While violent images permeate contemporary society, the practice of presenting real violence as entertainment is taboo and rests at the margins of culture. Forms of real violence such as public executions and ritual sacrifices are no longer commonly practiced in most regions of the world, but the cultural desire for violent spectacle does not abate with the decline of violent public performances. In his reworking of Aristotelian catharsis in relation to ancient ritual sacrifice and the modern stage/screen, Mark Pizzato argues that “the performance of violence, from ancient ritual to screen sacrifices today, gives context and sense to the losses of life, gradual or sudden, in each spectator’s particular death drive” (2). He notes that theatre has a long history of simulating traumatic events for the purpose of entertainment and instruction because viewing simulated violence can curb the desire to repeat real sacrifices offstage. While this may seem a simplistic explanation for our society’s thirst for realistic depictions of extreme sex and violence, there is something to be said for its transparency. The rapid development of technology and the proliferation of images that arise from the human desire to experience extreme imagery push filmmakers into making bold and innovative choices. In order for something new to materialize, however, it must emerge from past traditions, and by acknowledging past influences, new spectacles of violence can be viewed as part of the evolution of artistic transgression.