Quills

A movie that influenced me a lot, but in a negative way, was Philip Kaufman’s Quills (2000). The film narrates the tale of the erotic writer the Marquis de Sade of 18th Century France. The Marquis (Geoffrey Rush) stays at an insane asylum where his books are smuggled out of the asylum by the laundress Madeline (Kate Winslet). The film, containing many scenes of sex and violence – including necrophilia, won three Oscars.

Never has a film affected me so negatively. My head felt literally polluted after I saw this film. I felt completely disgusted and dirty. For the first time in my life did I really understand how media can pollute our minds. After seeing Quills I did not watch another film for six months thereafter. I used to be a film critic back then – well, that was pretty much the end of that career for me.

The reason the film had such a strong impact on me is probably because it is so well done. It's an engaging story, with great acting, and superb cinematography. It swallows you in and by the end of the film your mind has been violated. I think what I learned from this film, more than any movie I have seen before, is the negative effect that cinema can have. Movies are not neutral, their messages are not unbiased, and that they affect us are undeniable and not always positive. After this film I have become much more selective in what I choose to watch.