Is there such a thing as going too far?

[Fidelio]

Pasolini made Salo and shortly after was beaten to death. Mou Tun Fei filmed the controversial Men Behind the Sun and subsequently received death threats.

I find this very unsettling because it seems to be an oppression against the freedom of speech. Is there such a thing as going too far? How can we as filmmakers freely express ourselves if our subjects are deemed to be too taboo? I mean, I wouldn't want to be murdered for a film I made.

 

[Billy Pilgrim]

The way I see it, the only people who go too far are the ones who threaten death, and, in Pasolini's case, beat the filmmaker to death. I believe Martin Scorsese also had recieved death threats for Taxi Driver for casting Jodi Foster as a prostitute (and apparently had to have a body guard with him at the academy awards), and again for the Last Temptation of Christ, due mainly to the sex scene between Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene.

 

[Jon Starr]

It's so hard to tell what will push people's buttons sometimes. Yes, you can see a controversial film coming, but you won't really know how controversial it will get untill it's released.

I don't think people should be afraid to have freedom of speech. Filmmaking is the most powerful tool we have today, especially when it comes to freedom of speech. Yes, someone was killed for it, and probably more have and will, but if we all just cower and hide and we all become too afraid to speak our minds or show how things really were through film, than we'll live in a world of fear to speak our minds and have individual thoughts, and people like the man that killed Pasolini will have won.

 

[DarkMatter]

1. Freedom of speech is an american freedom, both of the movies cited are from other countries that are less leniant.
2. Freedom of speech/ expression should have limits; showing the actual autopsy of a young boy for your horror film is COMPLETLY UNNACEPTABLE and in really bad taste. What kind of statement are you trying to make except that you are a piss poor filmmaker.
I believe in freedom of expression as much as the next guy but murdering kittens and torching rats, for your your so called art is pathetic and just plain wrong, anyone can see that. If you don't believe me take a look into history. Hate fuels Hate.