But first, I agree with you absolutely that a realistic and serious depiction is far less objectionable than the ‘torture porn’ of most hollywood action flicks and the ‘Saw’ generation of horrors, where infliction of pain is meant to titillate and thrill.

But no matter how honest, real, and serious Winterbottom is with the scene, it isn’t enough of a justification to say that he is showing a murder “as it would really be”. As soon as one steps into creating drama, one is creating entertainment. Scenes can be harrowing and tragic and horrific, but simply showing prolonged brutality to the point that people can’t look does not constitute art.
You can create the horror of abuse and murder without being explicit. Before Tarantino disappeared up his arse, his ‘ear-slicing’ scene in Reservoir Dogs was a perfect example of creating stomach-churning toe-curling horror while showing virtually nothing.
If a director uses the reasoning that “this is how it really happens”, then where would you draw the line? Would you watch explicit re-enactment of kiddie abuse? Winterbottom knows what he is doing. He is creating shock to get tongues wagging, nothing more.
I enjoy thought provoking cinema that shows pain and suffering and horrific things, not because I enjoy seeing those things per say, but because those things make me think and feel and respond emotionally. So I won’t be seeing the film (even though I agree with you about Casey Affleck) .
So there.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Seeber.
x

So I’m the first on here to say how much I loved your book!

I’ve just finished reading it – started yesterday morning and haven’t been able to put it down! What a complicated story! Loved the Oxford part – all those feelings of not belonging – and loved the children, too – they were so funny. Not sure about her choice of men – talk about not recognising someone who’s bad for you! I loved the feelings she had after her brief affair, too – it described very well the way you can still yearn for someone so long after you’ve been forgotten.

The only criticism I have (sorry!) is that I couldn’t see why she was such a good journalist, since she doesn’t seem to do any writing! I thought it was a bit unlikely that Xavier would keep nagging her to work for him, when there would be so many other candidates around – he knew she wouldn’t be able to put everything into the work now, the way she had in the past.

Anyway, that’s a small gripe. Most of all I thought it was very cinematic – your descriptions are fantastic and it was so easy to visualise every scene and every character.

I’m off to buy the others, now!

Mary