A Break in the Action : Audiences Go Without Gore for ‘Turn Off Violence Day’

In honor of Turn Off the Violence Day, Derek Brown decided against decapitating one opponent. He declined to incinerate another and went out of his way not to plunge a third to his death.

He punched and kicked them into submission instead.

Brown was playing “Mortal Kombat II,” the infamous martial-arts video game, at a Santa Clarita arcade when he learned that Thursday was Turn Off the Violence Day, as proclaimed by the City Council.

“This is cleaner, I guess. It’s not as violent,” said Brown, 24, who lives in Valencia. “Well, at least it’s not so graphic.”

It was not exactly what the day’s sponsors--the city’s Anti-Gang Task Force--had in mind. Through newspaper advertisements and 30,000 flyers distributed on school campuses and at other locations, the task force asked citizens to eschew violent entertainments for one full day.

“Violence is too often used by residents for entertainment, settling arguments or blowing off emotional steam,” said Capt. Mike Quinn of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.

Quinn is a member of the volunteer task force, which was created by the city in 1991.

“We are trying to make people aware of nonviolent ways to deal with anger and conflict. We want to help our residents realize that entertainment creates a climate that fosters the acceptability of violence.”

Andy Christenson, in line at Plaza 3 Cinemas in Santa Clarita for an afternoon showing of the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie “True Lies,” was not impressed.

“I came here to see Arnold blow things up and see Jamie Lee Curtis, period,” said Christenson, 24. “I’m not leaving.”

Katie Corwin, in line to see “The River Wild” at Edwards Cinemas in Valencia, was at least sympathetic.

“I’ve never heard of (the proclamation),” said Corwin, 36, who lives in Valencia. “Does this movie count as violent?”

Corwin said she would try, as the task force requested, to avoid violent television programs that evening. That meant no “Cops,” of course, and some of the night’s cable movies, including “The Last Action Hero”--more Arnold--and the martial-arts “Best of the Best II,” were also off-limits.

Even “Mystery!” on public television was suspect, considering that its plot featured the discovery of a corpse in a hotel basement locker.

“I guess I’ll have to just read a book,” said Corwin, with resignation. “It’ll have to be a pretty dull book.”

At local school campuses, the proclamation received more heartfelt support. Hundreds of high school and junior high students signed Turn Off the Violence Day banners that decorated their campuses. Organizers plan to present them next week to Southern California television stations to encourage nonviolent fare.

*

John Gallo, 26, of Canyon Country, also thought the “Day” was a good idea. “I’ll go with it. It’s not a lot to ask,” he said as he returned a rented copy of “Jurassic Park” to a video store.

“All one day does is, it puts the idea in your head for a week or so. It makes you think about it.”

That, according to supporters, was the whole idea.

Even Brown, at the controls of “Mortal Kombat,” was having second thoughts. He had been planning to see the new movie “Pulp Fiction,” which has garnered rave reviews despite its violence.

“I was in here killing time before going to the movie, but you’re making me feel bad,” he said. “I don’t know, now.”