Hollywood reacts to street violence
The Advertiser, Adelaide
17 August 1999
NEW YORK: In the wake of the recent mass shootings, Hollywood has already begun taming the violent content of movies and video games.
"I am more sensitive than a year ago because of what is in the air," says the head of one major film studio.
"Not that I believe (violent entertainment) causes street violence. But there is a validity to the idea that it is a contributing factor, along with the guns."
Television producers and film-makers have come under heavy criticism from both left and right following a series of shootings in schools and workplaces around the United States - the latest was on August 10 at a Los Angeles Jewish community centre.
In a Newsweek poll, 78 per cent of respondents say the media deserves "some" or "a lot" of the blame for recent shootings.
"I don’t want to take on Washington," says one studio head.
"We've passed on three projects recently that were too violent."
One film that's been toned down is Scream 3 from Miramax/Dimension Films.
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