Do you think the violent youth culture you portray in "Bully" is realistic?
I think it's certainly an extreme result. I talked to the kids in the suburbs who have seen the film, and they said, "Gee, Larry, you really got it right. That's the suburbs. That's my life. I know kids just like that. We drive around in cars, party, play games, listen to music, drink, smoke pot, have sex, and are bored. And that's our lives. We gotta lot of time on our hands, but we don't kill people." So that's the difference. But basically, a lot of what's going on with these kids is not so unusual, but killing is. This is an extreme case of what could happen.
Do you despair for the generations to come?
I still think the kids are going to be OK. It's your world, and you guys have to figure it out. It keeps changing. These kids know right from wrong. It's their fault. It's also society's fault, the parents' fault, the culture's fault... but ultimately it's down to the kids. When people see the movie, it's pretty obvious they know right from wrong, and will pay the price.
When did your fascination for youth culture begin?
I started out by taking photographs of myself and my friends, and how we were growing up a long time ago. I started out working in this territory, and I continued that for a long time. Then I decided I wanted to look at other kids growing up in America, not myself. All of a sudden, I had this big body of work, and I've been exploring this for 40 years.
You also seem fascinated by the loss of innocence?
I've always thought about that - when it happens, how long it happens, how it keeps happening, when it stops happening... our lives become so jaded, there is no more innocence at all.
