I am currently doing A Level Media Studies focusing on a topic 'Crime & the Media'.
Im interested to know what the general public think about the way films influence people, in particular; violent films. For example, A Clockwork Orange has been known to have caused a stir within society about its effect on young people to commit crimes towards others and copying scenes from the film. There was also a case in England about Childs play 3 being blamed for the murder of young Jamie Bulger. Any ideas you have will be very helpful.

Thanks for your time & I hope to hear from you soon.

If films really influenced peoples behaviour then they could change the world; Anti-War movies could bring an end to war; movies about poverty and racism could ignite a revolution that would see an end to social inequality and race hatred;musicals could make people everywhere burst into sudden spontaneous singing and dancing but unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, movies have a very limited influence on peoples behaviour. The kind of people who watch a horror movie and then go out and kill someone are the kind who would probably go out and kill someone anyway.

Basically, it depends on the individual who watches the movie; if they are dangerously psychotic or have had a poor moral education or come from an environment where violence and crime are accepted as the norm or don't have any other frame of reference because they live inside a bubble then they might become violent through watching violent movies but most normal people, I firmly believe,would not become violent or behave criminally after watching violent movies.

When I was a child growing up in the 80's and early 90's most kids that I knew had illicitly watched and enjoyed 18 rated horror movies like Nightmare On Elm Street and although the films often scared them witless and gave them nightmares none of them grew up to be violent or criminal.

I think that it was the media who made this 'connection'. So far there is not one piece of conclusive evidence.

As far as I know the most deaths for humans v. human has been from wars started by heads of countries. When compared to people who claim films made them kill, I would say its a very small number.

Films do influence my behaviour, if a musical is on the TV I always switch channel.

There's some info about the Bulger case at claiming the link to Child's Play was a media invention.

James Ferman, then director of the BBFC, denied any link between the video and the murder ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2605543.stm ).

The Guardian claims one of the boys' dads had once hired the video, but that there was no evidence the boys had watched it.

Although I would say that the question of whether 10 year olds are influenced by watching something is very different to whether adults are.

Such 'panics' are just media sensationalism.

There have been many studies, over six decades, into the relationship between viewing pornography and violent entertainment, including pornography depicting violence and video games, by many learned and serious researchers, and others.

That includes a Royal commission for the British government and a surgeon generals study for the U.S. government, studies by British police psychologists, the FBI and even hardline anti-pornography feminists and right- wing religious groups.

To date, no one has presented one shred of credible evidence that viewing such material leads people to commit a crime.

I dont think films inluence peoples behaviour. The way i see it is people allready have in their own mind which way they want to behave. I mean with horror movies like childsplay you are watching it and you immediately recognize chucky is evil. Everything tells you to hate and fear chucky because you know and hate what chucky is doing to people.

The people who see different to this would probably be wanting chucky to kill more and are cheering chucky on rather than for the victims to escape.

Which way people see the movie is allready in their minds when they watch it so I dont really blame the movies for influencing people because its not while watching the movies that people become good or bad. It is the lives they have experienced that influence some to liking the bad things in movies.

it's all a load of crap... I own some of the most violent/sick/twisted films (and games but that's not the point here) made, and I've not gone out and killed anyone! Then again, I've pretty much always been over the age to watch them. I guess people with a predisposition to acts of violence could have violent films/games push them "over the edge" as it were - but it's something innate within their personhood, and not a problem of the media materials.

Im doing the same for my general studies lesson..i need to create like a powerpoint on how does media etc influence people into todays society...cba starting it like

In my opinion No...sick people murder as do evil people but I think that films ect do not influence the perpetator I think that is just an excuse,I am open to the thought that a person's past and the way that the offender was treated in chilhood may effect a person and make them violent and thus violate other people but not watching films.

i am a big fan of films myself and i to have done film courses and personally i think that crazy people do crazy things and that film and cinema dose definatly not influence peoples actions but thats just my own views other people may disagree.

I think it already takes a damaged individual to react and copy violence that they see in films, there are many contributions to their behaviour.
How many people will watch Reservoir Dogs and actually think about cutting off someones ear??

What a load of crap, films do not influence people.

Anyone who goes out a commits a crime, then say's i just copied a film or chuckie made me do it are already not right in the head and need to get a new lawyer.

"Dyin aint no way to make a livin boy"

Films do influence people to a certain extent, but most people know the difference being right and wrong and know that killing whether you have seen it in a film or not, it is unacceptable in society.

People that blame films are just looking for a scape goat, they are just looking for an excuse to get away with doing something they no know is wrong. Whereas children that commit crimes and films or music are blamed, surely their upbringing is to blame. Not just parents but school life, and the things that they are subjected to in real life. If they don't know the difference between right and wrong then they will think the things they see are acceptable.

I don't think films influence peoples behavior as the media makes out.
If somebody is going to do something then they've already got it in their head and that's it. Surely it should be 'Do other people influence other peoples behaviour?' and the answer is a clear yes.

I have seen so many films that if they do influence my behaviour I have serious problems. The answer is to have a well balanced diet of films, drink plenty of water and eat 5 portions of fruit and veg a day.

Some people can be affected by some films but a others have said, there is probably something wrong with them in the first place.

If films have a tendency to affect people, as some politicians and journalists would have us believe, then this could be demonstrated. France has a tendency to give lower ratings to films than in the UK. For instance, A Clockwork Orange, Eastern Promises and Lolita, 3 films which have received considerable condemnation from some in the UK have a 12 certificate in France. If these films and others have an adverse affect then there should be a measurable negative gap in social cohesion or values between France and the UK. Incidentally the Dark Knight carries a U certificate in France.

I think there must be something wrong with the person to begin with if they are influenced by a film to kill or commit crime. My parents never stopped me watching anything. I saw some films when i was young that scared the living day lights out of me, but i have never been tempted to copy anything and cause harm to others, because i am not that kind of person.

DO FILMS INFLUENCE PEOPLES BEHAVIOUR?
Well of course media influences the way people behave! The media is as influential in peoples lives as friends are. Mass Media here I take as music videos (the influence of rap, we see it in the swagger of kids and adults all over the world, as much as we see goth culture of grunge at one point - although goth and grunge don't advocate violence and prostitution), adverts and TV.
If we are talking about influence, we are all influenced everyday by the many types of media around us. Its for that reason its MASS MEDIA, we receive it en masse.
As to the direct link of violence and media, there is no way we can say "This young chap saw this film where someone was brutally killed, next day, he killed someone!" This would be a stupidly simplistic way (which is an explanation often used by the media itself i.e. Boulger case - a film was scape-goated rather than putting across a reasoned and balanced review of what did make those children kill the boy, hmm parents,,,hmmm other kids...bullying...? )

Anyhow, for as many of you to say straight-forwardly that NO media does not influence behaviour is really very naive.