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Should gore be used in the movies?

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Yes

When you ask whether gore should be used in movies and you decide it should not on the basis that it could inspire an act of violence you are surely missing the point. Gore in itself is not the act of violence, rather it is the result of the violence. Gore is also present during benign acts, such as surgery, that would inspire nothing more than a gut reaction, depending on your personal tolerance for 'blood and guts'. As with any creative undertaking, the real question is of context. If the setting demands it, if the story requires it or if by showing it you want to evoke a gut response from your audience then it should not be dismissed summarily as unpleasant and therefore unnecessary.

Setting aside the horror genre for a moment, the reason I can state quite happily that gore has a place in movies is because of the myriad stories, filmed and otherwise, that contain gory scenes and would be a lesser work of art without them. Should we demand that Spielberg remove all the scenes of gore and gory violence from Saving Private Ryan? Would you suggest Francis Ford Coppola tone down The Godfather films? Can we perhaps have a word with Martin Scorsese about the levels of gore in Taxi Driver, Goodfellas or Raging Bull? While we're at it that Shakespeare fella has way too much death and violence in his stories, we really need to reel him in a little. None of the above films could be accused of showing gore for a cheap thrill, nor of being gratuitous and I'd argue that if you have an issue with their content the answer is simple, don't watch them.

Which brings me back to horror films. Because surely the crux of this discussion is not gore within films as much as films whose only apparent reason to exist is to thrill with excessive acts of gory violence.
The debate is surely inflamed by the recent Saw and Hostel franchises, who seem to be trying to outdo each other in the 'yuk' factor. Do these films count as art and what does it say about society that they are extremely popular and profitable? Well it's hardly a new concept, the spectacle of death and suffering has been lauded as entertainment throughout history. We all know the Romans loved to watch Gladiators fight to the death and public executions were commonplace throughout the world up until relatively modern times. These movies are just the modern equivalent and ever since moving pictures have existed acts of violence have been portrayed. Indeed one of the very first short 'films' ever made was a man acting out a scene of mild violence by kicking another man in the backside. Now this is, of course, neither shocking or disturbing, but it is indicative of human nature that one of the first things we wish to capture is an act of aggression. The shot of a woman's eyeball being sliced was used by Luis Buuel in Un Chien Andalou (1929) to shock and discomfort the audience and gore can be an extremely effective and legitimate way to unsettle. In it's day Psycho was an extremely shocking and visceral piece of film making. It may seem tame today, but it was quite controversial at the time and yet is now hailed as a masterpiece.

So do films such as Saw indicate a collapse in society and values? This can't be the case because such films have existed since the 70's and early 80's, when a boom in zombie flicks and so called video nasties heralded claims of societal collapse. Did any of these films spawn copycat violence ? Did viewing such films create a culture of violence and amoral behavior? Not that I'm aware of, in fact most people I know who loved and continue to love such films are 'nerds' who wouldn't hurt a fly.
In conclusion it is clear that gory films are not for everyone and are not intended to be. As I previously stated, if you have a problem with gory films, don't watch them. The genre, story and rating should indicate what you are getting into and as an adult you should have the right to decide what you choose to watch. What about me you may ask? Personally I hate films that are all gore and no story and as a rule avoid them, but that's just me.