Watching 12 Years a Slave and Gangs of New York is not an easy thing to do. The scenes are brutal and detailed. 12 Years a Slave is a movie that presents the hardships of slavery—separation of families, rape, and physical punishment. While the Gangs of New York depicts New York City in the mid eighteen-century, a time in where Irish immigrants were unwelcomed, politicians were corrupt, and the streets were unsafe. Some may argue that the film-makers of these movies focus on violence and other dramatic aspects of life, at the expense making a good movie. However, the violent depictions of the films tell the reality of the past. To eliminate these violent scenes is to reject terror these populations experienced and the history of our country.
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In the two hours of the film, 12 Yeas a Slave, the filmmaker uncovers and projects slavery’s hard truth. The audience then understands how inhumane and violent slavery was. For instance, many free blacks during slavery were still sold into slavery with any regard to their rights. This is seen at the beginning of the film when our main character, Solomon Northup, is drugged and taken away from his family, only to be taken to the South where he would be auction as a slave. The hardships and assaults that a slave would face after being taken to the South are not spared by the camera. Patsey, an enslaved African-American slave in the same plantations Solomon, is assaulted by her master and physically abused by his wife. By incluiding these scenes in the film, the audience understands the difficulty of being an enslaved woman. Physical punishment is also a big part of both the film and slavery. The film evokes discomfort when Solomon is forced to whip Patsey. Patsey is then stripped from her clothes and tied to a
In the two hours of the film, 12 Yeas a Slave, the filmmaker uncovers and projects slavery’s hard truth. The audience then understands how inhumane and violent slavery was. For instance, many free blacks during slavery were still sold into slavery with any regard to their rights. This is seen at the beginning of the film when our main character, Solomon Northup, is drugged and taken away from his family, only to be taken to the South where he would be auction as a slave. The hardships and assaults that a slave would face after being taken to the South are not spared by the camera. Patsey, an enslaved African-American slave in the same plantations Solomon, is assaulted by her master and physically abused by his wife. By incluiding these scenes in the film, the audience understands the difficulty of being an enslaved woman. Physical punishment is also a big part of both the film and slavery. The film evokes discomfort when Solomon is forced to whip Patsey. Patsey is then stripped from her clothes and tied to a