Roundhay Garden Scene Analysis

The first motion picture ever produced, clocking in at merely 2.12 seconds long, was in 1888. Since the world itself has changed dramatically since Louis Le Prince’s Roundhay Garden Scene, the film industry has also shifted into the modern era. Film adapts to its surroundings, depicting problems it sees around the world. With so many differing opinions and demographics of people, the world is bound to see an influx of films that take stances on pertinent issues. Because of this, film affects the world just as much as the world affects film. Films can be thought provoking, and may inspire action in some individuals, whether positive or negative. However, there are many films that exist whose sole purpose boils down to mere entertainment, rather than making a statement about sensitive but necessary topics. One of the more controversial types of films belonging to this category are those that are defined as exploitation films, which, more often than not, fall into the horror genre. With an abundance of violence, nudity, and

One of the more famous examples of this occurrence is the crime spree couple Sarah Edmonson and Benjamin Darras went on in 1995. After viewing the film Natural Born Killers, Darras went on to murder William Savage, a cotton-mill manager in Hernando, Mississippi. Following the murder of Savage, Edmonson and Darras then shot convenience store worker Patsy Ann Byers in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, leaving her permanently paralyzed from the neck down (McPadden, 2017). The story was covered by many major news outlets, including The Washington Post and The LA Times. Many people, including Patsy Ann Byers, argued that these atrocious crimes could have been prevented had Edmonson and Darras never viewed Natural Born Killers or, better yet, the film never been made. A lawsuit filed by Byers against Edmonson and Darras stated the