Quoted By:
The Book: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973)
The Movie: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
The Hate: While the original novel "married teenage melodrama to an urgent suspense plot," its film adaptation was re-envisioned as a slasher film, a change in genre which horrified Duncan. During an interview, she said that, "As the mother of a murdered child, I don't find violent death something to squeal and giggle about." (Duncan's 18-year-old daughter Kaitlyn was killed in 1989.)
Would the bloodshed at Columbine and other high schools, and escalating violence in schools Nation-wide make you censor yourself and think twice about writing "Killing Mr. Griffin" today?
"Killing Mr. Griffin" doesn't encourage violence in schools any more than the story of Cain and Able encourages children to kill their younger brothers. Seldom does the small group of parents who want to protect their children from any knowledge that violence exists in today's society have a problem with their children reading the Bible. The occurrence of an event in a work of literature is not a mandate that the reader should go forth and do likewise. In most cases it's just the opposite. The devastating consequences of the "senior prank" that inadvertently led to the death of a fine man should make readers of "Killing Mr. Griffin" think twice before allowing themselves to be led down a dangerous path where there's no turning back.
What I, personally, have a problem with are the stories (usually on television where action takes the place of introspection) where violence is sensationalized and made to seem thrilling rather than terrible. I was appalled when my book, "I Know What You Did Last Summer," was made into a slasher film. As the mother of a murdered child, I don't find violent death something to squeal and giggle about.
