The Traumatic

Last week I was set a homework task, as part of an introduction to my latest Film Studies work.

SHOCKING CINEMA

The Monday class had pages worth of notes on what defines Shocking Cinema, as well as some film clips, one which are stereotypically shocking to most viewers. As it was a Monday - the time in which you are still pulling yourself together from the events of the weekend, in a place where time can stand still until the 3 o'clock bell rings - the class was determined to learn, or atleast looked it! Nodding heads, and verbal enthusiasm.

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That's what us students are best at; even at college!

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Oh deary, the homework!

Film and Media teacher Alan Fairnie set the following:

"Task: Come to next week's class with the most shocking film scene you have ever seen."

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"Hah, that's nothing!" I hear you say

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But any smartass student can tell when there's a trick up one's sleeve. We know how to read between the lines b*tch!, so lemme tell you what's really goin down.

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"Task: Come to Film class on 08/12/08, with a chosen film scene that best presents what you find 'shocking'. Can be referenced to in no particular way, and for no particular reason. Above all - justify your film. Whether it is due to the film's narrative/genre/characters, or it's micro elements, present your film scene with a statement that distinctively explains what makes it a shocking viewing/experience."

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Oh you wish you weren't going to school now don't ya?

Too bad, because I have to, and face the crowd first thing in the morning at 08:45, s-s-so... SHUT IT.

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And this is what I'm taking to the classroom in 7 hours time! If I keep my head upright, having the Laptop glare the ultimate pixelated poison through my eyes. My eyes, my beautiful eyes.

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It took me a long, very long, while to decide what film scene I would say is the most "shocking. Like, ever, like, totallayyy!" As thinking about what films scare me the most just led me to the sadenning conclusion that I'm more or less brain dead when watching films, even horrors and thrillers. There was stuff like Scream and Jurassic Park, which were at the age of 6 made truely pant-wetting experiences - bad times. ut of course now, it's not the case at all. Just lke the rest of the nation, the world, our minds have developed to automatically desensitise ourselves to the most horrid of sights. Everything is just, blank. A blur.

Something to literally lay our lazy eyes on a be like "Ah. She got her head ripped off. Meh.".

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So I went against the traditional elements of shocking cinema, where the thrills are high and the horror is... haha, horrific! And steer towards the more moving images I've saw. The scenes that have touched me like nothing else, where my morals are shattered and my hopes are hung.

And this is where the soon-to closing scene of This Is England comes to play.