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As one who remembers seeing Blood Feast, Night of the Living Dead, and other gory movies at our local drive-in theater, I can say that the gore was wasted on someone like me who would cover their eyes when a very gory scene was played. Even knowing that it was "just a movie", as mama would remind, I could only bear to peek through my fingers for a second or two at a time. I was always afraid I would have nightmares afterward, but none ever manifested. Should gore be used in movies? To be realistic, some movies require the gore. People over the age of twelve would definitely notice if someone were hacked in two and no blood came pouring forth. Children under the age of twelve may not notice the absence, nor miss it, if the characters did not bleed or spill their innards onto the sidewalk, but then, children under twelve really shouldn't be watching gory movies.

Why do people want to be frightened? Why do they pay money to watch as innocent people are slaughtered, stalked, stabbed, or slashed? We want to know how we would react if we faced similar circumstances, God forbid. We have a propensity for garnering information that could be used in emergencies with million to one odds against ever happening to us. Just in case, we want to see the absurd way people walk right in on situations that an idiot could tell was tempting fate. By watching their foolish mistakes, we learn valuable lessons on how to avoid flesh-eating zombies, alien body thieves, and mad prison escapees. You don't know, it could happen.

There is a place for gore. It isn't for everyone, but scenes of freak accidents with life-threatening results require realistic props and sets. As a society, we are too sophisticated for a squirt of ketchup here and there and bullet ridden bodies without holes and massive blood loss. Even older children not prone to nightmares should be allowed to watch action films depicting a little gore. We learn that stabbing someone does have immediate consequences which are unpleasant. We learn what makes us squeamish and what makes us laugh hysterically. Hopefully, we learn not to go to dark, unknown places alone to meet strange people. Most importantly, we learn that death is real and, while actors get up to perform again another day, real-life people do bleed to death. Death causes grief to those left behind, and there are times when we should be afraid and use caution.

If I had to give one compelling reason why gore should be used in movies, it would be this. I prefer that those with homicidal tendencies live vicariously through the movies rather than act on their impulses. Sure, some mentally unhinged people get ideas from movies, then act upon them, but they are extremely rare and would have killed at any rate sooner or later, movie ideas or not. To be honest with ourselves, we need to be taken to the edge of our seats on occasion, if for no other reason than to get our pulse revved up now and again. One caveat, pickled pigs' feet is a poor choice of snack before, during, or after a gory movie. Trust me.

Learn more about this author, Barbara Stanley.
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