Bruce Willis defends violence in films

Action star Bruce Willis has defended violence on the big screen, insisting bloodthirsty movies are not to blame for gun rampages in the U.S.

The Die Hard star spoke out in the wake of the horror shooting at a screening of Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises in Colorado in July, which left 12 cinemagoers dead and dozens more injured.

Willis is adamant graphic movie scenes should not be censored, telling the Daily Star, "I think violence is one of the hard, bad things that exists in the world, not just in films.

"Violence is everywhere. I think that to say you shouldn't have violence in films or we shouldn't make violence a part of a film would be like taking any emotion out of it."