Inspired by this thread, whose title implies (to me anyway) that something can’t normally be considered good if it’s depressing.
This doesn’t make sense to me. Some of the greatest works of art, especially literature, don’t have happy endings, so I’m curious as to what other people’s takes on this are.
Poll to follow.
Not according to my English lit teacher. In fact, he was of the opinion that if it wasn’t depressing it could not be good liturature.
My wife hates depressing movies and refuses to watch them while grudgingly acknowledging that they might be “good.”
I’d say Breaking Bad can be a fairly depressing show, yet it’s also one of the best shows around.
Of course it can. But if it’s good and depressing, I generally can’t be its audience without becoming depressed myself, sometimes for quite a while, so then I’m mad at it.
Hell yes it is. BITCH!
Depends on your definition of “good.” There’s “high quality and impressive creativity” and then there’s “enjoyable and would gladly experience again.” For me, many depressing works do not fit into the second category - excellent works but sitting through them again is like asking to ruin your own weekend, etc. That being said, I picked #2 in the poll.
Though I disagree with the opinion that something has to have ‘deep inner meaning’ to be worthwhile as entertainment [looking at you Oscars <beedy eyed glare>]
Sometimes I just want to be entertained with a popcorn flick, or a trashy novel. I don’t need Philadelphia or War and Peace. I’ll take a viewing of Buckaroo Banzai, or a quick reread of Metro Girl in a hammock with a long iced tea.
I chose option 2, but I would like to state for the record that I did not actually call KneadToKnow an idiot, which would be against the rules in CS.
Some of the best works of art are depressing. I think what people meant by good in the referenced thread was “enjoyable” or “well done.” I’ve read many of the books mentioned there and enjoyed every depressing minute of them.
Two words: Schindler’s List
There’s plenty of good depressing things, oftentimes documentaries.
I do have a hard time with depressing entertainment, though, because I’m usually teetering on the edge of depression lately so it’s hard to want to experience that.
I really like “bittersweet” things (see the Prairie Home Companion film for, essentially, my definition of “bittersweet”) because they stimulate my sad receptors without going full depression.
I love depressing films.
Four words: The Grapes Of Wrath.
For the win!
I think it makes it more likely than it’s good because it has the power to change your emotions. If something made you that sad, it’s because of a skilled author (or director, etc.).
I’m almost more likely to think something is “good” if it’s depressing, than if it ends happily. Not always though.
Of course there are good depressing works of art. There are also works of “art” that are depressing because that’s “artistic” and “serious”, and yes I am calling you out things like Elizabeth Georgie’s What Came Before He Shot Her. Depressing to no end whatsoever.
A lot of the music I love is called “depressing” by, well, retards. Nick Drake, Radiohead, etc etc. Beautiful stuff; melancholic, not depressing.
Music I find depressing? All that horrible contrived crap in the pop charts. Advertising jingles. And so on.
You and my wife. She loves what I call “Soul Crushers”. Hell, Dogville is one of her favorite films.
I prefer to thing that deep and profound things can be said in a way that is ultimately uplifting. See Groundhog Day or Toy Story 2, two films that can move you deeply, and delight and amuse - which is a lot more difficult to accomplish than using the comparably cheap and easy route of telling a depressing tale.
Grave of the Fireflies is one of the most depressing movies I have seen and I think it is extremely good. I really don’t understand why so many feel a story has to resolve to a “happy” ending. Even ambiguous endings seem to cause problems for many people, but like real life sometimes that is the appropriate way to end something.
Art is that which conveys emotion. Good art is art which conveys emotion very effectively. Sadness is an emotion, and therefore art which very effectively conveys sadness is good art.
Now, that said, I usually don’t like depressing art. There’s enough sadness in the world already, and I prefer to get positive emotions from my art. But just because I don’t like it, doesn’t mean it’s not good.