should mumsnet help ban this film

[richrichrich]

Hi all mumsnets

Just listened to Radio 4 debate re Eastender sstory line. It praised mumsnet for bringing attention to a storyline.

I saw a film last year called "Eden Lake". In it a bunch of teanagers tortured to death a young married couple, slashed their mouthes with a stanly knife tied them up with barbed wire, burned a small asian boy to death and laughed about it and recorded all on their mobile phones. I was so disturbed that I contacted my local MP. I complained that the film content should never be considered entertainment in a civilised society. He asked the film classification board to re check the film. The matter went no further. The board is however, I believe, funded by film makers!
The matter went no further. After writing to the papers, and TV journalist all to no avail, I have had to give up as nobody appears to agree with my point of view. My point is that If this film is considered good entertainment by our main stream cinemas,then I am not surprised that some youngsters do the things that they do. Not long after this film was released there was a story in the news where two small boys tried to torture two other small boys to death, one was left for dead in a ditch. Very similar to the film!! Please would you mumsnetters review, and if you feel motivated do what you do best

Many thanks to you all. You probably do need to watch the film to fully understand my point, but I warn you it is very unpleasant.

Sorry but whilst I don't agree with these sorts of films I believe in freedom of choice and if people want to watch it they should be allowed to.

Children shouldn't be able to if the film is a 18, but that is down to the parents to control.

You didn't have to watch the film. The BBFC is there for censorship, we don't need any more.

Mumsnetters may have been praised but there are 100s of internet forums discussing Eastenders...Facebook being the most prominant.

I don't really see this site as one that would make a jot of difference to that film or any other OP.

I'm guessing that they allow it to stay because film isn't all about entertainment; if it were, then films about Nazis, torture and other highly unpleasant facts of life would never be made.

Thing is, I have skip-read your post because it started quite disturbingly - but young people these days do tend to film quite the most vile happenings on their mobiles, and broadcast them around as "entertainment" - so while the film itself may not live up to that concept, it is showing what sort of thing contemporary yoof may get up to; a reflection of reality, which is another facet of film.

In this case, it really is the case that if you don't want to see it, don't go/get it out/watch it - I think with mainstream TV it is more of a problem because it is accessible by many many people, of whom a sizeable proportion will now accept as normal that a bereaved mum may go sufficiently off her head as to steal someone else's baby.

I think there are a lot worse films than Eden Lake that are available to watch to be honest.

There have been several mentioned lately on MN.

Eden Lake is the most horrible thing I have ever seen. It is not in anyway entertaining.

I haven't seen the film, but so decided to 'google' and find out a little bit more about it before posting.

In ALL information I can find, it's clearly defined as a shocking horror film with an 18 certificate.

(And gets a good review from the Daily Mail. )

So......whilst it may not be to your (or many others') taste, it is not delusional in it's perception of the genre of entertainment it represents.

Which in, IMO, is the reason people are so alarmed about the Eastenders storyline content.
Eastenders is a Soap Opera, by definition a dramatic portrayal of real life. The current storyline is perceived by many to 'cross the line' of realistic dramatisation and now into the realms of 'shock factor'.

Sorry if this isn't really an answer to the OP but I don't half feel better for getting that off my chest

Well put Glynis

YABU, Seen the film, it is cr@p, but there are FAR worse films out there, & I don't really see why this one should be singled out

its a film, NOT prime time TV, therefore not as easy to access & if you'd read the blurb, nothing more than you would expect, & its personal choice whether or not you choose to watch it, so IMO you are YADBU to try & gain support for what is in fact your own personal opinion

The best way to get more publicity for a film is to ban or attempt to ban it. Are you the director, OP?

Michael Portillo was quite rightly dissing MN for the EE campaign today -- Also there is a long MN thread from us dissenters about the EE-campaign.

I don't like MNers being presented as having a unified front on hardly anything. The EE thing intially sounded unified because those of us who didn't care didn't post or pay attention, or if we did disagree we didn't dare voice it outloud in the face of such an emotional response.

If MN wants to be a political front then it would be best to do that only in the most limited way; maybe the EE thing is onesuch issue, but we can't campaign against everything objectionable ever.

The film is clearly classified as an adult horror, which while this may not be to everyones tastes, three is a fanbase who like to watch gruesome films. It does not turn these people into maniac killers.

Why would you watch it, when you know its going to be gruesome, if that sort of thing disgusts you?

YABU

grrr three = there

Films like that are meant to be unpleasant.

I enjoyed it, I like films of that genre, I'm not, as far as I'm aware, a psychotic killer - I just like horror films.

Try watching the film "Mum and Dad" if you want to be really outraged .

Children should not be watching them, but even if they do, most will be unaffected and the ones who go on to do terrible things will have that kind of personality anyway.

YABU I don't like that sort of film and wouldn't watch it but some people do and should be given freedom of choice

If you dont like it dont watch it but you have no right to try to stop others from seeing it if they so wish.

I dont like in a night garden and similar type stuff for children maybe i should start up a campaign to ban that.

He he at banning ITNG, if you could include a few other characters in that I would support it

oh bloody hell lula,I really wish I hadnt read your post and let my curiosity get the better of me. I really wish I could go back in time andunread that

As horrible as Eden Lake is, it is billed as a horror film. Children are portrayed in many violent programmes (wasn't there a small child in silent witness recently? I was told about it at work) so do you feel we should censor all violence from films, television and so forth or allow adults the right to decide for themselves?

I do often wonder at the inclusion of kids in some plots and often choose not to watch stuff for this reason. Eden lake was tame in comparison to some stuff, Road to peridon (sp?) had a very chilling murder of a mother and son (if I remember right) that didn't seem justified within the plot.

Am in total shock about serbian film. Do not read about it!

What was that other one on here recently..... Human centipede, that wasn't nice wither.

Wiki is not my friend.