[RedOrange823]

I am not normally one for tear-jerkers, but when it is absolutely evident to me that the director/writer of a film is purposely playing with my emotions and pulling out all the stops in order to make me cry, I can't help but become defensive and try everything in my power to keep control of my emotions and not cry. I usually get pretty cynical and sometimes get pissed off when a movie does this and was wondering if anybody else feels this way as well...

[floramacivor]

Definitely! I hate emotional manipulation!

So, what are some of the tactics you've found successful to control the mist-eye urge?

[katrin]

I felt this way a bit when I went to see The Joy Luck Club in the theater (yes, I am old). By the time the highly emotionally manipulative opening credit sequence had rolled, I was sobbing uncontrollably and continued to sniffle for the duration. My best friend kept laughing, squeezing my hand and offering tissues, but I just couldn't stop. Normally, I may cry a little but that was ridiculous and being manipulated kind of pissed me off.

[RedOrange823]

	Originally Posted by floramacivor To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Definitely! I hate emotional manipulation! So, what are some of the tactics you've found successful to control the mist-eye urge?

This sounds weird, but i usually dig my thumb nail into a certain part of my pointer finger and the physical pain from that distracts me enough from the emotional pain of the movie.

[floramacivor]

Actually, it doesn't sound weird at all. I usually either focus on some trivial detail in the background ("wow, I wonder how many yards of fabric that dress took, and how much it set her back...") or make fun of the situation in my mind until I can't take it seriously enough to be teary about it.

[RedOrange823]

	Originally Posted by floramacivor To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Actually, it doesn't sound weird at all. I usually either focus on some trivial detail in the background ("wow, I wonder how many yards of fabric that dress took, and how much it set her back...") or make fun of the situation in my mind until I can't take it seriously enough to be teary about it.

I do a lot of that kind of stuff too. I find becoming critical or objective towards the situation helps separate me emotionally.

[floramacivor]

Well, it's very nice to meet you, RedOrange823. I never knew anyone else did that kind of thing at movies!
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Do you emotionally detach from teary scenes when you're alone, too? Or just when you're with others?

[CycleBreaker]

To me emotional scenes are mostly a waste of time and filler. It's an annoyance.

However, when a movie can capably pull off the art of tear jerking without any of the obvious buildup, I am impressed.

[RedOrange823]

	Originally Posted by floramacivor To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Well, it's very nice to meet you, RedOrange823. I never knew anyone else did that kind of thing at movies! To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Do you emotionally detach from teary scenes when you're alone, too? Or just when you're with others?

I almost always detach myself emotionally from movies, unless I personally feel that I am in need to release my emotions, and I will only do that when I am alone.

PS: Nice to meet you to. It's great to know I'm not alone out there!

---------- Post added 05-17-2010 at 09:10 PM ----------

	Originally Posted by CycleBreaker To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	To me emotional scenes are mostly a waste of time and filler. It's an annoyance. However, when a movie can capably pull off the art of tear jerking without any of the obvious buildup, I am impressed.

I agree! I find myself bewildered when I get choked up and I didn't obviously see it coming. That is rare to find in movies because I can almost always figure out where a movie is going plot wise and am almost never surprised with "twists."

[AnnoyingPony]

I dislike the emotional scenes. Instead, I like to make fun of them with morbid jokes.

[Damien Black]

Emotional movie scenes make me roll my eyes.

Emotional/inspirational commercials are what get me every time. God damned marketers.



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[Leg]

90% emotional scenes piss me off, I don't like them, and in my family that's quite wierd as they are all Feelers.

[Geise]

When emotional scenes work for me, I won't hold back any tears. But when they don't work, I can't help but feel like they just insult my intelligence. Guess which one happens most often.

[themuzicman]

What's the point of watching a movie if you don't find some emotional component attached to it? Granted it isn't always a tear jerking scene, but it's nice to come to a real feel good moment when you're imbibing fiction. Don't fight it.

[Fox]

Pretty much the same way. When they make a strong effort to pull on my heart strings I resist.

I'll cry but at other lesser times. Like those little moments they use earlier in a movie. During the big tearjerker scene it just seems too forced.

[Synchronicity]

I resist. It's pretty much just to prove that I can.

[pip]

Resist. In my head I'm stamping on it to make it go away.

There are only two things which have come close to chellenging this otherwise effective regimen - and both those come from Babylon 5 (make of that what you will...)

[floramacivor]

	Originally Posted by themuzicman To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	it's nice to come to a real feel good moment when you're imbibing fiction. Don't fight it.

I don't think I can make myself stop resisting it. I think the "resist" mechanism is beyond my conscious will to control.

[sms444]

The OP reminds me of why I disliked the movie "Crash" so much.

[Chronos]

	Originally Posted by Geise To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	When emotional scenes work for me, I won't hold back any tears. But when they don't work, I can't help but feel like they just insult my intelligence. Guess which one happens most often.

Same here, basically.

Emotional scenes, if done right, can easily get to me, and I usually don't hold back the emotions they provoke when this happens. I don't see it as manipulation at all; after all, I am willingly watching the damn thing in order to immerse myself in the themes being presented.

Directors whose movies usually affect me strongly include Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson, Terry Gilliam, the Coppolas (Francis Ford and Sofia), and Jim Jarmusch. So basically I guess I prefer 'intellectual' films. Go figure.

EDIT: Reading over the OP's post again, I see that she seems to be describing instances when it's blatantly obvious that a scene is supposed to be a real tearjerker. I agree that this is one of the many ways in which emotional scenes can be done wrong.

[Gamgee]

I usually don't get affected by the tear jerk scenes. I usually do get sad at other scenes in movies that one wouldn't think to get sad at. Ill be internally sad, but won't let it come out. That way I can get some emotional enjoyment out of it, and retain cover with stereotypical norms.

Edit
How do I stop myself from misting up? Well, I just think back to all the real bad stuff that happened to me in real life that I didn't cry at because I was expected to be strong.

[supernaut]

Obvious tearjerker scenes have no effect on me because they comes across as fake. Sappiness irritates me.
However, I will get teary-eyed (out of nowhere) at a scene most would not consider necessarily emotional. Any situation involving a character taking a principled stand on something - especially if taking that stand has no direct benefit to the character usually seems to do the trick.
How do I deal with it? If there are people around I focus attention on something completely different to let the feeling blow over. If I am by myself, I might let the tears flow silently. I have never felt the need to bawl at anything so far
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Needless to say, this would be a huge surprise to people in my life if they knew of this. Heck, it surprised me for the longest time. I know the pattern now and so it isn't as jarring to me any more.
The only thing more weird are the kind of songs that get me teary-eyed.
Overall its like an invisible unknown world has power over my tear ducts.

[Philanthropist]

Originally Posted by RedOrange823 To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I am not normally one for tear-jerkers, but when it is absolutely evident to me that the director/writer of a film is purposely playing with my emotions and pulling out all the stops in order to make me cry, I can't help but become defensive and try everything in my power to keep control of my emotions and not cry. I usually get pretty cynical and sometimes get pissed off when a movie does this and was wondering if anybody else feels this way as well...

I despise tear jerkers; usually I just find them annoying which is why I never watch depressing movies. I never cry in movies or feel moved by them anyway. The 'it's-just-not-real' factor is too strong for me.

[ArtistTyrant]

emotional scenes usually have little to no effect on me, because i can't relate to the characters...i'm much more emotional over a good anime or manga, where i feel connected to a character and then they die or fail in a relationship or something

[Linwenilid]

When done badly, I tend to roll my eyes and mock emotional scenes, but when done right, I can't help but admiring the writer/director's ability and don't hold back the emotion it causes in me. Nothing wrong with that, methinks.