This is true. Two University of California economists have concluded that violence in movies is actually good for our culture and causes a decrease in crime. Nobody's happier than Hostel maestro Eli Roth, who joked to his MySpace following that he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize.
Also worthy: Sylvester Stallone. When Rambo hits theaters, the nation's murder rate should all but collapse, if this study is indeed true. P.S.: It makes total sense to me. Of course it's cathartic to watch Grindhouse. Duh.
But the details are fascinating. The economists found that when theaters were packed for violent movies, crime was way down. Still more fascinating: When the movie lets out, after-midnight crime rates drop by 2.1 percent. And the wording is hysterical. Professor Gordon Dahl, at UC San Diego, explains that violent criminals are not out doing bad things like getting drunk. Instead, they are in a movie, sober. Dahl was blunt with the New York Times: "You're taking a lot of violent people off the streets and putting them in a movie theater."
Wow. Imagine the results this study could have on Hollywood! And America! Maybe Roth and Stallone will be able to write off their budgets. They are doing a community service! And wait, should we all be packing heat when we go to see horror flicks? Maybe, if it's really true that repeat offenders are hogging up the theaters.