3. Rape - Irreversible
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4b4UyDrBSA The rape scene in Irreversible has continued to grow in infamy since it was first seen by the public in 2003. Gaspar Noe's camera watches the rape for several long, unbroken minutes. The scene is unflinching and explicit, hard to watch, but crucially, not sadistic or gratuitous. The rape is merciless, brutal and unforgiving as Monica Bellucci's characters suffers for what feels like an eternity. Noe refuses to allow us to look away, it goes on and on, and many walked out during this, until its forceful and soul-sucking conclusion. Noe gives us the most realistic depiction of rape I've ever seen, it's horrible and unwatchable, and some even thought it was real, that's how traumatising the scene is. We already know there is no hope at the end waiting for us, as the movie is told entirely in reverse order, but we are still unprepared for the sheer horror that is exposed on screen. The movie is nothing short of a masterpiece, as Noe questions morality and makes the audience implicit with the actions of the characters, but it's impossible to shake the scene from your head. It's been years since I last saw the film, but the scene still remains in my head, distinct as ever.