This seems like a pretty messed up movie

[Azrael]

It's easy to make anything seem unnecessary when you pull it completely out of context.

[Hathen]

I think something's pretentious only when the creator adds in things to make the movie seem smarter without actually putting any thought behind it. (See: Any sort of religious symbolism in Evangelion) I think this person honestly thought that he needed the violence and such to get his message across. Whether it's actually needed though, is what's up for debate.

I personally don't really think so.

[Azrael]

As far as necessity is concerned, I'm torn.  On the one hand, I could never sit through a movie that violent...ever.  And now that I know it is that violent, I will never watch it.  At the same time, he specifically said this was a movie made for a non-Serbian audience, or specifically an audience that did not live/witness the violence that the Serbians did.  In that sense, I can see why he would deem it necessary.  At the very least I would say I'm sure he's happy about the fact that it has got people talking.  Maybe it's not the conversation he wanted to have, but it's a conversation, and he has the ability to steer it where he does want it to go.

[Ramza]

I'm with Azrael on this. I could hardly stomach the trailer and will certainly NEVER subject myself to the film. But I *did* subject myself to the wikipedia plot synopsis.

And when you read that, the parallel between the film and what's happened to the Serbian people in the last 20 years is really. f*cking. obvious.

Anyone who's like "I don't see how this is a metaphor. This is just shockpr0n" is way out of line. YES IT IS SHOCKPR0N but that's not all it is.

Let me lay it out for y'all:

Code:

Milos is the "everyman" of standard Serbian culture. He's done some things he's not proud of, but he's trying to move forward and have a good life.

The peoples' leaders and politicians (played by INSANE DIRECTOR) make promises that, if the people can just go along with them for this one more little thing, this one last tough time, they will come out infinitely happier. But it turns out they're just trying to fuck over the entire population. And in the case of the film's metaphor, the "fucking over" becomes literal.

The use of drugs, incest, rape, decapitation and necrophilia -- ALL OF THIS is just a big shitstorm to represent one thing: "what is the most horrific thing you could imagine happening to you and your family?" On the level of the Serbian society, this is how many of them feel. They feel this strongly, that what has happened is so sick and twisted, that they couldn't come out of it. Hence Milos killing family and self at the end after all they'd been through. The saddest part of course is in the end when new director and pornstars come in, ready to rape their corpses. That's the future they fear they can look forward to.

Is the director being melodramatic? You tell me. Here are some worthwhile reads about recent Serbian history:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbia_in_the_Yugoslav_Wars

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ri.html -- See "Government," "Economy," "Transnational Issues"

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/bitterness-and-tragedy-strike-again-in-the-cradle-of-the-serbian-state-566860.html

http://english.pravda.ru/world/europe/09-08-2010/114541-serbian_krajina-0/

[Starmongoose]

Y'know, Ramza. I see it now, kinda.

It's a metaphor, so it's always going to be a stretch, but it still doesn't sit totally right with me. Maybe if I saw the movie? Who knows, I'm not going to watch it, I know that much.

[Ashtrot]

Reading the synopsis, and the intended message (which was at its core about violence itself), I can admit that I was wrong about A Serbian Film.

I've just seen too many films like Hostel, where the messages (such as 'people are out for themselves and fuck over others to serve their own purposes') are completely overshadowed by the sheer tastelessness (playing soccer with someone's head). The creators could have created a movie with similar messages without the overblown violence.

[Ramza]

I think that's the problem with the film. You can make something absolutely disgusting and offensive and get across the intended message WITHOUT bringing in actual depictions of, say, *newborn rape*

UGH... Just talking about this film makes me feel dirty. Whereas, on the other hand, talking about the history of the Serbian people does not make me feel dirty. Just sad.

[Azrael]

I think you're right, but also consider how many movies we've seen that give a sense of the kind of horrors going on in so many places around the world without REALLY showing it.  It leaves a certain level of detachment.  We might cry, we might feel a bit empowered to do something to help, but there is also always this small sense that it's *just* a movie.  I think something like this will make it stick.  It rams it into you and makes sure you never forget that you saw something absolutely atrocious.  I mean I haven't seen the movie but I know the synopsis is not something I'm going to forget.  Like I said, I'm really torn on this whole thing.  But I definitely congratulate the director on getting people talking about it.

[Starmongoose]

I think the level of violence he has chosen to pursue is more distracting from his cause than highlighting it. How many people can grasp a deeper meaning when so many horrific images are being thrown at them in a rapid succession.


Movies can have extremely potent messages conveyed whilst holding back, being restrained. Example, I remember being shaken days after watching "Requiem For A Dream", it really stayed with me, and it made me think. It still managed to have graphic sex scenes, and it showed a degree of violence, but it did not go overboard, becoming borderline ridiculous (Death by erection in the eye), and thus managed to keep it's message highlighted, without being distracting.

Another favourite movie of mine is "Dancer in the Dark". Which manages to have no sex, and minimum violence (northing more than you would see on Law & Order or such), but still, be a voice against the way we treat immigrants, the way we treat those less advantaged than ourselves, and the death penalty.

I know I sound like every modern art hater out there, but I just think he could have been more imaginative in his writing. If I were forced to make my mind go to such a dark place, and think of the most horrible things out there, yes I could probably come up with these images. So to me it feels like a lazy metaphor, and it doesn't feel very refined.

 My 2 cents.

[Azrael]

I think the level of violence he has chosen to pursue is more distracting from his cause than highlighting it. How many people can grasp a deeper meaning when so many horrific images are being thrown at them in a rapid succession.


Movies can have extremely potent messages conveyed whilst holding back, being restrained. Example, I remember being shaken days after watching "Requiem For A Dream", it really stayed with me, and it made me think. It still managed to have graphic sex scenes, and it showed a degree of violence, but it did not go overboard, becoming borderline ridiculous (Death by erection in the eye), and thus managed to keep it's message highlighted, without being distracting.

Another favourite movie of mine is "Dancer in the Dark". Which manages to have no sex, or violence, but still, be a voice against the way we treat immigrants, the way we treat those less advantaged than ourselves, and the death penalty.

I know I sound like every modern art hater out there, but I just think he could have been more imaginative in his writing. If I were forced to make my mind go to such a dark place, and think of the most horrible things out there, yes I could probably come up with these images. So to me it feels like a lazy metaphor, and it doesn't feel very refined.

 My 2 cents.

Hmm...a lot of people will make that argument but I really do think he's got something really nice going on with what he's portraying because the whole point is to be completely horrifying.  I don't really think it'd distract just because as I said before the violence itself IS the message.  Maybe people won't directly get it immediately, but if you read his own comments, or if you read about Serbia, it makes sense I think.  Like Ramza said, as long as you have any idea of what Serbians have had to live through in the last few decades it's pretty obvious.

Also, to me at least, Requiem for a Dream was on a similar level.  It didn't hold back at all in its depictions of drug use and all the other crap these guys put themselves through.  I've seen it once and I really don't know if I could stomach it again because it really left me freaking winded and depressed.  I also know that I will NEVER (not that I ever thought about it) try heroin, or speed, or any of that other shit.  Ever.

[Hoshino_Kid]

That Wiki page is... Totally fucked up. Especially one sentence which I'm terrified to quote (and it's the most sickening thing I've ever heard).

Kinda reminds me... I need to watch The Antichrist.

[Yoda]

I think the level of violence he has chosen to pursue is more distracting from his cause than highlighting it. How many people can grasp a deeper meaning when so many horrific images are being thrown at them in a rapid succession.


Movies can have extremely potent messages conveyed whilst holding back, being restrained. Example, I remember being shaken days after watching "Requiem For A Dream", it really stayed with me, and it made me think. It still managed to have graphic sex scenes, and it showed a degree of violence, but it did not go overboard, becoming borderline ridiculous (Death by erection in the eye), and thus managed to keep it's message highlighted, without being distracting.

Another favourite movie of mine is "Dancer in the Dark". Which manages to have no sex, and minimum violence (northing more than you would see on Law & Order or such), but still, be a voice against the way we treat immigrants, the way we treat those less advantaged than ourselves, and the death penalty.

I know I sound like every modern art hater out there, but I just think he could have been more imaginative in his writing. If I were forced to make my mind go to such a dark place, and think of the most horrible things out there, yes I could probably come up with these images. So to me it feels like a lazy metaphor, and it doesn't feel very refined.

 My 2 cents.

Well put my good fellow.

I'm not saying don't make graphic ass movies, but they're not for me. (Except silly violence like Mel Gibson movies)