Is it because it's real?

I recently read some reviews to Irreversible, the 2002 Gaspar Noe film that "shocked" several viewers from the film festivals and the theaters it was shown.

Some got nauseous, some fainter, while some demanded that they stop the screening due to the violent nature of the film. They just couldn't take it.

Honestly, I am pro-censorship...when it works. Most of the time it doesnt, but I don't think you should junk the idea all together just because the system needs improvement. And with parents taking a more active role in controlling their childrens viewing, I think we're on the right track.

What's not right is this ridiculous high horse that some people are getting onto.

Irreversible was never shown here. It probably would have caused quite a controversy, but it may have been shown with a strictly enforced NC-17 rating. Mostly because in this case, the violence in the movie was superceded by art.

Since the story centers mostly about rape and violence, and it's impact on society, you really can't cut that out and expect the film to be a success. The 11 minute rape scene and the brutal scene in the club might be hard to stomach, but it's not a reason for it to end up on the cutting room floor.

Nor is it a reason to stop screening the film.

Is it truly nauseating? I think it is. Is it really violent? You bet. Is it porn? Not on your life. The only people who can walk away from that movie turned on are the ones who have a hard hitting fetish for it.

But does it turn your stomach? Will it make you cry? It does and it probably will. You might even leave with a fear of walking down deserted underpasses at the dead of the night. This isn't your usual drama. It's a hard hitting movie that expects you to walk out disgusted and open your eyes to the depravities of the human condition.

So why this rant?

Because I don't get how some people will be able to sit through Passion of Christ and not demand it be shut down but not this. Sure, it's GOD, but it's the bias of foreign censorship rearing it's bigotted head once again.

I've seen films depicting orgies and violent shootings, most of which aren't relevant to the film but are merely decorations. Eye candy if you will. Something to stimulate a viewers senses.

So why show such an averse reaction to this one? Because it looks real? Because it was too real? Because it affected you? Because instead of turning you on, it frightened you? Because it opened you to the possibility of certain violence out there?

That doesn't make any fucking sense.

I would rather have something real presented to me with a heavy warning, than to let two people macking each other after showing violence under the guise of "entertaining and mind blowing action" with a PG-13 rating.

This is a wrong time to be prudent, especially when you have music videos with half naked girls gyrating their asses to some rappers face.

Forgive me but if you let PG-13 films that promotes violence and promiscuity into your home on a daily basis, then I can't figure out why you can't sit through a hard hitting NC-17 film designed to prevent it.

That just doesn't fucking compute.