tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post8136154494592770452..comments2024-03-22T14:34:39.101-04:00Comments on MONDO 70: A Wild World of Cinema: WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? (1976)Samuel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-90200149823433482412010-04-15T01:13:34.063-04:002010-04-15T01:13:34.063-04:00This is a very classy movie despite the subject ma...This is a very classy movie despite the subject matter. The director was totally successful in keeping the film from falling into exploitation trappings. Nothing wrong with that, just it was a surprise to see the material handled in a "respectful" manner.venoms5https://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-13112613030145067792010-04-12T18:51:55.863-04:002010-04-12T18:51:55.863-04:00Thanks for your comment, Vicar. Again, I'm pre...Thanks for your comment, Vicar. Again, I'm pretty sure that the film wants our reaction to be conflicted, but Serrador may have overplayed his hand with that telepathy business. People are bound to read that as "they're possessed" or "they're pod kids" or in simplest form, "they aren't human anymore." If only they had Captain Kirk on the island! He'd solve the problem with zero juvenile fatalities ;} But in all seriousness, had Serrador stuck to his guns and insisted on no <i>why</i> to what's happened to the kids, the climax would probably have been more purely horrific in the manner he apparently intended.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-18362804870775116672010-04-12T13:56:52.802-04:002010-04-12T13:56:52.802-04:00I saw the necessity for Tom to open up on the kids...I saw the necessity for Tom to open up on the kids at the climax of the flick, but I didn't cheer about it, and didn't really think the director necessarily wanted to inspire that reaction. I read it more of a "necessary evil" thing--concepts of innocence, right and wrong, etc. have devalued to such an extent that there's no escaping the cycle of violence--it's kill or be killed, even with children, and that's a sad thing all around. Perhaps all the sadder b/c of how much it rings true to modern experience.<br /><br />There was a time when one couldn't imagine killing a child, even in self defense--the idea that children are innocent, can and should be corrected and set on the right path (as opposed to locked away and/or executed), seems at times to be a casualty of the modern age. We have long since given up on the idea of rehabilitating adult criminals--and with more and more juvenile offenders being tried "as adults"--kids 13, 12, 11 years old or younger--we're pretty much saying that once a kid becomes a criminal, there's no longer any hope. Again, I couldn't cheer that idea, though I could see its terrible logic.The Vicar of VHShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06832137990485130735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-60931575599826642010-04-11T21:24:25.595-04:002010-04-11T21:24:25.595-04:00Rev., you've probably gotta cheer when Tom fin...Rev., you've probably gotta cheer when Tom finally opens up. Maybe the director wanted to move those war stats to the end to make us regret our applause, but the film works fine as is.<br /><br />Drew, I wasn't aware of Roth saying anything about it, but I guess he knows his stuff. Thanks for writing.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-41768463645709352342010-04-10T15:04:37.907-04:002010-04-10T15:04:37.907-04:00I've been curious about this since I heard Eli...I've been curious about this since I heard Eli Roth talk about sometime ago. Definitely sounds like one of those novel horror flicks one doesn't run across every day, I may have to grab this now after this writeup, it's got me super curious, and it's been awhile since I've had my horror fix.Drew McIntoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07054307044280470117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-29470650117295211542010-04-10T01:41:51.121-04:002010-04-10T01:41:51.121-04:00One of my all time favorite killer kid movies. Don...One of my all time favorite killer kid movies. Don't worry, man--I cheered at the end too. lolAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02208109184435483950noreply@blogger.com