When violent movies succeed at the box office: 5 things to know

“Texas Chainsaw 3D” and “Django Unchained” are nothing alike. Yes, both films regrettably feature excessive violence. But that’s where the similarities end: the “grisly” violence in a horror movie like “Chainsaw” is meant to induce fear, while the “graphic” violence of “Django” is part of a multifaceted social satire. (“Chainsaw” earned its R-rating “for strong grisly violence and language throughout,” whereas “Django” is rated R due to “for strong graphic violence throughout, a vicious fight, language and some nudity.”) Indeed, in a recent NPR interview “Django Unchained” writer and director Quentin Tarantino bristled at the suggestion movie violence is at all related to the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy that recently killed 26 innocent people. “I've been asked this question for 20 years (about) the effects of violence in movies relating to violence in real life,” Tarantino said. “And my answer is the same (as) 20 years ago … obviously I don't think one has to do with the other.”

Jamshid Ghazi Askar is a graduate of BYU's J. Reuben Clark Law School and member of the Utah State Bar. Contact him at jaskar@desnews.com or 801-236-6051.