Long ago, directors like John Boorman and Sam Peckinpah were accused
of "glorifying violence". And Akira Kurosawa, for his Throne of Blood,
Seven Samurai, etc. I think some themes require violence to be shown,
it fits. In other cases, the less actual violence, the better it
works. Sometimes shot off camera can be more effective than a knife
cutting a throat with blood spurting in vivid color. Sometimes, but
not always.
As to Pelecanos, I think the accusation has no basis. He doesn't
glorify violence. Neither does Ellroy, by the way.
And Scorsese, who has shown lots of violence in his films, just uses
it as an element in the story, when the story calls for it (Mean
Streets, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, Raging Bull). In particular,
in Goodfellas, the style is that of a documentary, it is a cold,
implacable film. Nothing is glorified, not one character is a good guy.
Best,
smt
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