Artist Integrity in Film, Is it necessary for artistic endeavors, including film, to depict socially unacceptable behavior in order to have artistic integrity? Yes

Essay by JRAbballUniversity, Master'sA, December 2003

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Shakespeare's Macbeth is considered one or the greatest plays of all time. It illustrates the ultimate result of his and Lady Macbeth's irresponsible and tragic insanity in its gruesome end. Goliath's slaying by David, which exemplifies David's courage. Neither of these tales would have been as effective without the ingredient of violence. Imagine how dull Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry would have been had it relied on politeness and political correctness rather than criminal insanity and anti-social behavior? It might well have become ideologically sound and socially acceptable but it would have been an entirely different film, and a terminally boring one. For the purpose of achieving artistic character, especially in film, there is a need to portray socially unacceptable behavior because it displays the realities of life, present philosophical viewpoint of human nature, and helps convey the story.

Artistic achievements, especially in film, help portray the reality of life. Fills should not hide the truth but bring it to the forefront of society.

For example, in the movie Traffic, shows everyone from the street dealers to the drug takers to the politicians to the drug lords, the parents, the cops, the rats and pretty much anyone involved in the industry of illegal narcotics. For the audience they realize that the just "say no to drugs" approach to drug didn't seem to have worked as well as they may have liked. The film American History X, there are unnerving scenes of racial violence: of black youths kicking a helpless white student in a high school restroom; of a Korean-owned grocery store terrorized by skinhead thugs; of an African American whose skull is split open by a skinhead who orders him to lie face down on a curb. The movie portrays real life racisms at its worst. Film ultimately has the option...