Films like

A Serbian Film,

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom,

and Martyrs

have been called disgusting, depraved, morally corrosive, and culturally dangerous.

But what if the film isn’t the real issue?

In this episode, we move beyond outrage and into psychology. Instead of asking why these films exist, we examine why audiences seek them out in the first place.

Drawing on research in media psychology, sensation, seeking, moral panic theory, and Jungian shadow work, this episode explores:

• Why “banned” content becomes irresistible

• The psychology of morbid curiosity

• Whether violent media truly desensitises viewers

• How moral outrage functions socially

• The difference between reflective viewing and empty consumption

• And what extreme cinema reveals about us, not just the screen

This is not a defence of brutality.

It’s an examination of agency.

Because no film forces itself into your mind.

You chose to watch it.

So the real question is, why?

If you engage with extreme cinema, this episode may challenge you.

If you condemn it, this episode may challenge you even more.

Either way, we’re going beyond shock value and into something far more uncomfortable:

Responsibility.