The "R" Word and Trivialising "Last House"

By Mark on March 17th, 2009

Recently, Patrick Goldstein of the LA Times wrote an editorial titled "RapeLay: Sleazier than any Hollywood horror film?" which compared the interactive hentai rape simulator that was recently removed from Amazon's site to films like "Hostel." As the title suggests, his general conclusion was that even though you can trace the horrible premise of "RapeLay" to the sexual repression of Japanese culture, it still far surpasses America's most disturbing films and games. Just days later, Goldstein reiterated his comparison after he was 'made aware' of the recent "Last House on the Left" remake:

So now we have, in true creatively bankrupt Hollywood fashion, a remake of a remake, the only difference being that the remake is even more graphic and disturbing than the previous film. The film's rape scene has already aroused widespread critical outrage, even from critics who have offered some begrudging admiration for other segments of the film. In his review, the Orlando Sentinel's Roger Moore calls the film "torture porn at its most torturous," bemoaning the film's "graphic rape scene" and images of "shocking sadism and cruelty."

He goes on to cite more specific examples of more contextually bankrupt quotes from various critics who share his shallow understanding of film and inability to focus on anything about the film other than the rape scene. Understand, I am not the biggest fan of either "Last House...", neither am I an apologist for films that prominently feature rape. However, unlike Mr. Goldstein, I actually watched the remake before drawing my conclusions, and ultimately sharing them. I also have a very hard time buying that he truly believes that a revenge film with at least a vague semblance of a moral backbone is in fact comparable to a game that allows (and encourages) you to stalk and rape three different girls in various public places.

Coming full circle from ill-informed to totally asinine, Goldstein closes with a completely puzzling question:

If the MPAA is willing to give an R rating to "The Last House on the Left," which would allow me to take a bunch of kids to see this new film, then why shouldn't Amazon be allowed to sell Japan's RapeLay video game?

I'm not totally sure I should even be paying attention to this guy let alone allowing him to rile me up to this degree, but really? Yes, both "Last House on the Left" and "RapeLay" feature disturbing instances of rape, and that should not be ignored or taken lightly. However, I would argue that Goldstein comes very close to doing just that by implying that a film that tries to treat rape in a very grave manner is no different from a video game that glorifies it and assigns point values to its disgusting particulars. Perhaps his moral outrage would be better aimed into a mirror, because I wouldn't be comfortable with myself if I was so incapable of drawing that line.

Source:
If Japanese Rape Game Was Banned From Amazon.com, Why Did Film with Brutal Rape Scene Get R-rating?

Related Content: 
The Last House on the Left
The Last House on the Left (Remake)

Mark

Co-Owner/Managing Editor/Web Developer/Podcast Co-Host/Beard Wizard

Mark is the pretty much everything of Bloody Good Horror. When he's not casting spells in Magic or Hearthstone, you'll probably find him watching wrestling, beard glistening from the essence of Chicago's myriad beers and meats.

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