Gangster Movies & Their Influence on Youngsters
From Pulp Fiction to Goodfellas, Scarface to The Godfather – gangster films are something that are becoming ever more commonplace in the online library of society today. Some of the finest actors were born as a result of their involvement in this genre, and some of the highest grossing movies of all time sit in the category. But a recent survey is suggesting that their influence on youngsters may be more apparent than first feared.
Drugs, gambling, and violence – three core components of the gangster life, and three core components that are at the fore of, not just the movie mentioned above, but all gangster films. But the three areas come with varying degrees of influence.
Gambling – be it poker, online casino or indeed sports betting – most gangsters down the years like a punt.
Gambling – be it poker, online casino or indeed sports betting – most gangsters down the years like a punt. The influence on the life of people who watch shouldn’t be underestimated – online gambling has seen a 400% rise in the last 4 years with many self-excluding from the activity altogether. Whilst Gamstop is an initiative to help those people, here you can find them, people are able to play casino even after self-exclusion.
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Drugs – gambling films have it all. The Jonny Depp classic, Blow, details two young men who move to the West Coast of America to pursue a career in this industry. Based on a real life story, it’s not difficult to see why people seek to replicate this activity – highly influenced by their on-screen heroes and watching the misdemeanours of those involved in the underworld in the past. The rise of the problem in the United Kingdom is further evidence of this – a problem which is high on the Government’s priority list for resolution.
And finally, violence. A recent Sky Atlantic series, Gangs of London, was watched by millions of viewers in the UK. The opening scene set the tone for the rest of the series – extreme violence, brutal ways of gangsters dealing with their rivals, and bloodshed throughout the series. Quite the watch you might say – but the influence again cannot be underestimated. Knife crime in London is at an all-time high, and the operation of gang life is something that is perhaps more common than most would like to imagine or admit in the UK’s capital city.
Some of the finest movies ever made, for sure – but let’s hope their influence is used for the greater good.
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The opinions expressed here are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions or beliefs of the Hollywood Progressive.
