Violence in the Context of World Cinema History

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to consider the phenomenon of violence on the screen in its historical development. Also, outline the dominant views in modern film discourse on the problems of violence and the peculiarities of its perception by a wide audience. Research methodology. To achieve this goal, the following methods were used: analysis and synthesis – to identify certain parts of the overall problem, their study, and construction of a complete picture of the subject of research; historical method – to characterize the development of understanding of each category at different stages of development of science. Scientific novelty arises as a result of comprehensive coverage of issues in the dynamics of violence in the context of the historical development of cinema. Knowledge of the discussion on the impact of violence on the audience is developing. The study’s practical significance lies in its openness for use in practice by theorists, historians, directors, screenwriters, and other professionals in the field of cinema. In addition, the study’s results should be used in the training of specialists in various fields related to film and cultural studies. Conclusions. In the course of the article, we analyzed the coverage of the topic on the screen, which proves that until the 1920s, cruelty did not become part of the mainstream and was used in individual works of art to strengthen universal values. It is significant that these films are not commercially successful and shock the public. After the two world wars, violence no longer makes such an impression on the public. It returns to the screens, gradually increasing its intensity. When violence illustrated real situations in the post-war years, in the 1960`s it became a powerful means of expression and gradually came to self-parody in the slashers of the 1980s, when directors themselves did not perceive it otherwise than as a means of entertaining the public.