The Girl next door
I dare you to watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAVr-XyL7eQ
Based on a true story - Its fucking disturbing on many levels.
Based on the Jack Ketchum novel of the same name, The Girl Next Door follows the unspeakable torture and abuses committed on a teenage girl in the care of her aunt...and the boys who witness and fail to report the crime.
Lillyanna-Windmane
16 years ago
That looks so beyond sad. I would like to see it, though. I went and added it to my queue.
Den
16 years ago
I think I'm becoming calloused, since I found the clip sad, but not as terrifying as I expected. But then too, I just watched that movie, 'Precious', a few days ago...talk about disturbing.
ROzbeans
16 years ago
That does look sad =/ This is the type of movie I'll watch if I catch it on tv though. I have a hard time watching dramas like that.
Verileah
16 years ago
Kind of mindboggling that they're making another movie about this horrible crime. An American Crime is already out, and honestly I'm not sure that's a movie that needed to be made. Another one? Just seems excessive.
Den
16 years ago
That's exactly what I asked myself about 'Precious'.
Verileah;112200
... honestly I'm not sure that's a movie that needed to be made...
That's exactly what I asked myself about 'Precious'.
Verileah
16 years ago
I heard Precious turned into poverty porn at some point in the movie.
Den
16 years ago
I'm not sure what 'poverty porn' is...:(
All I can say is I think most of us know that poverty exists in the ghettos, as does abuse, etc. Which is why I don't understand how so many people could say this book/movie were so worthwhile, and valuable. The movie didn't offer any hope really, or other forms of value that I could see. And watching the story wasn't entertaining, in my mind. Monique did a fabulous job in her role, and deserved her award, but I'm still boggled at the 'why' behind it all.
All I can say is I think most of us know that poverty exists in the ghettos, as does abuse, etc. Which is why I don't understand how so many people could say this book/movie were so worthwhile, and valuable. The movie didn't offer any hope really, or other forms of value that I could see. And watching the story wasn't entertaining, in my mind. Monique did a fabulous job in her role, and deserved her award, but I'm still boggled at the 'why' behind it all.
Vulash
16 years ago
I liked Star Trek
Verileah
16 years ago
I like YOUR MOM!
Vulash
16 years ago
:(
Verileah
16 years ago
...
I like...lamp?
(Sorry, we are going through a rash of 'your mom' and 'that's what she said' comments at work and now the phrases have crawled into my brain to spring out at any moment. Did not mean to make you sad.)
I also like Star Trek. xoxoxo Vulash!
I like...lamp?
(Sorry, we are going through a rash of 'your mom' and 'that's what she said' comments at work and now the phrases have crawled into my brain to spring out at any moment. Did not mean to make you sad.)
I also like Star Trek. xoxoxo Vulash!
Vulash
16 years ago
It was a very sarcastic sad face. I've been stuck in a "your mom" and "that's what she said" rut as well.
Vulash
16 years ago
And I believe the correct term is...
Ich Liebe Lampe
Ich Liebe Lampe
Verileah
16 years ago
Hyper literalness strikes again!
Also - hee.
Also - hee.
Kelefane
16 years ago
This wont be on TV anytime soon. At least not mainstream. Its pretty bloody in parts and gets kind of....sexual.
ROzbeans;112199
That does look sad =/ This is the type of movie I'll watch if I catch it on tv though. I have a hard time watching dramas like that.
This wont be on TV anytime soon. At least not mainstream. Its pretty bloody in parts and gets kind of....sexual.
pharren
16 years ago
You'd think that in this day and age, people would know... but sadly, they really don't. Or they know it on a level such as I know Jupiter has a diameter of 142,984 km. I've never been to Jupiter, and there's no way I could ever possibly fathom such a huge object without experiencing it firsthand.
My own parents are "guilty" of this. They both grew up with very little, but they're both white. They really have no idea what it means to be a minority living in today's ghettos. People of my generation tend to have a better understanding of it, due to popular media, at the very least. Not that things weren't bad for minorities before, but the advent of crack really changed things for the worse. They both grew up in Detroit, but the Detroit of the late 50s-early 60s is not the same as the Detroit of today.
The story of the city of Compton is a good example. It used to be a peaceful, middle-class community. People of my generation know it as one of the most dangerous cities in the US. After crack was introduced and the area began its rapid decline, it became the city with the highest per capita murder rate in the country. And the cycle continues... Compton has been cleaned up, and is back on the rise. People of the next generation will find me hopelessly out-of-touch when they talk of moving to Compton and I look at them like they're crazy.
It's one thing for a white person to understand that racism exists. It's another thing to witness the pervasiveness and intensity of it. My father thinks it is just whining, or exaggeration, or people looking to scam the system with false claims of brutality, when he hears about the way minorities are treated by police. He simply doesn't believe it is real. Both of my parents complain about Affirmative Action; not because of how poorly designed it is, but because they don't believe someone would actually be discriminated against for their race, sex, or religion. They think racism means "I don't like black people", and that's the extent of it.
It's one thing for a middle class person to understand that there is poverty in the ghetto. It's another thing to see it, to hear the stories of mothers selling their babies, to see somebody get stabbed to death for a pair of shoes or a cellular phone. My parents think people in the ghetto sell drugs because they are lazy. My parents can't understand why young black men would look up to a drug dealer or a pimp.
Many people live sheltered lives. If you are not subject to these things, then the only way for you to learn about them is to experience them vicariously through friends, through books, through music, through movies. It's not a complete understanding, but it's enough to spark compassion, and motivate people to help bring about change. The understanding is obviously more profound when you can relate to the people involved on some level more personal than just reading about another murder in the newspaper. That is what makes this movie valuable.
Well... it's not a Disney movie. Maybe you lead some sort of magically charmed existence, but in my experience, real life is often devoid of hope. But there is hope for her son.
All I can say is I think most of us know that poverty exists in the ghettos, as does abuse, etc. Which is why I don't understand how so many people could say this book/movie were so worthwhile, and valuable.
You'd think that in this day and age, people would know... but sadly, they really don't. Or they know it on a level such as I know Jupiter has a diameter of 142,984 km. I've never been to Jupiter, and there's no way I could ever possibly fathom such a huge object without experiencing it firsthand.
My own parents are "guilty" of this. They both grew up with very little, but they're both white. They really have no idea what it means to be a minority living in today's ghettos. People of my generation tend to have a better understanding of it, due to popular media, at the very least. Not that things weren't bad for minorities before, but the advent of crack really changed things for the worse. They both grew up in Detroit, but the Detroit of the late 50s-early 60s is not the same as the Detroit of today.
The story of the city of Compton is a good example. It used to be a peaceful, middle-class community. People of my generation know it as one of the most dangerous cities in the US. After crack was introduced and the area began its rapid decline, it became the city with the highest per capita murder rate in the country. And the cycle continues... Compton has been cleaned up, and is back on the rise. People of the next generation will find me hopelessly out-of-touch when they talk of moving to Compton and I look at them like they're crazy.
It's one thing for a white person to understand that racism exists. It's another thing to witness the pervasiveness and intensity of it. My father thinks it is just whining, or exaggeration, or people looking to scam the system with false claims of brutality, when he hears about the way minorities are treated by police. He simply doesn't believe it is real. Both of my parents complain about Affirmative Action; not because of how poorly designed it is, but because they don't believe someone would actually be discriminated against for their race, sex, or religion. They think racism means "I don't like black people", and that's the extent of it.
It's one thing for a middle class person to understand that there is poverty in the ghetto. It's another thing to see it, to hear the stories of mothers selling their babies, to see somebody get stabbed to death for a pair of shoes or a cellular phone. My parents think people in the ghetto sell drugs because they are lazy. My parents can't understand why young black men would look up to a drug dealer or a pimp.
Many people live sheltered lives. If you are not subject to these things, then the only way for you to learn about them is to experience them vicariously through friends, through books, through music, through movies. It's not a complete understanding, but it's enough to spark compassion, and motivate people to help bring about change. The understanding is obviously more profound when you can relate to the people involved on some level more personal than just reading about another murder in the newspaper. That is what makes this movie valuable.
The movie didn't offer any hope really
Well... it's not a Disney movie. Maybe you lead some sort of magically charmed existence, but in my experience, real life is often devoid of hope. But there is hope for her son.
Kelefane
16 years ago
I dont watch movies for hope. I like to see sad endings in movies personally. The dark and gloomier the better. I like it where everyone dies, too.
When I watch a movie, I like to come out of it feeling moved and thinking about stuff....or in some cases, like I did something wrong by watching it. That IMO is what movies are all about.....everything else is just ho-hum / run of the mill bs otherwise.
When I watch a movie, I like to come out of it feeling moved and thinking about stuff....or in some cases, like I did something wrong by watching it. That IMO is what movies are all about.....everything else is just ho-hum / run of the mill bs otherwise.
Verileah
16 years ago
I think that there's a strange voyeurism involved in that kind of movie that makes me uncomfortable. I mean, that kind of movie is supposed to make you uncomfortable, that's kind of the point, to pull you out of your comfort zone and put you in a different situation, but this is a different uncomfortable. Like...'here, sit down with your popcorn and be entertained by way of the sort of horror some people actually suffer every day.' I think that's what the review I read meant by 'poverty porn'.
So yeah, when a movie like An American Crime comes out, I have to wonder how much of making this movie was about educating people, and how much was about exploiting a horrific story in order to captivate an audience. Sometimes the inherent value of the story is enough to allow me to dismiss such misgivings, so considering the value seems like a reasonable starting point.
You make a really compelling point, Pharren. As a middle class white girl, I have to say, I would get laughed out of the room if I claimed to know how hard it was to live in the ghetto because I've seen The Wire. So I appreciate the nuance there, in admitting that it's not a complete understanding. And yeah, from that perspective, I can see the value in making Precious. Honestly, it might also be good art - good acting, good cinematography, etc. Sometimes that can be enough. I haven't seen the movie, though, so I can't really say how I would judge it - at this point I can only be persuaded to see it or not.
But this story (The Girl Next Door) has not only already been told, it has already been filmed. They've taken this absolutely nauseating true story and fictionalized it and repackaged it and want to feed it to audiences again. For what? I truly don't understand the value there.
So yeah, when a movie like An American Crime comes out, I have to wonder how much of making this movie was about educating people, and how much was about exploiting a horrific story in order to captivate an audience. Sometimes the inherent value of the story is enough to allow me to dismiss such misgivings, so considering the value seems like a reasonable starting point.
Many people live sheltered lives. If you are not subject to these things, then the only way for you to learn about them is to experience them vicariously through friends, through books, through music, through movies. It's not a complete understanding, but it's enough to spark compassion, and motivate people to help bring about change. The understanding is obviously more profound when you can relate to the people involved on some level more personal than just reading about another murder in the newspaper. That is what makes this movie valuable.
You make a really compelling point, Pharren. As a middle class white girl, I have to say, I would get laughed out of the room if I claimed to know how hard it was to live in the ghetto because I've seen The Wire. So I appreciate the nuance there, in admitting that it's not a complete understanding. And yeah, from that perspective, I can see the value in making Precious. Honestly, it might also be good art - good acting, good cinematography, etc. Sometimes that can be enough. I haven't seen the movie, though, so I can't really say how I would judge it - at this point I can only be persuaded to see it or not.
But this story (The Girl Next Door) has not only already been told, it has already been filmed. They've taken this absolutely nauseating true story and fictionalized it and repackaged it and want to feed it to audiences again. For what? I truly don't understand the value there.
Den
16 years ago
Perhaps that's why I saw the movie with the eyes I did...my mom went to high school in Compton back in the 50s, and my grandparents lived there until the early 60s, when it was a pretty typical suburb of LA. Then, later when I was a teenager I lived and went to high school in North Long Beach, neighboring Compton. Even later when I was working, my job took me all over southern California, including Compton, Watts, etc. So I am completely aware of how those cities changed through the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I lived in Long Beach during the Watts riots in the mid 60s. I did not lead a charmed existence then, nor do I now.
Admitting that not everyone has shared my experiences, I'll concede your reason does give support for the writing of this book, and filming of this movie; however, I still think it would have been better served as a documentary. Creating a fictional movie for entertainment purposes seems a poor vehicle for getting this message across.
Out of curiosity, I'd love to know what hope you saw for this girl's son. I must have missed it, or just not understood how having a 15 year old mother, who was also taking care of a daughter with Down's Syndrome, very little emotional support, very little financial support, diagnosed with AIDS and no health care, would give that baby much of a better chance at life than his mother had, and hope for a future.
pharren;112260
The story of the city of Compton is a good example. It used to be a peaceful, middle-class community. People of my generation know it as one of the most dangerous cities in the US. After crack was introduced and the area began its rapid decline, it became the city with the highest per capita murder rate in the country. And the cycle continues... Compton has been cleaned up, and is back on the rise. People of the next generation will find me hopelessly out-of-touch when they talk of moving to Compton and I look at them like they're crazy.
It's one thing for a white person to understand that racism exists. It's another thing to witness the pervasiveness and intensity of it. My father thinks it is just whining, or exaggeration, or people looking to scam the system with false claims of brutality, when he hears about the way minorities are treated by police. He simply doesn't believe it is real. Both of my parents complain about Affirmative Action; not because of how poorly designed it is, but because they don't believe someone would actually be discriminated against for their race, sex, or religion. They think racism means "I don't like black people", and that's the extent of it.
It's one thing for a middle class person to understand that there is poverty in the ghetto. It's another thing to see it, to hear the stories of mothers selling their babies, to see somebody get stabbed to death for a pair of shoes or a cellular phone. My parents think people in the ghetto sell drugs because they are lazy. My parents can't understand why young black men would look up to a drug dealer or a pimp.
Many people live sheltered lives. If you are not subject to these things, then the only way for you to learn about them is to experience them vicariously through friends, through books, through music, through movies. It's not a complete understanding, but it's enough to spark compassion, and motivate people to help bring about change. The understanding is obviously more profound when you can relate to the people involved on some level more personal than just reading about another murder in the newspaper. That is what makes this movie valuable.
Well... it's not a Disney movie. Maybe you lead some sort of magically charmed existence, but in my experience, real life is often devoid of hope. But there is hope for her son.
Perhaps that's why I saw the movie with the eyes I did...my mom went to high school in Compton back in the 50s, and my grandparents lived there until the early 60s, when it was a pretty typical suburb of LA. Then, later when I was a teenager I lived and went to high school in North Long Beach, neighboring Compton. Even later when I was working, my job took me all over southern California, including Compton, Watts, etc. So I am completely aware of how those cities changed through the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I lived in Long Beach during the Watts riots in the mid 60s. I did not lead a charmed existence then, nor do I now.
Admitting that not everyone has shared my experiences, I'll concede your reason does give support for the writing of this book, and filming of this movie; however, I still think it would have been better served as a documentary. Creating a fictional movie for entertainment purposes seems a poor vehicle for getting this message across.
Out of curiosity, I'd love to know what hope you saw for this girl's son. I must have missed it, or just not understood how having a 15 year old mother, who was also taking care of a daughter with Down's Syndrome, very little emotional support, very little financial support, diagnosed with AIDS and no health care, would give that baby much of a better chance at life than his mother had, and hope for a future.
ROzbeans
16 years ago
Wouldn't any type of life be better than the one she had?