5 replies to this topic

[Spade]

On my college course at the moment we're looking at Controversial Images and how audiences react to them. Basically we've been given free reign to choose any piece of controversial media (advertising campaigns, computer games, etc) and we've got to test it out on an audience via focus groups, questionnaires, etc and write up our findings.

I've chosen the famous ear cutting scene from Reservoir Dogs set to "Stuck in the Middle with You" by Stealers Wheel, where psychopathic criminal "Mr. Blonde" torments a cop he's kidnapped after a botched jewelry heist.

Now, I don't usually come to the internet to conduct audience research (mostly because I think it seems cheeky ) but I figured I might get some interesting and intelligent responses here, if any of you have 10-15 minutes spare and are feeling super nice, that is. ^^

If you are; watch the scene (linky below) and respond with any thoughts you have about it; there are set points to consider, but it's not a questionnaire so write whatever it makes you feel. Maybe it could even spark up an interesting debate for the forum and lead to a long running feature; personally I find this sorta thing really interesting, but maybe that's just me.

Any feedback you can give will be very much appreciated. Thank you!

Reservoir Dogs - Ear Cutting Scene (I'm obliged to warn that if you're not comfortable with watching this type of imagery please please please don't click!)

Points to consider:

Your immediate thoughts on watching the scene.

What affect does the music have on you?

Do you find the music distracting, does it make the scene easier or harder to watch and why?

Is the scene more powerful because it doesn't actually show the act of the mutilation?

What affect does the silence have on you when he walks back outside halfway through the scene?

[chief]

1. Well, thats a dick move.

2. Now every time I hear that song I'll think of ears getting cut off...great.

3. The music isn't distracting.. I mean.. The dudes ear is getting cut off. You can't just zone out and go "hey nice music.. Hey! what happened to his ear! Nice magic trick!!" You are still drawin in to the "Holy shit, that guys cutting his ear off! Dick move Mr. Blonde!"

4. Yeah I think so. Kinda leaves it to your imagination. While watching it you think of "now how would this feel, how does it look.. auughh.." where as if you see it you just go "ha! fake!"

5. Well.. You know something else is comming. I mean.. he isn't just going to crab cookies to share with the guy. And if he did well... That would be almost more mean.. "Hey I just cut of your ear and will probably kill you in a bit.. Want a cookie? Double chocolate chip! MMMmmmm"
So during that part I was really thinking "just what else is he going to do the poor guy.. Like shit man.."

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

It's pretty shocking. Although anytime I hear music that's counterpoint to a scene, I generally try to find a connection between the song's lyrics and the actions of a scene.

The music doesn't make the scene any easier to watch. I feel it makes it a little more disturbing because you're thinking "This dude's wack!" Where as if it were music "fitting" to what's happening to the screen, I generally tend to think "Oh, another torture scene. Cue the creepy violins!"

I almost kinda wanted to see the mutilation, but panning away to hear the line "Hold still, you fuck" made the scene more disturbing, because it's trying to be nonchalant about the mutilation.

The silence in the middle just heightens the tension. You're not quite sure at the time what this dude's gonna do next, or even why he's walking away from the guy. Then he returns with gasoline.

I always liked scenes that tried to do something like that, and generally try to utilize the same technique in my own writings. One of my favorite examples of strange, disturbing counterpoint was always this scene from a different movie.

[Spade]

Cheers for the feedback guys, was very useful, appreciate it!!

One of the most interesting things I noticed from the research was when I conducted a focus group with some people I know. I was kinda disappointed when they all started off by saying that the music made the scene comical and funny (but then again they weren't the most mature audience) yet none of them so much as smiled whilst watching it. I thought that said a lot.


Also, on not seeing the ear being cut off, another reason the scene works better this way is because Tarantino did actually shoot a few takes where you see it being 'cut off' which made it onto the extras of the special edition DVDs. It looks terrible from what I remember.

[Penance]

I've already watched the movie, but going from the first time I saw the scene.

1. The scene was spoiled for me because I saw the Simpsons Parody of it first

2. I still can't hear this song without first thinking of this scene instead of the fact that its one of the only songs with two cowbell solos.

3. Doesn't really change the scene.

4. Not really, I can't help but wonder if he's just trying to cover up the lack of special effects budget (its hard to film something like that) with "oh, its my artistic expression"

5. No effect, hes just going outside to get something.

[The Man]

I think some of us missed a topic. So going off my own/some conclusions.

-The hero/ine usually loses in the end. (The bad guy is torturing someone big deal)
-The secondary character's finishes off the main villian. Lives longer than the main hero. (Scene looks pretty typical)
-Any other characters have one greater trait than either the main character or villian that's used once. (See above.)
-When traveling they actually die along the way or everyone makes it to the destination. (The guy who cut the ear is quite in control. Pretty typical)
-A victor is determined early and a descisive action is prompt. (See above.)
-The way things might happen as compared to real time. (No comment)
-Having to justify plot holes in fiction compared to reality. (Panning away from the act is the strength and weaknesses of multi-perspectives. Some movies have done it from the ears point of view.)
-Satisfying a fan base. (Mixed result. Some people would have been thrilled to actually see the cut. Others would freak out.)

Same rules apply to music, special effect, etc.,.