Violent Entertainment - Entertaining Violence

The purpose of this work is to explore the correlation between physical as well as structural violence and the fascinating effect it may have on certain audiences. Since ancient times violence has been used as a tool for both manipulation and / or intimidation, and entertainment. In general it can be said that violence is a means of power. Especially in former times it helped to establish and safeguard certain rules in society. The following essay has chosen to focus on the way in which violence can be turned into "entertainment" - and therefore fun - at least for particular members of society, while others can be intimidated by the very same staging of violence. This raises the question why and how a spectator can be mesmerized by violence even though violence as such is seen to be immoral, unethical and dangerous. On the basis of the analysis of two films, the American Hunger Games by Gary Ross, released in 2012, and the German Das Millionenspiel, a film by Tom Toelle from 1970, I will examine the connection between fascination and violence, and power and violence.