It was in that spirit that I sprinted alongside Carl's car. My purpose, more than really wanting to run or to experience actual freedom - was to make my friend laugh. He didn't find my Gump like running particularly funny, but I was enjoying myself, acting like a complete chump. And then he turned into another road and, unwilling to give up - I kept on sprinting, and kept on shouting Forrest Gump quotes, mostly for my own amusement.
And then a classic line drifted into my head, "Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows," - hilarious, I thought-- I'll shout that at Carl as I sprint even faster! So I did:"Now, you wouldn't beli-----"
I was stopped mid flow as my foot got caught on the curb, my body hurtled forward as my knees smashed down on the road; a split second later as the rest of my body came crashing to the ground I threw my hands down; crunch--- my hands felt the sudden jolt of impact, but so not to do too much damage to them I instinctively spun my body, crashing back against the curb with the upper part of my right leg--- forcing me to roll like I was some movie star "rolling in" after the stuntman did his thing. The good news is, Carl was finally laughing.
My hands and knees have cuts and bruises, I am struggling to walk properly, and my wrist is in extreme pain. If I had never seen Forrest Gump, this wouldn't have happened. My point being: films definitely influence people to do stupid things. And I am proof. Next time someone is in court, and the prosecution claims they were influenced by 'Taxi Driver', 'Clockwork Orange' or 'The Horse Whisperer,' feel free to call on me as an expert witness. I've been there, I was a victim of being influenced by films. Movies corrupt people. Fuck Forrest Gump.
There is a lot of room for films as pure entertainment. Most of Hollywood's output is exactly that. But sometimes, we can do more. Whether it's a little documentary making you aware about a new topic, or 'Shawshank Redemption' offering you hope-- ocassionally, a film can have an important and influential effect on you. But how big is that effect? On a personal level-- has a film ever changed the way you feel about a matter? Has it ever inspired you to do something that you wouldn't have done without it?
I don't wish to get into a conversation about whether violence in films causes violence in the streets -- I'd like to skim past that and look at it more positively; and ask--- do we have an opportunity to change the world, for the better, with the stories we tell? And how should we go about doing that? It's a tricky thing to approach. I remember watching 'Wall-E' in the cinema and being completely turned off because of it's overt messages about the environment. Yet at the same time I've watched many other films and enjoyed the political intent behind them. Does it come down to personal taste, or is there a way of storytelling that is appropriate? Do we know where that line is? 