Violent Video Game Documentary
Moral Kombat seeks to explore gaming’s darker side
4 Jan 2007
According to film maker Spencer Halpin – brother of Entertainment Consumers Association’s (ECA) Hal – his new film, Moral Kombat is:
“…an inaugural in-depth look at the "interactive entertainment" industry as it relates to the controversial subject of violence in video games – a matter which crosses party lines and empowers over 100 pieces of anti-games and anti-gamer legislation annually.”
The movie, which is currently seeking a distribution deal, apparently took years and millions of dollars to complete - and SPOnG is awaiting its review copy. You can check out a trailer of the film, which claims to use cutting-edge HD and green screen, at the bottom of this story:
The list of people interviewed for the film, which interlaces talking-heads over images of in-game violence would appear to present a balanced vision of the subject. However, the relationship between film-maker and brother does suggest that, unless there’s a whole bunch of fraternal in-fighting, we could be in for a slightly more one-sided ‘debate’. Here’s what Hal Halpin’s ECA says about itself:
” From a political and cultural perspective, these are challenging times for gamers. More than ever before, video games have become a favourite societal "whipping boy" of some elected officials. Since 2005, legislators in California, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Louisiana and Oklahoma have attempted to curtail the rights of gaming consumers to purchase video games. Fortunately, restrictive video game sales laws have so far been struck down by the courts as attacks on free speech.”
The interviewees include:
Joe Lieberman - U.S. politician who does not take bungs from the games industry.
Dr. David Walsh – a PhD psychologist who specialises in the impact of media on children.
Jack Thompson – U.S. attorney and crusader against violent games.
Dr. Michael Rich – of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and a supporter of law that would make age-restrictions on games legally enforceable.
Lorne Lanning – OddWorld creator.
Greg Fischbach – founder of Acclaim Entertainment (Burn Out, Turok)
Dean Takahashi – games journalist.
Jeff Griffiths – CEO of U.S. game retailer Electronics Boutique.
John Marmaduke – of U.S. retailer Hastings Entertainment.
Pamela Eakes – Founder Mothers Against Violence in America.
Andy McNamara – Games journalist.
Greg Ballard – former CEO of Capcom.
Bob McKenzie – of U.S. retailer GameStop.
American McGee – games designer (Doom II, Quake.
Hal Halpin – bro’ and also of the Entertainment Consumers Association.
Lt. Col Grossman – Author, West Point psychologist, military historian, and former U.S. Army Ranger.
Phil O'Neil – of Vivendi Universal.
Marie Sylla – counsel for the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association.
Ed Williams - analyst at Harris Nesbitt in New York.
Richard Ow – Richard Ow, senior video games analyst, The NPD Group.
Dr. Henry Jenkins - professor of comparative media studies at MIT.
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7 comments posted.
Yes, indeed it is - and that's another proof reader shot. Too much Xmas pudding lead to brain-explosions. I am cancelling Christmas 2007.
First comment
Posted by YenRug
*Pssst* Slight typo at the start of this news piece, the film's called "Moral Kombat".
Latest comment
Posted by Tim Smith
YenRug wrote:
*Pssst* Slight typo at the start of this news piece, the film's called "Moral Kombat".
Yes, indeed it is - and that's another proof reader shot. Too much Xmas pudding lead to brain-explosions. I am cancelling Christmas 2007.
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