Violence on American streets is more prolific than it was two decades ago. Have depictions of murder, gun battles, and other mayhem in the media added to the perpetuation of violence in American society and increased its severity, or are movies merely mirroring violence already present in American culture? Is violence in movies given a fair and adequate assessment by the current movie rating system?

On April 27, 2001, at the 12th Annual Belle R. & Joseph H. Braun Memorial Distinguished Lecture, "Fatal Attractions: Media Violence & American Culture," guest presenters Jack Valenti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Motion Picture Association of America, and movie critic Richard Roeper, Co-Host of "Ebert & Roeper and the Movies," discussed whether art simply imitates life, or whether additional restrictions should be placed on the art form that many argue contributes to a new threshold of violence.

Note: This recording is presented with minimal editing or alteration as part of the Law School's Historical Preservation Series. Due to the age and format of source material, intermittent audio and visual inconsistency is to be expected. Some content may reflect outdated facts and opinions.

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00:00 - WELCOME
- Associate Dean John E. Corkery

01:00 - INTRODUCTION
- Professor Michael Polelle

17:14 - REMARKS
- Jack Valenti, President, CEO, Motion Picture Association of America

45:50 - REMARKS
- Richard Roeper, Co-Host, "Ebert & Roeper and the Movies"

1:14:00 - AUDIENCE QUESTIONS