Is This Graphic - The Boys (1998) Discussion

[–] triodia 18 years ago

it is a psychological thriller based on human behaviour - there is little physical violence in it - it is deeply disturbing though.

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[–] dawnmuse28 18 years ago

I go to see films for entertainment and sometimes to learn something. This film is something I'll just pass on. I don't want to see psychotics torment anyone. The only thing to do with them is to shoot them dead before they hurt someone. Bullies never outgrow their bullying. They should be exterminated before things get worse.

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[–] ohnoheisdead 17 years ago

brilliant plan, why don't you start it?

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] rwbingham 14 years ago

In the interests of pedantry, let's be fair to triodia - it was actually dawnmuse28 who wanted to exterminate bullies. But you're right about the irony of the statement!

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] lakingsx67 16 years ago

Never read the book, but it sounds good.
As for the movie, no, it's not graphic at all imo. It's a good movie, I don't think its great.

Worth a watch for sure. It's not really that disturbing imo (unless you live in a bubble).

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[–] fertilecelluloid 15 years ago

Seems like everyone overreacted to the question instead of answering it properly.

There is no animal torture and Anita Cobby is only seen briefly (at a train station) at the very end of the movie.

There are no scenes -- NO SCENES -- of Cobby interacting with "the boys" at all.

The events are (loosely) based on the lead-up to Cobby's rape and murder.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] sekhmet-net 13 years ago

Dawnmuse28 and lynxman-2:

I am not sure if either of you watched the film before posting. I agree with you that gratuitous "torture porn" type films are questionable forms of entertainment, but this is not one of those films.

This sort of behaviour occurs only too often in reality & should never be used to provide 'entertainment' but could serve as a sobering insight into the state of current society.

Exactly, and I think - after watching The Boys again recently - that what you've said above is precisely one of the central points of this film. Its power comes from the fact that these characters are average, damaged human beings, not cartoon-villain monsters. It is all the more compelling because it does not show anything of the crime that's at the heart of the movie - it leaves the details to the viewer's imagination, which is even scarier, really.

What I find really compelling about it is that it makes you wonder whether the two younger brothers (in particular) would have done anything like this on their own, or if Brett hadn't been there. I think they probably wouldn't - they needed the validation of the others to be capable of going on with it. I work in the law and find that gang-rape and other crimes being committed in packs are becoming more and more common - or look at the creepy practice of football players getting some groupie into a room and having sex with her one after the other while the others are watching. Maybe human beings have always been susceptible to mass hysteria and doing unspeakable things in groups. It's a really frightening phenomenon. I think this is a really important film to watch for that reason, even though it's uncomfortable viewing at the very least.

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[–] bradjanet 14 years ago

The film cuts to black before they approach the girl representing Anita Cobby. That vile murder was just the worst of what was, no doubt, a whole series of revolting acts committed by these sociopaths ... I myself was hit and run by a stolen car driven one of them some months before that awful crime ... they will spend the rest of their lives in prison,never to be released, separated from the rest of the prison population, who would gladly do them in ... a fitting punishment.

So, in answer to your question, ... disturbing, but not containing graphic scenes of the murder ... an a very well-acted film, particularly David Wenham's performance.

Did you eventually see it?

Sorry for such a late reply.

But you ARE Blanche ... and I AM.

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[–] renea-405-611725 12 years ago

As Triodia stated, it's a psychological thriller, little violence depicted at all on screen - they leave that to what you care to imagine in your own mind. I thought the girl at the end was the brother's girlfriend who'd supposedly lagged on them, not just a random they come across? If so then no resemblance to the Anita Cobby case at all, they were wanting to get back at her for lagging.

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[–] mmsbk 11 years ago

There were 2 girls briefly seen at the end - one was Nola, the downtrodden girlfriend, seen getting a lift from a stranger. The second and last girl was shown walking up and down, waiting for a bus outside the railway station. This was what Anita Cobby was doing in real life.
Brett says to his brothers the awful line 'lets get her' and then it fades to black.....

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[–] peterquinn70 11 years ago

Absolutely brilliant film, but there's no chance in hell I'll sit through it a second time.

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[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

...there's no chance in hell I'll sit through it a second time.

Agreed. It is a good film with some fine acting and quite cleverly made, but hardly entertainment.

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[–] moosefeathers 10 years ago

I understand this was a play.

But, is this based on a true event?

Thanks.

Swing away, Merrill....Merrill, swing away...

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[–] theauxphou 10 years ago

To answer your question, it is and it isn't.

The end part where the brothers stalk the woman, and rape and kill her (though we don't see that part it's implied, because they are shown to be in prison for a serious offense) is based on the 1986 rape and murder of Anita Cobby (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Anita_Cobby).

The characters and events leading up to that incident are purely made up, but it's imagined what could have happened, using the real-life perpetrators' personalities and background as an inspiration.

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