(a book in progress)
FILM: The Power to Change the World
As the controversy rages on as to whether or not films create violence in our society, i.e., cause people to be violent, Tom Laughlin, a man uniquely qualified to give an unprecedented insight into the depths of this problem, because he is the only expert on this subject who is both a highly successful actor and filmmaker, and at the same time a renowned teacher of psychology, specializing in the psychology of violence at schools of psychology, medical schools, and departments of psychiatry at Universities from Yale to Stanford and many more, has written a book that is certain to become a benchmark on this subject because it proves–overwhelmingly–that next to parents, entertainment and especially film, are the major causes of violence in our homes and in our society.
Coming from the first of the super-action hero karate stars whose film, Billy Jack, broke box office records, and presenting evidence never before available on this subject, Mr. Laughlin's book comes as a beacon light on this complex and difficult subject.
Below are some of the intriguing topics covered in this brilliantly reasoned book showing without any question that violence and the sexual brutalizing of women in film are a major cause of the epidemic of violence in our society, not only among children, but among adults as well, in the form of spousal battering, child abuse, road rage, home invasions, high school and workplace shootings, and much more.
At the same time, it shows as no other book has yet done, the enormous power of film to not only be a destructive force in poisoning our behavior, but an even more powerful force in changing the world for the better, and creating models of behavior that can truly enrich our culture instead of continuing to degrade it.
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[FRONT COVER] |
FILM: The Power to Change the World
By Tom Laughlin
WILL HOLLYWOOD LEAD THE CALL TO GREATNESS OR CONTINUE TO POISON AND DESTROY OUR CHILDREN FOR PROFIT?
"I promise at least one act of fornication and dismemberment in every episode... "
... John Steadman, partnered with former Disney Chairman Joe Roth, announcing their new Internet web site.
......<>......
The overwhelming proof that ... next to parents ... excessive violence and the sexual brutalizing of women in entertainment and the media are the major causes of violence in society, in our homes, in our communities, and in the world.
The urgent need to make pictures people want to see, that make us laugh, cry, uplift, enrich and empower us–and make far greater profits than the major studios can. (93 out of every 100 films made by the studios are rejected by American audiences.)
How to create a new "people's" studio to give power to make films back to the filmmakers, and use films to change the world.
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[BACK COVER] |
Among the subjects discussed and/or rebutted in this book:
- It's the parent's responsibility. What parents? Are they talking about the parents we see on the Jerry Springer, Salle Jesse Raphael, and Judge Judy shows? The parents who are dysfunctional neurotics, alcoholics, recreational and prescription drug addicts, or seriously abusive to each other or to their children? What's going to make these parents become healthy, responsible, mature adults?
- The First Amendment/Freedom of Speech issue. How to tell when it is a matter of truly protecting our sacred, most precious right of Freedom of Speech, and when the First Amendment is being hypocritically invoked as a protective smokescreen to do what the Founding Fathers never intended the First Amendment to do–use Freedom of Speech as a shield to hurt people.
- Overwhelming proof that violence, action, sex, especially brutalizing sex, do not sell tickets at the box office. So why does Hollywood continue to make these kind of films that lose money because people do not want to see them? The real reasons these pictures are produced will surprise you.
- Why pictures that celebrate life, celebrate heroes and heroines, celebrate those who have ennobled and enriched us–or are just good fun–out-gross violence and sex movies 10 to 20 to 1. Look at all the movies that have done $200 million, $300 million, $400 million or more at the US box office ... The Sixth Sense, Forrest Gump, ET, Titanic, Mrs. Doubtfire, Ghost, The Grinch who Stole Christmas, the Star Wars movies, et al. Compare that with the Basketball Diaries ($2,424,000), 8 mm ($36,283,000), The Cell ($61,281,000).
.... and much more!
True to their word, in Joe Roth's first heavily promoted film, Tomcats, not only are all the women degraded and brutalized, but a character has part of his genitalia cut off and eaten in the cafeteria... and Joe is one of the truly good guys in the business.
A Unique Combination of Filmmaking Expertise and Psychology
What makes this book so comprehensive and effective, is that it is written by a man, Tom Laughlin, who, as the star and creator of the Billy Jack films, is both a successful filmmaker, and the first of the action karate superheroes, as well as a teacher, lecturer and author of psychology, especially the psychology of violence, spousal and child abuse, at major institutions and universities, from Yale to Stanford, from UCLA to the University of Cincinnati's Medical School, University of Colorado, and dozens more.