit smashing of his head was not. And as I've written, maybe that's the point of this band and many others like them and I am not here to stop them. Just give my point of view.

Is it because I'm older? Maybe, but I doubt it. I still love metal, hardcore, rock, everything. That's not going to change. Is it because I'm a father? More likely, but not a real reason for me to hate this video. I can separate reality and fantasy. But I draw the line at some point. And maybe this video was it. But as an artist, of any kind, when you create, have a meaning and/or point to it all. It doesn't have to be a political, religious, morality or any "certain kind" of statement, just have one.

Hell, even Jason from Friday the 13th has a reason. Revenge. Freddy has a reason. Parents burned him alive and he seeks retribution through their children. (All this got lost in the string of sequels however.) Whatever, at least it's something. Zombies even have a reason. And dare I say it? Leatherface had a reason. None of them good, but reasons none the less.

I know this was pretty much just a rant, a rave and maybe just a little bit of soapboxing as well. But here's the thing.

I have a point.
posted by Twenty One Productions @ 8:22 PM

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