Preparing for the Plunge

Hello and welcome to the first entry of my blog. Since this is my first post, I figured I'd take a moment to explain my reasoning behind this blog and where I plan to take it. As you already know, I've entitled this writing experiment "Tiptoeing through the Taboo." This blog will be a collection of my thoughts as I watch the most controversial, talked about, and forbidden films ever made. In order to explain where I got the idea for such an expedition, you'll need to know a little bit about me.

Let's get one thing straight. I love movies. I've watched movies, made movies, starred in movies, critiqued movies, and recently began writing movies. Film is a part of who I am. It's a passion which cannot be quenched. I majored in film while in college before realizing that I didn't need a college degree to pursue what I love most. Film cannot be taught in a classroom. However I have studied film technique extensively, almost to the point where I forgot to take a step back and appreciate the medium as a whole. By studying something too closely, you can lose sight of the beauty of that something in its entirety.

Now I love all kinds of films. Horror, comedy, drama, anything. My only requirement is that they are good films. But if there is one genre which has always captivated me, it's taboo films. I don't know what started my love of all things controversial. Perhaps it's because I'm a filmmaker at heart. Or maybe it's because I wasn't allowed to watch R-rated films while growing up in a Christian household. Whatever it is, one thing is for sure. I'm not obsessed with these films themselves, but rather with the story surrounding these films. Sometimes, these encasing stories are even worse than the stories told in the actual movie. People have been excommunicated and even killed because of the films they have made. Pieces of fiction can sometimes cross the line between imagination and reality and begin to affect their creator's lives in various non-fiction ways. I like to believe that film has this kind of power. It makes me believe in what I'm doing.

Since I love controversial films, I'm always on the lookout for something new to shock me. But here's the thing, in exploring taboo films, you come across a lot of shit. There are many films out there which are pure exploitation films, especially when you examine the horror genre. Someone needs to tell people what's worth watching and what's not. Furthermore, someone needs to inform people of the stories of the directors, actors, and people making these films in order to examine the psyche behind their movies. It adds a whole new layer of depth and understanding to the film overall.

Anyways, while discussing my love of film with other people, they often ask me to start a blog elaborating on my reviews. However everyone's a critic and I never found anything quite unique enough to start a blog about. That is, until I watched Julie & Julia (I told you I watch all kinds of movies). Anyone can write about cooking. But if you write about cooking in a specific context, then you stand out. So this is my cooking blog, except it's about movies. Instead of cooking as many meals as possible in one year, I'm watching as many controversial films as possible in one year. But I hope this blog isn't turned into a movie. If it is, I want Edward Norton to play me and I want Dario Argento calling me up at the end saying he hates my writing.

As far as the movies I'll be writing about, if it's been banned, then I'll be watching it. If there's any controversy surrounding it, then I'll be reporting it here. In addition, if it's hard to watch then I'll tell you why (but don't worry, I wont give away any of the juicy parts). Every film I examine will have the following post outline:

Plot
The Story Behind the Story
Intensity Rating and Why
Discussion
Grade (which includes directing, story and dialogue, acting, lighting and sound, and overall grade)

Lastly, I want to encourage feedback of all sorts. Did I say something that you disagreed with? Then tell me. Do you want me to watch a specific film? Email me at AlexLudovico62@gmail.com and make your recommendation. Do you think I'm a pretentious dick? Feel free to rant from the safety of your mom's basement. If you have something to say, I encourage you to say it.

This is the first demoralizing step in what will be a very long, twisted, and fucked up journey. I hope you have as much fun as I do.

P.S. In case you were wondering, I've already seen Salo (which is widely regarded as the most controversial film ever made). Although I don't want to see it again, I'll do it for the sake of the blog. Who knows, maybe I'll watch it and write an entry about it on Christmas. Nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit more than a bunch of young people ingesting shit (which I'm sure can be used as some sort of metaphor for children believing in Santa, good will, etc but I won't go there).