Of course, the hunters are the bad guys!
It seems that hunters always end up being the bad guys these days in movies. It doesn’t matter if it’s animated films like “Open Season” or live action films like the new, independent horror movie “Hunting Season”. In the case of the two I mention, even the titles can be directly connected with our sport. I have to say, I am getting tired of the negative image such films give us.
Here is the synopsis for “Hunting Season” as it appears on the official website for the film.
Six friends go camping deep in the woods for “the best weekend ever.” But after an encounter turns tragic, a pair of sadistic hunters sets out to wreak relentless, violent revenge.
A pair of sadistic hunters? Of course, that has to be what we are. Anyone that goes out into the woods with weapon in hand to kill animals to put food on the table has to be sadistic, right? Choosing to actually hunt for our food instead of running to the local market has to mean that we have an evil desire to kill that will soon carry over to hunting people sooner or later. Puh-lease!! What a load of crap.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I would love to see a film with hunting and hunters as the prominent storyline and characters where they weren’t portrayed as devils in camouflage. The number of films where hunters are portrayed in a good light are next to non-existent compared to those bashing us. Some people may say “it’s just a movie”, but with the power of the entertainment and media in all shapes and forms, anyone who thinks films like these help shape the perceptions the general public has about hunters is sorely mistaken.
As much as I’d like to see a film where us hunters are finally the good guys, I’m not going to be holding my breath because I doubt I can go that long without breathing.
hunting, hunters, media, movies, Open Season, Hunting Season
March 19th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
I categorically deny all charges
March 20th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Now Rex, you know you’re not able to do that any more than me. We hunt, therefore, we have to be guilty of all charges. Anyone willing to go out and kill Bambi isn’t able to be anything other than pure evil.
Seriously, ever since Bambi, we’ve had to deal with this type of negative stereotyping. Maybe someday it’ll change, but that day is far, far away.