Last night I suddenly became interested in why I am so interested in dark imagery. I thought it through and I realized exactly what it is.
This particular fascination of mine probably started with my interest in the Saw movies. In case you don't know already it's about a murderer called Jigsaw who puts his victims in situations where they have a choice whether they live or die. In order to live they usually have to prove that they deserve to live by doing something really crazy and painful. Examples include cutting off one's own limb, digging in one's own stomach for a key that unlocks a death trap or being sprayed with some sort of acid. The dark story (which was actually pretty ingenious through all seven movies) and the dark filming style captured something that is so real: the state of the world.
From here my attention went towards a couple of dark bands. I started listening to My Chemical Romance and The Used. Both use dark imagery in most of their work. Their portrayal of the world comes in a very dark style. Plus the music is really awesome! I tend to enjoy the alternative and heavy metal genres.
The point is that dark imagery is just honest. The world is dark place and you're blind if you can't see that. These movies and bands are simply being honest in their portrayal of the world and life. Dark imagery displays truth. Now not all dark imagery is acceptable, the use or rather misuse of the Christian faith in dark imagery is unacceptable and often blasphemous and I am well aware of the presence of this type of dark imagery. This is not what I enjoy. I enjoy the truth. I love the truth! And so since dark imagery is brutally honest, I enjoy it.
Relate to this a lot... movies like Fight Club, Gangs of New York, etc when I was in college. Personally cannot stomach stuff as extreme as Saw... I assume you've seen the Book of Eli? Did you ever think of it as an allegory like Pilgrim's Progress? The wasteland world is the unsaved soul and Denzel Washington is the Word guided by the Holy Spirit. The dark things in the world are the lust and violence of a young man's mind and heart, and pretty honest, dark depictions of it. The places he visits and people he meets along the way have parallels in Bunyan's work I assume you are somewhat familiar with at least.
ReplyDeleteAlso like metal/hardcore/etc. but Christian bands... Heard Sleeping Giant?
I have seen it. And yes, it did strike me as quite a great picture of how God's Word conquers sin. I have read Pilgrim's Progress but it was some time ago...I'd have to study up a bit to make a worthwhile comparison.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of Sleeping Giant. I'll have a look. Do you know Thousand Foot Krutch or Red?