There are days it can be difficult to hold to freedom of speech.

After watching A Serbian Film, I can say that today is one of those days.

The film was released to great controversy in terms of its graphic and often sexually explicit violence. Screenwriter Srdjan Spasojevic has responded to the controversy with "This is a diary of our own molestation by the Serbian government... It's about the monolithic power of leaders who hypnotize you to do things you don’t want to do. You have to feel the violence to know what it’s about."

weird

not my cup of tea, but I don't see what is wrong with it

Aside from the guy raping a newborn baby, I dunno lol.

thats disgusting and all, not something I want to see, but this hardly comes close to pushing the limits of freedom of speech.

what possible harm is that doing?

It's grotesque and vile, and there is a good part in me that inherently desires to suppress it because of this.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
Aside from the guy raping a newborn baby, I dunno lol.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
It's grotesque and vile, and there is a good part in me that inherently desires to suppress it because of this.

I can appreciate the reaction, but I really don't think "grossness" or "vileness" are good reasons to introduce restrictions on speech

Originally posted by inimalist
I can appreciate the reaction, but I really don't think "grossness" or "vileness" are good reasons to introduce restrictions on speech

Originally posted by King Kandy
Um, I never saw it, but the wiki summary says that he was asked to do the newborn series, but, it never actually had him doing so in the film. Correct me if that's wrong.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
Neither do I, which is why I said it is difficult to hold to freedom of speech, not that I support censoring the film.

so you are saying if you did support censorship, this would be where you started?

but no, I hear you, it is hard to defend things that offend your own sensibilities, especially when taken to such extremes. I had a really similar reaction to the stuff PETA published comparing the food industry to the holocaust, among other things.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
After watching A Serbian Film, I can say that today is one of those days.

What does your screenname mean, Zeal?

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
difficult to hold to freedom of speech.

The beauty of freedom of speech is your implied freedom not to listen. You don't have to agree with the speech. The freedom exists whether you agree with it or not. Change the channel.

Actly every day not just some days.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
After watching A Serbian Film, I can say that today is one of those days.

I have less problems with things like this, it's harder to support freedom of speech in the face of stupidity, ignorance or maliciousness.

Film is pretty sick.

It doesn't even come close to destroying my support for freedom of speech, however.

I'm probably one of the most liberal interpreters of freedom of speech.

I DO draw the line at harming (emotionally or physically) children or the "helpless" for the purposes of the freedom of speech, however. I mean this directly, not indirectly. For instance, I think it's bullshit to blame a game publisher/maker for a violent video game that gives a child an idea to stick an M16 barrel into a cats butthole and fire. However, I do believe it's wrong to electrocute a child for a film to show how the government is oppressing us, or something.

Do we really need freedom of speech? I mean, really need it? It's not like we've ever made use of it.

Wait, did they actually have someone rape a baby?

I think it's safe to assume they didn't actually do the things portrayed in the film as the controversy wouldnt surround free speech, but the actual crimes and they'd all be injail instead of defending their "art" to the press

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Wait, did they actually have someone rape a baby?

No. It looks intentionally fake in the movie and it's actually a character watching a movie of that happening, not doing it.
This is such a retarded knee jerk response and the movie has been out for ages.

Baby scene NOT the most disturbing scene by far in the movie. Not even close.

Just read the synopsis. sounded pretty lame actually

It's actually very well made.