I NEED YOU, or help with my film related coursework plz

[Szmitten]

I need feedback (and possible lines of enquiry) for my "Critical Research" coursework. This information is researched by me, then I will be examined in January over my findings and methods. This involves book/internet reserach, questionnaires and (where you come in)internet forums.

My topic is "Crime and the Media", my focus being how criminals (or people who commit illegal acts) go unpunished in films. This could be protagonists or antagonists. By punishment I mean legal punishment, since killing off the bad guy is considered the punishment in some films.

The films I'm using as examples are Pulp Fiction, Sin City and Infernal Affairs (the Chinese source material of The Departed). Pulp Fiction shows unpunished murder, manslaughter, drug abuse, drug dealing and theft. The three stories in Sin City show murder and assault (the perpetrator gets the electric chair however), corrupt police and murder (most get killed) and kidnap, murder and fraud (suicide is the resolution). Infernal Affairs involves murder, drug dealing and fraud and corruption in the police force (the criminal in the police force gets away with it). The ending of Infernal Affairs was changed in mainland China so that this criminal was arrested; this is because they were concerned of the prospect of their police looking incompetant and corrupt. All of these films deal with criminal underworlds.

I would like feedback in any form which I could use in my research. Maybe address the questions:
-How do you feel about criminal protagonists/antagonists being arrested/killed in films?
-How do you feel if the criminal protagonist/antagonist escaped punishment?
-Does the police catching/losing a criminal (in films) unnerve/reassure you?
-Do you think the antagonist being killed counts as justice?
-Is vigilantism encouraged in these films?
-Does drug taking usually appear appealing in these films?
-Do you watch many crime films, is it a favourite genre?
-If you sympathised with a criminal character, would you hope that they don't get caught?

If you can think of any other questions, that would be wonderful.

Thank you for putting up with my insolent begging for help with my work.

[fadingreminder]

-How do you feel about criminal protagonists/antagonists being arrested/killed in films?

It varies from film to film. Sometimes I geniunely despise a character so much that I want them to die or get killed or feel they deserve it. Depends on my sympathy with the character and their reasons.

-How do you feel if the criminal protagonist/antagonist escaped punishment?

That, once again, depends. Sorry to use examples from other films, but Batman and the Punisher are anti-heroes are more or less just vigilantes. I like when they get away, even if it could be considered as murder. In the Usual Suspects, it's really suprising and almost makes you think, "that was so clever you kind've deserve freedom."

-Does the police catching/losing a criminal (in films) unnerve/reassure you?

In a film like Ocean's Eleven, it doesn't bother me, we're cheering the criminals. I'm not unnerved that they got free and are among the public, nor am I reassured to know that master theives walk among us. In a film like Wolf Creek though, where a serial killer walks away at the end in a chilling kind've "see you next time" way, it is unnerving.

-Do you think the antagonist being killed counts as justice?

To me, it's a "punishment fits the crime" thing. To cite previous references, the thieves from Ocean's Eleven could go to jail and I'd be okay with that, but killing them would be going too far, but the killer in Wolf Creek struck me as someone who could be killed and it would seem justified.

-Is vigilantism encouraged in these films?

Yes and no. Once again, to cite a previous reference, the Punisher and Batman are vigilantes and are celebrated heroes/anti-heroes. At the same time though, I know I'm not Batman and I couldn't just go take on the streets like some crazy costumed crusader. I'm not in that kind of shape and I don't have the resources.

-Does drug taking usually appear appealing in these films?

In a film like Pulp Fiction, not really. In Blow however, it does romanticize cocaine to an extent. My opinion isn't valid in this case though since in most films, if I see drugs other than heroin, my first thought is usually, "awesome."

-Do you watch many crime films, is it a favourite genre?

I watch quite a few, I wouldn't say it's a favorite genre, but I am fond of superhero movies and anti-hero movies which are kind've related, I guess.

-If you sympathised with a criminal character, would you hope that they don't get caught?

Normally yes. If I feel that they have valid reasoning, I cheer for them. For instance, in Sin City, I hated everyone in the movie except for the Bruce Willis and Jessica Alba characters, so I thought they all had it coming because they were all horrible, sleezy characters. I think I was supposed to sympathize with them, but they were just god-awful people and I couldn't get passed that.

[The Eva Monkey]

Don't forget to include "The Goddamn Batman". Particularly, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, arguably the best Batman film produced, particularly for the fact that the main antagonist of the film, the "Phantasm", escapes unharmed, having accomplished its goal.

[Hexon.Arq]

My answer to all of these questions is expressed through one noble sentiment:

Bad is good, and good is dumb.

[Szmitten]

More personal opinions, less observations, like fadingreminder's answer. But thank you all so far. MOAR.

[Szmitten]

Hate to double post, or to bump, but HALP!

[Eva Yojimbo]

I'll work from my own examples and you can apply them to your own.

-How do you feel about criminal protagonists/antagonists being arrested/killed in films?[
-How do you feel if the criminal protagonist/antagonist escaped punishment?
-Does the police catching/losing a criminal (in films) unnerve/reassure you?
-Do you think the antagonist being killed counts as justice?

It depends on how they're portrayed. In the Godfather criminals are portrayed as a family and we route for them to 'get away with it'. In a film like Robocop we hate Clarence and want to see him dead. It depends on how criminals are portrayed, and I think says a lot about our psyches that criminal activity is okay if we can understand the motivations of those characters.

-Is vigilantism encouraged in these films?

Depends. In Batman (or atleast, the good ones) it's portrayed as a sickness. A need to combat personal demons through the evils in the world around him. In V for Vendetta vigilantism is a call to arms against oppressive government. It represents freedom, liberty, and the courage to stand up when those in power abuse that power.

-Does drug taking usually appear appealing in these films?

Again it depends. I think any good film will portray both the allure and ultimate downside of drug use. You mention Pulp Fiction, and the rush to save Uma Therman's character is the reality check that "hey, these things can kill you".

-Do you watch many crime films, is it a favourite genre?

Not a favorite of mine with some exceptions.

-If you sympathised with a criminal character, would you hope that they don't get caught?

Surely. But this is easily explained by a kind of connectedness directors can make the audience feel with the characters. If we come to see ourselves in characters, or even something in them we'd want to be in us, we wish for them to succeed. It doesn't matter if they do bad things or not, as the connection is more important than social and moral issues. I think the best crime films raise all of these issues.

If you can think of any other questions, that would be wonderful.

I think I would address the inherent subjectiveness in the cultural idea of morality as presented in crime films because I think the idea that people can route for criminals is a telling sign that morally offensive actions are relative to how they effect us and our personal beliefs.