I
certainly wouldn't say I enjoyed seeing blood and gore in films, or
reading all the minute details of horrendous tortures, or any kind of
barbaric things that done to people or animals. But, for some
inexplicable reason not at all clear to me, I seem to always get drawn
to picking such films to watch. Or books that are thrillers, mysteries,
detective tales. Even though that means I often have to close my eyes
part of the times during such a film when I sense the brutal scenes
coming, or have to skip a few paragraphs of the book. Dead silly isn't
it?
Psychopaths, with their distorted or criminal minds, intrigue me. I have a strong urge to analyse and understand the what and why of their action, so often without any just cause. Naturally I am not alone in this curiosity. That's why there are so many authors and script writers specialised in this type of story telling, even able to invent their own brand of warped minds and crimes.
Rafael Dalmau is co-writer, together with Jordi Batet, of the book 'Reality is Worst', about the top 50 serial psychopath killers. In his opinion, the character with the most devious and perturbed mind was Albert DeSalvo, played by Tony Curtis in 'The Boston Strangler', the film directed by Richard Fleischer in 1968. The reason? 'Because he was a 'normal' man, husband and father of a family like most others, living a discreet, even boring life. But the sight of a certain kind of woman would provoke him to put his normal personality on shelf and took up one of a psychopath that 'obliged' him to kill.
Another typical psychopath is Hannibal Lecter, a pleasant and agreeable character, intelligent, well educated, and very charming even, the kind of man you like to share a coffee and chat with. Yet he was utterly cruel and extremely dangerous. This also was told in books and films. Who can forget 'Silence of the lamb' & it's sequels?
In another book, 'Images of Madness' by Beatriz Vera Poseck, quoted the line of Irving Schneider: "If psychiatry had not existed, films would have to invent it." Dalmau thinks we all know some psychopaths, maybe a neighbour or family member, sometimes a bit weird in manners or actions. In fact we all have a certain manic obsession but we manage to control it, while psychopaths let themselves be dominated. Hence the saying 'there's but a thin line between sane and crazy'.
Our present day society relates and communicates less and less with other people, although Internet leads us to believe otherwise. Too many people go out less to be with friends, even families, finding sending email or a few words in the Messenger easier and quicker than making the effort, and spending more time taking transport for visits.
My favourite entertainment are going out with friends, restaurants, cinema, theatre, concerts, dancing, visiting each other, chatting face to face ... but recently I often find myself with fingers busy on the keyboard of my computer, but my eyes focused on horrors playing out on the screen, or murders dripping blood in prints. I think I have gone hopping mad!
- Current Mood:
Crazy
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