Watchdog Groups - Don't Really Watch

You, as a parent, have the control over what your children see. Take some responsibility. But before banning, criticizing and demanding censorship - you probably should know what the hell you're talking about.

Recently I encountered a parent who was infuriated that an advertisement for the movie "Funny Games" was run during an episode of "Sponge Bob Square Pants."

Having never heard of the movie, I did some research as to what the movie was about.

First, I have to add, this parent was complaining about the R rated version of this film. Yet the same parent had no objection to the ceaseless glee for the advertising of "The Happening," touted as the first R rated movie from its creator. There was no escaping those advertisements. Besides, who hasn't seen more violence or sex in ads for G and PG movies than in some ads for R rated movies?

After researching a bit, I found that many -- ahem -- family watchdog groups had claimed that the movie "Funny Games" was extremely brutal, inappropriate and should be banned, censored and so forth. That the movie glorified violence and murder and so on and so forth.

Of course we all know this is the best type of publicity any entertainment can get. If this parent hadn't been so adamant about his disgust for the film, I - and several of my friends, would not have known it existed.

So naturally, we sought it out and found the R rated version on Movies on Demand.

If this movie is so controversial, we thought, it's worth the $3.99.

I want my $3.99 back.

Suffice it to say "Funny Games" is no "Clockwork Orange." Farrah Fawcett was more brutalized in "The Burning Bed" than the family in this film. There is more tension in "24" or "Lost" than was created by the movie.

Granted, the plot was twisted and interesting. It does focus on two youths brutally terrorizing a family. Somehow, it comes off lame. If you compare "Funny Games" to other movies in this genre.

The majority of violence is alluded to rather than seen. It is up to the audience to fill in the blanks. Compared to a Jason Voorhees, anything from the "Final Destination" trilogy and other suspense/terror/horror films, the action is pretty tame.

If these parents and parental groups are so afraid of "Funny Games" what are they afraid of? Are they afraid of the graphic violence? Is they are, they haven't actually seen the movie.

Are they afraid of explicit sex, rape or language? If they are, they haven't seen the movie.

Maybe, if they have seen the movie - Maybe they are afraid of the one thing this movie demands. Are they afraid that viewers have to use their imagination?

Because that is what this film demands of it's viewers. It demands the viewers use their own minds to envision the violence. Instead of desensitizing the audience with a never-ending river of gore, the audience has to be sensitized and revolted by what they create in their own heads.

Like reading the "Exorcist," the images a person can create in their own mind is much more graphic and intense than simply seeing an image presented.

If the fear that this parent had of "Funny Games" was based on the falsehoods claimed by the watchdog groups, then he indeed has surrendered his imagination. Not watching at all, is indeed worse than watching.