MovieChat Forums > Augusta, Gone (2006) Discussion > Heavy Metal is EVIL

Heavy Metal is EVIL

posted 18 years ago by BloodRiotZero
25 replies | jump to latest

I checked out Augusta Gone last night b/c I dig movies that have to do w/ teenage rebelliousness, drugs, etc. So I went into this thinking it should be like that movie Thirteen. All in all, it was an enjoyable film.

But what was the deal w/ the representation of all of Augusta's "bad friends" as being rockers, metalheads, and goths? That was so incredibly stupid, and was reinforced when the woman at the camp forbid Augusta from listening to rock music and wearing black clothes, as if that was the cause of her drug and alcohol abuse (and as if one thing has anything to do with the other). As someone who is an avid heavy metal fan, I found the equation of rockers as "the bad guys" somewhat offensive... think about it this way, what if all of Augusta's "bad friends" were black, and her downward spiral led her to act "more black" and listen to hiphop music... surely THAT would be offensive!

But whatever. I'm just ranting 'cuz I'm high. One thing I wanted to know though, is what happened to Rain when she went to California? If anyone's read the book, can you fill me in?

[–] KAnnD86 18 years ago

You're absolutely right. When the camp forbid her from wearing black clothing, makeup, and listening to rock music, I laughed! It made me wonder if this movie was really based on a true story. Maybe they just threw that part in because I find it really hard to believe that the camp who deals with troubled and drug-addicted kids would equate dark clothing with drug use. It doesn't make any sense. I own black clothing, makeup, and listen to rock music all the time. I'm not a pothead and neither are any of my friends. I found that scene absolutely ridiculous.

I agree with you about the hip hop music and black friends too. That would be a very different movie with themes of racism but it's a good analogy. It proves that many people, especially older people, are prejudiced against "goths". It's just a fashion style. Not all goths do drugs. Ridiculous stereotype.

Tomorrow's just your future yesterday!

[–] Clarissa_Johnson 18 years ago

So did me and my friend but they just wanted her to get outta the punk/goth type thing cus b4 she became a drugie she never wore black.

Your speaking to the one and only Mrs.Kris Lemche

[–] KAnnD86 18 years ago

Yes, but if it became part of her sense of style, that she liked the punk/goth look, she should have every right to dress that way because it has nothing to do with her drug use. Just because she discovered that style while doing drugs, doesn't mean one caused the other.

Tomorrow's just your future yesterday!

[–] my_morbid_revenge 18 years ago

my experience in treatments is they dont want you to fall into old habits.i guess i dont get what your saying about the goth/punk thing.its a style and they all happened to be into drugs and stuff.Im goth/punk and the style has nothing to do with the stuff that i do. its something im into and i enjoy being independent.

[–] KAnnD86 18 years ago

you do get what i'm saying cus you said the same thing. the way you dress and wear your hair/makeup doesn't have anything to do with actions. if i decide to dye my hair black and wear heavy makeup tomorrow, i'm not gonna all of a sudden start doing drugs. i understand about not falling into old habits, but do these people honestly thing one thing leads to another?

i think we agree on this. everyone has their own reasons for dressing the wya the do. personal style choices don't always reflect lifestyle.

Tomorrow's just your future yesterday!

[–] my_morbid_revenge 18 years ago

ok yea... i got kinda confused. My treatment tried talking me outa wearing black so i didnt start my old habits up again and have the wrong group of people attracted to me. Its really stupid cuz the color i wear doesnt change the choices i make but i kinda see where they're coming from that i might see myself as the way i was before and start the same things up. even though im the exact same way as before except for without drugs and alcohol.

[–] ibringshamemyfam 18 years ago

that's kind of the same thing I was thinking about. I mean if you do drugs or somethng doesn't mean you start wearing black, lots of makeup and listening to that kinda music.

I hate when tv does that. Saying the bad kids listen to a type of music. When that's not it at all.

[–] bluehairedgoddess 18 years ago

I have a friend that went to the psych ward, which I know isnt the same thing, but they wouldnt let her wear makup and one time she wore a shirt that showed her shoulders and they said she was trying to turn the staff on and they made her wear scrubs for a few days. But, she wasnt trying to be sexy she was just wearing a shirt. Sometimes places can be a bit ridiculous.

She turned me into a Newt! A newt?? ..... I got better.....

[–] flexygurljv2 18 years ago

wow, that's pretty ridiculous. coming from somebody with friends that do the same thing that augusta did, and i've done some of them, too, it's nothing like that. it can lead to that, but very few people lack the self control and let it get to that. the clothes, make up, music, none of it has any effect on her drug use or attitude problems. it's jsut what she likes. the movie really did stereotype half of the highschool population as either a nerd who only cares about grades, or a metalhead punk rocker who does too many drugs and drops out of school.

[–] pastyglue88 18 years ago

Actually, traditionally punks and black and peircings are signs of rebellion...mohawks and radical hair cuts/dyes, facial peircings, loud music
have all been traditional in rebellion and drugs...just look at the history of punk, rebellion is what it was all about.

I agree though that it's an old taboo, but it's a style most viwers can familiarize Augusta's behavior with, It would really make to much sense or a good story line if she stayed a preppy little white girl the whole time. Also, since it's based on a true story that's prolly what her friends were really like.

But yes the METAL ROCKER taboo is just as bad as associating baggy pants hiphop and rap and hooded sweatshirts with guns and gangs...

[–] pinkcandiez871 18 years ago

Im not sure but i dont like that style because it makes me feel angry lol if i listen to heavy metal screaming stuff i get angry and when i wear black i have to have some color in it so i wont be affected by it so im very sensitive .. others may not be but im a huge believer in the theories that color, music and certain behaviors can change your mood and behavior entirely ..
ex. Many children who watch violent television (regularly) are likely to be more aggressive than children who do not view violent tv.

[–] xxblackrosexx 16 years ago

You think that's screwed-up?

The boarding school my friend is at does not allow white t-shirt or jean jackets.

[–] brunsboy12 16 years ago

Rock is not a race.

It is, however, often a bad fuel for people with emotional problems.

Rock music developed that bad-boy image all on its own, and now it wants to whine and complain when people take it seriously.

She needed to get over herself. In a world where children are either starving or sold into child prostitution (not to mention--child soldiers), American melodramatic teens come off as overbearing and self-centered with their unknown and never-ending "problems".

Black makeup indeed...

[–] lilgata_16 16 years ago

i listen to heavy metal and rock, and i love to wear black, as a matter of fact, KoRn is my favorite band. when i was younger, i didn't listen to rock or heavy metal, and i acted out. it has nothing to do with music, or the clothes u wear. i'm a 23 year old mom, who wears black, and listens to rock music,and i am married, but, i don't do drugs, or drink alcohol. and me and my mom now have a very good relationship. i just think that, a lot of kids often forget that, they are but one person in this huge world full millions of ppl. where other ppl have it a lot harder than they do, as brunsboy12 says. and there are preppy kids who are into drugs and drinking, and mess up, and stuff, but everyone wants to keep that a secret don't they. cuz they're the rich kids who get everything they want, and their parents pay for everything they need and want.

[–] pnutxoxo 16 years ago

I listen to metal and rock too, but I shop at Abercrombie&&Fitch. I don't think your style of music always reflects how you dress and act.

--peaceeeeeeee'n'loveeeeeee,

F.C. Marauders U-15 Soccer
-us soccer ladies kick some serious a$$

[–] Blue_dresses 16 years ago

I always listen to metal rock

[–] akidnamedkim87 16 years ago

While as mature adults we all know that wearing black clothes and dark makeup doesn't make you a bad person, you gotta remember that to 14 year old kids in high school, how you look has everything to do with who you are. Your clothes, your music, your makeup---it all says "ME."

With that said, I think it's a bit silly to believe that people who dress goth do so simply because they like the clothes. They dress that way because they WANT to be identified as a part of goth culture: whether it be the depressed, darker parts or some other part.

I was a "goth kid" my entire adolescence; and I must say, my clothes defined me a great deal. I wanted to be thought of as dark, weird, scary, etc, even when I wasn't. That's just how adolescence works...everybody wants to belong to something.

Augusta demonstrated her fall into the darkside through her goth look; so, I agree she should've changed her style to reflect her changes.

Nevertheless, I do see how this movie could send a bad message to parents about "goth kids." Many goth kids are messed up, but certainly, not more than "mainstream" kids.

------------------------------
In heaven, all of the interesting people are missing. --Nietzsche

[–] linz18 15 years ago

your absolutely right what the *beep* does it matter if you listen to metal and the point were you do drugs

[–] safe2007 15 years ago

A lot of people who listen to punk and metal are "straight edge". That means no drugs, not even cigarettes, cos these things are associated with consumers being fed things that keep them down.
Check out hardcore punk Henry Rollins of Rollins Band and Black Flag fame. Millions of fans and many of them straight edge.

[–] string_cheese-7 15 years ago

Yea, i was totally confused/offended as well, i like metal, or hard music and i also smoke weed, lol but neither of them actually influenced the other, and the connection between them made me angry i guess you could say. But what really sucks is that moms actually watch that and think that those things, the material things really influenced drugs and alcohol etc. and so it sets an idea and then those such things people start to be against which kinda sucks.

But the movie itself was good, just a little confusing cuz half the time you didn't really know what was going which took away from the movie but i like that connection between all the actors/actresses and it was good try to show the negative effects of certain drugs and potentially alcohol.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] AnnCognito 15 years ago

It seemed to me like the authority figures from the camp and at Circle Mountain were using those things to try and get Augusta to learn how to follow rules and respect authority. In addition to black clothes and rock music they also said "no make-up" which is equally if not more ridiculous. It felt to me like they were just using those things - even if they were harmless - to try and teach Augusta (or at least give her an opportunity to learn) how to follow the rules, and respect boundaries. I agree it sends a bad message.

\_Hell is other people._/

[–] noematik 11 years ago

I somewhat agree, I think that it wasn't suppose to be a general message that rock music is bad, I believe they simply wanted to keep her apart from the things she associated with that lifestyle, just the way one should strip all smoking related activities when trying to quit smoking. THe aim of the camp is for those kids to realise who they actually are and stop trying to live up to any kind of peer-expectation or self-reinvention, and if by the end they decide that rock music should stay in their life I doubt it would be a problem. But one should use certain things int their life because it defines, describes them, and not because they can make an impression with them or they can shock with them, and that goes for music just as much as for make-up.