Last Tango in Paris and the exploitation of Maria Schneider

[stui magpie]

I'll wade in with a few more points.

1. I don't think art should be held to a different standard

2. I don't believe it's black and white whether to watch it, it's a personal choice based on the individuals morals, ethics and beliefs. Someone who chooses to watch it is no lesser person than someone who doesn't. Same principle although different situation to someone choosing not to eat meat for ethical reasons or not watch classic westerns from the 50's because horses were injured in the filming

There is also the fact of considering when it happened. I've said before on other subjects that looking at actions taken in the past through the lens of the present distorts the picture.

What would have happened if she had of gone to Police as soon as filming wrapped up for the day and made a complaint? Given the culture at the time I'd say there's no chance it would be considered rape, it may have been borderline sexual assault (at that time, remember), Brando and the director would have been likely to go uncharged and what little media the issue generated would only serve as good publicity for the film and the studio would have probably paid her a sum of money under the counter to go away or, more likely, just blacklisted her from future roles as being overly emotional and difficult to work with.

Is any of that fair and correct in the current day? No, but that was then, this is now.

[HAL]

Do you think I am that person?

[swoop42]

Given his reputation just as likely Brando was bangin her off screen anyway.

There are far far worse and real acts of murder, torture and depravity available on the internet right now so I wouldn't be stressing to much over this simulated sex scene.

[David]

^ I read in one article that she was a virgin when she made the film, which makes this story a lot sadder (not to mention kind of bizarre, given the many explicit sex scenes in the film).

[stui magpie]

^

it would have certainly raised her eyebrows and blood pressure when someone unexpectedly pushed a stick of butter up against her date while trying to stay in character on a movie shoot.

Also may account for her reaction afterwards, may not it may have just been what it was.

[Pies4shaw]

I think the question posed is a little artificial. I've never been much concerned by listening to music written by apologists for totalitarian regimes. It would, I think, be quite different if I was asked, eg, to listen to a score that called for the percussion section to include the sounds of actual people being shot. In the same way, I think I could, at least potentially, distinguish between a film made by a rapist and a film of a rape. One, from where I sit, has the potential to be art, depending upon its content; the other is just evidence.

[David]

That's a moral view, though, not a neutral definition. Of course art can be illegal or unethical or draw upon unethical acts; there is nothing inherent in such things that renders a work unartistic. Whether we should tolerate the existence of such art is another question.

I would note here that several important films have depicted or resulted in acts of animal cruelty (several horses died during the making of the original Ben-Hur; Tarkovsky set a cow on fire in Andrei Rublev; the great Czech film Marketa Lazarova features a snake being stabbed). Animal cruelty is against the law. Should such films be banned?

[watt price tully]

[watt price tully]

[David]

Sure, but are you saying you'd be happy to see Andrei Rublev taken out of circulation?

[watt price tully]

[David]

Really!? I'm genuinely amazed by that. There possibly has been no greater filmmaker.

https://youtu.be/_8nBWb50g1A

[swoop42]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-07/italian-director-clarifies-last-tango-butter-rape-scene/8101718

[think positive]

[think positive]