Sex in film  

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 +[[The Kiss]] (1896) - [[Extase]] (1932) - [[ ...And God Created Woman]] (1956) - [[The Immoral Mr. Teas]] (1959) - [[Peeping Tom]] (1960) - [[I, A Woman]] (1965) - [[Persona]] (1966) - [[Belle de Jour]] (1967) - [[I Am Curious ... Blue/Yellow]] (1967) - [[Teorema]] (1968) - [[If....]] (1968) - [[Femina Ridens]] (1969) - [[Kärlekens språk]] (1969) - [[Performance]] (1970) - [[Women In Love]] (1970) - [[A Clockwork Orange]] (1971) - [[Last Tango in Paris]] (1972) - [[Deep Throat]] (1972) - [[ La Grande Bouffe]] (1973) - [[The Night Porter]] (1974) - [[The Story of O]] (1975) - [[In the Realm of the Senses]] (1976) - [[Caligula]] (1979) - [[Videodrome]] (1983) - [[Body Double]] (1984) - [[Blue Velvet]] (1986) - [[The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover]] (1989) - [[Henry & June]] (1990) - [[Bitter Moon]] (1992) - [[Tokyo Decadence]] (1992) - [[L' Ennui]] (1998) - [[Romance X]] (1999) - [[Eyes Wide Shut]] (1999) - [[Baise-Moi]] (2000) - [[Y tu Mama Tambien]] (2001) - [[Sex and Lucia]] (2001) - [[Intimacy]] (2000) - [[Irréversible]] (2002) - [[Secretary]] (2002) - [[The Dreamers]] (2003) - [[Swimming Pool]] (2003) - [[Ma Mère]] (2004) - [[9 songs]] (2004)" --Sholem Stein
 +|}
 +
 +[[Image:Three consecutive frames of The Kiss (1896) - William Heise.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[The Kiss (1896 film) |The Kiss]]'' (1896) by William Heise]]
[[Image:Amour eroticism and cinema.jpg|thumb|200px|''[[Amour - érotisme & cinéma]]'' by [[Ado Kyrou]]]] [[Image:Amour eroticism and cinema.jpg|thumb|200px|''[[Amour - érotisme & cinéma]]'' by [[Ado Kyrou]]]]
{{Template}} {{Template}}
-:''[[sex in film chronology]]'' 
-The use of '''sex in film''' has been [[controversial]] since the [[early film|earliest use of cinematography]] and the first portrayals of [[love scene]]s and [[nude scene]]s. Ever since the silent era of film there have been [[actor]]s and [[actress]]es who have shown parts of their bodies or undergarments, or dressed and behaved in ways considered sexually provocative by contemporary standards. Some films have been criticized and/or [[banned film|banned]] by various [[religion|religious]] groups and governments because of this. The difference with [[pornographic film]]s is that erotic films are [[List_of_mainstream_films_with_unsimulated_sex|simulated]]. For further distinctions, see the [[Erotica vs. pornography debate|erotica/pornography]] pages. 
-==Chronological list of examples== 
-[[The Kiss]] (1896) - [[Extase]] (1932) - [[And God Created Woman]] (1956) - [[The Immoral Mr. Teas]] (1959) - [[Peeping Tom (film)|Peeping Tom]] (1960) - [[I, a Woman]] (1965) - [[Persona]] (1966) - [[Belle de Jour]] (1967) - [[I Am Curious|I Am Curious ... Blue/Yellow]] (1967) - [[Teorema]] (1968) - [[If...]]. (1968) - [[Femina Ridens]] (1969) - [[Kärlekens språk]] (1969) - [[Performance]] (1970) - [[Women In Love]] (1970) - [[A Clockwork Orange]] (1971) - [[Last Tango in Paris]](1972) - [[Deep Throat]] (1972) - [[La Grande Bouffe]] (1973) - [[The Night Porter]] (1974) - [[The Story of O]] (1975) - [[In the Realm of the Senses]] (1976) - [[Caligula]] (1979) - [[Videodrome]] (1983) - [[Body Double]] (1984) - [[Blue Velvet]] (1986) - [[The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover]] (1989) - [[Henry & June]] (1990) - [[Bitter Moon]] (1992) - [[Tokyo Decadence]] (1992) - [[L' Ennui]] (1998) - [[Romance X]] (1999) - [[Eyes Wide Shut]] (1999) - [[Baise-Moi]] (2000) - [[Y tu Mama Tambien]] (2001) - [[Sex and Lucia]] (2001) - [[Intimacy]] (2000) - [[Irréversible]] (2002) - [[Secretary]] (2002) - [[The Dreamers]] (2003) - [[Swimming Pool]] (2003) - [[Ma Mère]] (2004) - [[9 songs]] (2004) 
-== Attitudes by region ==+'''Sex in film''' is the inclusion of a presentation in a film of sexuality. Since the development of the medium, inclusion in films of any form of sexuality has been controversial. Some films containing sex scenes have been criticized by religious groups or have been banned or the subject of censorship by governments, or both. In countries with a [[film rating system]], films containing sex scenes typically receive a restricted classification. [[Nudity in film]] may be regarded as sexual or as non-sexual.
-===Asia===+
-====India====+
-Sex in mainstream Indian movies was rare until the end of nineties, and often kisses, sex, and rape were depicted symbolically. For example, kissing was shown as the meeting of two [[flowers]], rape as the breaking of glass bottle etc. In recent years, the attitude of the Indian movie industry, especially [[Bollywood]], has changed, and some bold movies dealing with sexual themes have been made, though not without controversy.+
-====Philippines====+An '''erotic film''' is usually a film that has an [[eroticism|erotic]] [[Quality (philosophy)|quality]] that causes the creation of [[Human sexuality|sexual]] feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the [[aesthetic]]s of sexual desire, [[sensuality]] and [[romantic love]]. Love scenes, erotic or not, have been presented in films since the [[silent era]] of [[cinematography]]. A [[pornographic film]], on the other hand, is a sex film which does not usually claim any artistic merit. Sex scenes have been presented in many genres of film; while in other genres, sexuality is rarely depicted. Many actors and actresses have performed nude/partial nude scenes, as well as dress and behave in ways considered sexually provocative by [[Modesty#Modesty in dress|contemporary standards]] at some point in their careers.
-Many erotically charged films have been produced in the Philippines, much to the chagrin of feminists in that country.+
-===Europe===+==Terminology==
-:''[[sex and nudity in European cinema]]''+Sex in film can be distinguished from a sex film, which usually refers to a pornographic film and sometimes to a [[sex education]] film. It should also be distinguished from nudity in film, though nudity can be presented in a sexualized context. For example, [[nudity]] in the context of [[naturism]] would normally be regarded as non-sexual. Some people distinguish between "gratuitous sex" and sex scenes which are presented as integral to a film's plot or as part of the character development.
-European movies are famous for their erotic scenes, particularly those from [[Italy]], [[France]] and [[Germany]]. [[Pedro Almodovar]] of [[Spain]] is a prolific director who includes eroticism as part of many of his movies. [[Tinto Brass]], from Italy, has dedicated his career to converting explicit sex into [[mainstream]] content. His films are also notable for [[feminist]]-friendly eroticism. French filmmaker [[Catherine Breillat]] caused controversy with unsimulated sex in her films ''[[Romance (1999 film)|Romance]]'' and ''[[Anatomy of Hell]]''. In [[Italy]], nudity and strong sexual themes go back to the silent era with films such as ''[[Gli ultimi giorni di Pompei|The Last Days of Pompeii]]'' (1926).+
-===North America===+Sex scenes are the main feature of pornographic films. In [[softcore pornography|softcore]] films, sexuality is less explicit. [[Erotic]] films are suggestive of sexuality, but need not contain nudity.
-====Mexico====+
-In Mexico, many comedy movies are based around sex, typically portraying men as unstoppable sex-seeking creatures and women as willing targets. Although the numbers of such Mexican film comedies somewhat waned during the [[1990s]], domestic servants, bar workers, dancers and neighbors' wives continue to be depicted as potentially willing sexual partners, usually pursued by drunken men.+
-====United States====+==Europe==
-The [[Hollywood]] industry has adhered for decades to the saying that ''sex'' (in this case nudity or partial nudity) ''sells''. Sex is the perfect thing to put on television. Major [[Hollywood]] studios have persuaded both men and women to appear in erotically and/or sexually charged scenes. Many times, a body double is used in place of the star supposed to be naked in a scene: stars sometimes ask for extra money to show their [[intimate part]]s, or request for them not to be shown in the particular scene. Hollywood movies, because they are the ones that enjoy the most exposure worldwide, are more often targeted by religious or conservative groups than those produced by other cinematographic industries.+[[Pedro Almodóvar]] of Spain is a prolific director who has included eroticism in many of his movies. [[Tinto Brass]] of Italy has dedicated his career to bringing explicit sexuality into [[mainstream]] cinema. His films are also notable for [[feminist]]-friendly eroticism. French filmmaker [[Catherine Breillat]] caused controversy with [[unsimulated sex]] in her films ''[[Romance (1999 film)|Romance]]'' (1999) and ''[[Anatomy of Hell]]'' (2004). In Italy, nudity and strong sexual themes go back to the silent era with films such as ''[[The Last Days of Pompeii (1926 film)|The Last Days of Pompeii]]'' (1926). [[Lars von Trier]] of Denmark has included explicit/unsimulated sex scenes in some of his films, such as ''[[Breaking the Waves]]'' (1996), ''[[The Idiots]]'' (1998), ''[[Manderley Castle|Manderlay]]'' (2005), ''[[Antichrist (film)|Antichrist]]'' (2009), and ''[[Nymphomaniac (film)|Nymphomaniac]]'' (2013). He is also a co-founder of film company [[Puzzy Power]], a subsidiary of his [[Zentropa]], with the goal of producing [[hardcore pornography|hardcore]] [[pornographic film]]s for women. ''[[Blue is the Warmest Colour]]'' (2013) sparked an international firestorm over its frank depiction of sexuality between two young women, yet managed to win the [[Palme d'Or]], the highest prize awarded at the prestigious [[Cannes Film Festival]] in May 2013. ''[[Love (2015 film)|Love]]'' (2015) contains many explicit unsimulated sex scenes.
-As social standards of acceptable public exposure have changed, cinema has changed as well, often pushing at the boundaries. For example, the famous scene in the [[1955]] film ''[[The Seven Year Itch]]'', in which [[Marilyn Monroe]] stands over a sidewalk ventilation grate and her skirt is blown upward, although it showed no "private parts" or even her underpants, was clearly intended to be erotic, and was considered overly suggestive by some.+==United States==
-Movies with sexual content can be of any rating (G, PG, PG-13, R or NC-17). Some manufacturers of DVD players have implemented a subscription-based censor function into their players which allows users to cut out scenes of nudity, offensive language, or racism. Film directors such as [[Steven Spielberg]] are fighting this alteration of their work in court.+The inclusion in film of any form of sexuality has been controversial since the development of the medium. [[Kiss#Kissing in films|Kissing in films]], for example, was initially considered by some to be scandalous. ''[[The Kiss (1896 film)|The Kiss]]'' (1896) contained a kiss, which was regarded as a sex scene and drew general outrage from movie goers, civic leaders, and religious leaders, as utterly shocking, [[obscenity|obscene]] and completely immoral. One contemporary critic wrote, "The spectacle of the prolonged pasturing on each other's lips was beastly enough in life size on the stage but magnified to gargantuan proportions and repeated three times over it is absolutely disgusting." Perhaps in defiance of the righteous indignation and "to spice up a film", the film was followed by many kiss imitators, including ''[[The Kiss in the Tunnel]]'' (1899) and ''The Kiss'' (1900). Other producers would take the criticism on board, or in mock of the standard, and use an implicit kiss, which would be obstructed from view just as the lips would touch, such as shielding a possible kiss by placing say a hat in front of the actors' faces, or fading to grey just as a kiss is to take place, etc.
-==Religious views==+The display of cleavage created controversy. For example, producer [[Howard Hughes]] displayed [[Jane Russell]]'s cleavage in ''[[The Outlaw]]'' (1943) and in ''[[The French Line]]'' (1953), which was found objectionable under the [[Hays Code]] because of Russell's "breast shots in bathtub, cleavage and breast exposure" while some of her [[decollete]] gowns were regarded to be "intentionally designed to give a bosom peep-show effect beyond even extreme decolletage". Both films were condemned by the [[National Legion of Decency]] and were released only in cut versions.
-Many [[Christianity|Christian]] organizations have protested against theatrical films that they consider to be overly erotic or have an overly sexual scene. + 
-In many [[Muslim]] countries, movies have been banned for their sexual content.+The selection of actresses for a role on the basis of their breast size is controversial and has been described as contributing to [[breast fetishism]], but has proved to be a draw card. Producers such as [[Russ Meyer]] produced films which featured actresses with large breasts. ''[[Lorna (film)|Lorna]]'' (1964) was the first of his films where the main female part, played by [[Lorna Maitland]], was selected on the basis of breast size. The producers and exhibitors of the film were prosecuted for obscenity in several US states. Other large breasted actresses used by Meyer include [[Kitten Natividad]], [[Erica Gavin]], [[Tura Satana]], and [[Uschi Digard]] among many others. The majority of them were naturally large breasted and he occasionally cast women in their first trimesters of pregnancy to enhance their breast size even further. Author and director [[William Rotsler]] said: "with ''Lorna'' Meyer established the formula that made him rich and famous, the formula of people filmed at top hate, top lust, top heavy."
 + 
 +''[[Blue Movie]]'' (1969), directed by [[Andy Warhol]], was the first [[pornographic|adult erotic film]] depicting explicit [[sex]] to receive wide theatrical release in the [[United States]]. ''Blue Movie'' is a seminal film in the [[Golden Age of Porn]] and, according to Warhol, a major influence in the making of ''[[Last Tango in Paris]]'' (1972), an internationally controversial erotic drama film. Another explicit adult film of that period was [[Mona the Virgin Nymph]] (1970) that contained a number of [[unsimulated sex|unsimulated]] [[non-penetrative sex]] scenes. Unlike ''Blue Movie'', however, ''Mona'' had a [[Plot (narrative)|plot]]. To forestall legal problems, the film was screened without credits. The producer of ''Mona'', [[Bill Osco]], went on to produce other adult films, such as ''[[Flesh Gordon]]'' (1974), ''[[Harlot (1971 film)|Harlot]]'' (1971), and ''[[Alice in Wonderland (1976 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' (1976).
 + 
 +''[[Boys in the Sand]]'' (1971) was an American [[Gay pornography|gay pornographic]] film, the first gay porn film to include credits, to achieve crossover success, to be reviewed by ''Variety'', and one of the earliest porn films, after ''[[Blue Movie]]'' to gain mainstream credibility, preceding ''[[Deep Throat (film)|Deep Throat]]'' (1972).
 + 
 +===By genre===
 +In North America, erotic films may be primarily [[plot (narrative)|character driven]] or [[plot (narrative)|plot driven]], with considerable overlap. Most dramas center around character development, such as [[Steven Shainberg]]'s ''[[Secretary (2002 film)|Secretary]]'' (2002). Comedy films, especially romantic comedies and romantic dramas, tend toward character interaction.
 + 
 +Mystery films, thrillers, drama and horror films tend toward strong plots and premises, such as ''[[Last Tango in Paris]]'' (1972), ''[[Dressed to Kill (1980 film)|Dressed to Kill]]'' (1980), ''[[Body Heat]]'' (1981), ''[[Nine 1/2 Weeks]]'' (1986), ''[[Angel Heart]]'' (1987), ''[[Basic Instinct]]'' (1992), ''[[Single White Female]]'' (1992), ''[[Color of Night]]'' (1994), ''[[Showgirls]]'' (1995), ''[[Leaving Las Vegas]]'' (1995), ''[[Different Strokes (film)|Different Strokes]]'' (1997), ''[[Wild Things (film)|Wild Things]]'' (1998), ''[[Eyes Wide Shut]]'' (1999) and ''[[In the Cut]]'' (2003). Others, like ''[[About Last Night...]]'' (1986), ''[[Monster's Ball]]'' (2001), ''[[Chloe (film)|Chloe]]'' (2009), ''[[Love & Other Drugs]]'' (2010), ''[[Blue Valentine (film)|Blue Valentine]]'' (2010), ''[[Shame (2011 film)|Shame]]'' (2011), ''[[Compliance (film)|Compliance]]'' (2012) and ''[[The Sessions (film)|The Sessions]]'' (2012) combine both strong plots and characters.
 + 
 +====Thrillers====
 +[[Erotic thriller]]s are a popular American erotic subgenre, with films such as ''[[Dressed to Kill (1980 film)|Dressed to Kill]]'' (1980), ''[[Angel Heart]]'' (1987), ''[[Basic Instinct]]'' (1992), ''[[Single White Female]]'' (1992), ''[[Color of Night]]'' (1994), ''[[The Maddening]]'' (1995), ''[[Wild Things (film)|Wild Things]]'' (1998), ''[[Eyes Wide Shut]]'' (1999), ''[[In the Cut]]'' (2003), ''[[Chloe (film)|Chloe]]'' (2009), ''[[Compliance (film)|Compliance]]'' (2012), and ''[[The Boy Next Door (film)|The Boy Next Door]]'' (2015). In some films, the development of a sexual relationship (or even a [[one-night stand]]) is often used to create tension in the storyline, especially if the people involved should not be sleeping together, such as in ''[[Out of Sight]]'' (1998), where a [[U.S. Marshal]] has sex with the criminal she is pursuing.
 + 
 +====Horror====
 +In [[horror film]]s, sex is often used to ''mark'' characters that are doomed to die. Characters that engage in sex acts are often the first to be claimed by the antagonist(s), or will die shortly after their sex scene or (sometimes) in the middle of it. This convention of it being bad luck to have sex in a horror film is notably illustrated in the ''[[Friday the 13th (franchise)|Friday the 13th]]'' film series, where supernatural villain [[Jason Voorhees]] takes a special dislike to teenagers and young adults having sex because, as a young boy, he drowned in a lake while the camp counselors who should have been supervising him were having sex.
 + 
 +In some interpretations of this "rule", the sex acts themselves directly cause the character's demise. In ''[[Cabin Fever (2002 film)|Cabin Fever]]'', a man catches the deadly illness because a woman who was infected (but not yet symptomatic) seduces and has impulsive sex with him. They don't use a [[condom]] because the careless woman believes she is healthy. Ironically, the woman (and the audience) only realize that she is infected because of red welts that are brought out by their rough lovemaking. ''[[Species (film)|Species]]'' (1995) and its sequels also feature many sexual deaths as virtually every human who mates with an alien in the franchise subsequently dies - female aliens kill human suitors regardless of whether they have poor genes, resist the alien's advances, or mate successfully. Human women who mate with alien men die shortly after sex as their abdomens burst during the unnaturally rapid pregnancy that always follows.
 + 
 +Most times in horror movies the [[final girl|typical survivor]] is a young girl who is still a virgin. In the film ''[[Scream (1996 film)|Scream]]'', which satirizes horror movies, this rule is somewhat broken as the character [[List of Scream characters|Randy Meeks]] points out that one of the rules of horrors is to not have sex. In an intersecting scene, the film's main [[protagonist]] [[Sidney Prescott]] loses her virginity to Billy Loomis. After they finish, Billy is stabbed by [[Ghostface (Scream)|Ghostface]] and Sidney is then chased. Randy himself survives a gunshot wound at the end of the film because, as he explains, he is a virgin. However, he dies in the sequel, ''[[Scream 2]]'', after which it is revealed that he lost his virginity sometime prior to his death.
 + 
 +==Mexico==
 +In Mexico, many comedy films are based on sex, typically portraying men as unstoppable sex-seeking creatures and women as willing targets. Although the number of such comedies waned during the 1990s, domestic servants, bar workers, dancers and neighbors' wives continue to be depicted as potentially willing sexual partners. The films ''[[La Tarea]]'' (1991), ''[[Miracle Alley]]'' (1995) and ''[[Y Tu Mamá También]]'' (2001) are some of the most important examples of this.
 + 
 +==Television==
 +Many [[dramatic programming|drama series]], and daytime [[soap opera]]s are based around sex. This commonly revolves around the development of personal relationships of the main characters, with a view of creating [[sexual tension]] in the series.
 + 
 +Partial nudity was considered acceptable on daytime television in the 1970s but disappeared after 2000, partly due to more conservative morals, and also to the prevalence of cable and satellite subscriptions. Only [[PBS]] occasionally features nudity.
 + 
 +In 2008 and 2009, the French TV channel [[Canal+]] featured a series titled ''[[X Femmes]]'' (English: ''X Women''), which consisted of ten short films shot by female directors with the goal of producing erotica from a female point of view.
==See also== ==See also==
 +* [[Erotic thriller]]
 +* [[Golden Age of Porn]]
 +* [[Nudity in film]]
 +* [[Pre-Code sex films]]
 +* [[Sex symbol]]
 +* [[Unsimulated sex]]
 +* [[Sexposition]]
 +* [[Kiss#Kissing in films|Kissing in films]]
 +
 +
 +==See also==
 +:''[[sex and nudity in European cinema]]''
 +*[[sex in mainstream film]]
 +*[[pornographic films]]
 +*[[Pornographic film]]
 +*[[Pretexts for nudity in film]]
 +*[[Famous nude scenes]]
*[[Nudity in film]] *[[Nudity in film]]
*[[List of mainstream films with unsimulated sex]] *[[List of mainstream films with unsimulated sex]]
*[[Mainstream films about pornographic films]] *[[Mainstream films about pornographic films]]
-*[[erotic film magazine]]+*[[Erotic film magazine]]
 +*[[Sex in film chronology]]''
 + 
 + 
 + 
{{GFDL}} {{GFDL}}

Revision as of 09:02, 4 October 2018

The Kiss (1896) - Extase (1932) - ...And God Created Woman (1956) - The Immoral Mr. Teas (1959) - Peeping Tom (1960) - I, A Woman (1965) - Persona (1966) - Belle de Jour (1967) - I Am Curious ... Blue/Yellow (1967) - Teorema (1968) - If.... (1968) - Femina Ridens (1969) - Kärlekens språk (1969) - Performance (1970) - Women In Love (1970) - A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Last Tango in Paris (1972) - Deep Throat (1972) - La Grande Bouffe (1973) - The Night Porter (1974) - The Story of O (1975) - In the Realm of the Senses (1976) - Caligula (1979) - Videodrome (1983) - Body Double (1984) - Blue Velvet (1986) - The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989) - Henry & June (1990) - Bitter Moon (1992) - Tokyo Decadence (1992) - L' Ennui (1998) - Romance X (1999) - Eyes Wide Shut (1999) - Baise-Moi (2000) - Y tu Mama Tambien (2001) - Sex and Lucia (2001) - Intimacy (2000) - Irréversible (2002) - Secretary (2002) - The Dreamers (2003) - Swimming Pool (2003) - Ma Mère (2004) - 9 songs (2004)" --Sholem Stein

The Kiss (1896) by  William Heise
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The Kiss (1896) by William Heise

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Sex in film is the inclusion of a presentation in a film of sexuality. Since the development of the medium, inclusion in films of any form of sexuality has been controversial. Some films containing sex scenes have been criticized by religious groups or have been banned or the subject of censorship by governments, or both. In countries with a film rating system, films containing sex scenes typically receive a restricted classification. Nudity in film may be regarded as sexual or as non-sexual.

An erotic film is usually a film that has an erotic quality that causes the creation of sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality and romantic love. Love scenes, erotic or not, have been presented in films since the silent era of cinematography. A pornographic film, on the other hand, is a sex film which does not usually claim any artistic merit. Sex scenes have been presented in many genres of film; while in other genres, sexuality is rarely depicted. Many actors and actresses have performed nude/partial nude scenes, as well as dress and behave in ways considered sexually provocative by contemporary standards at some point in their careers.

Contents

Terminology

Sex in film can be distinguished from a sex film, which usually refers to a pornographic film and sometimes to a sex education film. It should also be distinguished from nudity in film, though nudity can be presented in a sexualized context. For example, nudity in the context of naturism would normally be regarded as non-sexual. Some people distinguish between "gratuitous sex" and sex scenes which are presented as integral to a film's plot or as part of the character development.

Sex scenes are the main feature of pornographic films. In softcore films, sexuality is less explicit. Erotic films are suggestive of sexuality, but need not contain nudity.

Europe

Pedro Almodóvar of Spain is a prolific director who has included eroticism in many of his movies. Tinto Brass of Italy has dedicated his career to bringing explicit sexuality into mainstream cinema. His films are also notable for feminist-friendly eroticism. French filmmaker Catherine Breillat caused controversy with unsimulated sex in her films Romance (1999) and Anatomy of Hell (2004). In Italy, nudity and strong sexual themes go back to the silent era with films such as The Last Days of Pompeii (1926). Lars von Trier of Denmark has included explicit/unsimulated sex scenes in some of his films, such as Breaking the Waves (1996), The Idiots (1998), Manderlay (2005), Antichrist (2009), and Nymphomaniac (2013). He is also a co-founder of film company Puzzy Power, a subsidiary of his Zentropa, with the goal of producing hardcore pornographic films for women. Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013) sparked an international firestorm over its frank depiction of sexuality between two young women, yet managed to win the Palme d'Or, the highest prize awarded at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in May 2013. Love (2015) contains many explicit unsimulated sex scenes.

United States

The inclusion in film of any form of sexuality has been controversial since the development of the medium. Kissing in films, for example, was initially considered by some to be scandalous. The Kiss (1896) contained a kiss, which was regarded as a sex scene and drew general outrage from movie goers, civic leaders, and religious leaders, as utterly shocking, obscene and completely immoral. One contemporary critic wrote, "The spectacle of the prolonged pasturing on each other's lips was beastly enough in life size on the stage but magnified to gargantuan proportions and repeated three times over it is absolutely disgusting." Perhaps in defiance of the righteous indignation and "to spice up a film", the film was followed by many kiss imitators, including The Kiss in the Tunnel (1899) and The Kiss (1900). Other producers would take the criticism on board, or in mock of the standard, and use an implicit kiss, which would be obstructed from view just as the lips would touch, such as shielding a possible kiss by placing say a hat in front of the actors' faces, or fading to grey just as a kiss is to take place, etc.

The display of cleavage created controversy. For example, producer Howard Hughes displayed Jane Russell's cleavage in The Outlaw (1943) and in The French Line (1953), which was found objectionable under the Hays Code because of Russell's "breast shots in bathtub, cleavage and breast exposure" while some of her decollete gowns were regarded to be "intentionally designed to give a bosom peep-show effect beyond even extreme decolletage". Both films were condemned by the National Legion of Decency and were released only in cut versions.

The selection of actresses for a role on the basis of their breast size is controversial and has been described as contributing to breast fetishism, but has proved to be a draw card. Producers such as Russ Meyer produced films which featured actresses with large breasts. Lorna (1964) was the first of his films where the main female part, played by Lorna Maitland, was selected on the basis of breast size. The producers and exhibitors of the film were prosecuted for obscenity in several US states. Other large breasted actresses used by Meyer include Kitten Natividad, Erica Gavin, Tura Satana, and Uschi Digard among many others. The majority of them were naturally large breasted and he occasionally cast women in their first trimesters of pregnancy to enhance their breast size even further. Author and director William Rotsler said: "with Lorna Meyer established the formula that made him rich and famous, the formula of people filmed at top hate, top lust, top heavy."

Blue Movie (1969), directed by Andy Warhol, was the first adult erotic film depicting explicit sex to receive wide theatrical release in the United States. Blue Movie is a seminal film in the Golden Age of Porn and, according to Warhol, a major influence in the making of Last Tango in Paris (1972), an internationally controversial erotic drama film. Another explicit adult film of that period was Mona the Virgin Nymph (1970) that contained a number of unsimulated non-penetrative sex scenes. Unlike Blue Movie, however, Mona had a plot. To forestall legal problems, the film was screened without credits. The producer of Mona, Bill Osco, went on to produce other adult films, such as Flesh Gordon (1974), Harlot (1971), and Alice in Wonderland (1976).

Boys in the Sand (1971) was an American gay pornographic film, the first gay porn film to include credits, to achieve crossover success, to be reviewed by Variety, and one of the earliest porn films, after Blue Movie to gain mainstream credibility, preceding Deep Throat (1972).

By genre

In North America, erotic films may be primarily character driven or plot driven, with considerable overlap. Most dramas center around character development, such as Steven Shainberg's Secretary (2002). Comedy films, especially romantic comedies and romantic dramas, tend toward character interaction.

Mystery films, thrillers, drama and horror films tend toward strong plots and premises, such as Last Tango in Paris (1972), Dressed to Kill (1980), Body Heat (1981), Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986), Angel Heart (1987), Basic Instinct (1992), Single White Female (1992), Color of Night (1994), Showgirls (1995), Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Different Strokes (1997), Wild Things (1998), Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and In the Cut (2003). Others, like About Last Night... (1986), Monster's Ball (2001), Chloe (2009), Love & Other Drugs (2010), Blue Valentine (2010), Shame (2011), Compliance (2012) and The Sessions (2012) combine both strong plots and characters.

Thrillers

Erotic thrillers are a popular American erotic subgenre, with films such as Dressed to Kill (1980), Angel Heart (1987), Basic Instinct (1992), Single White Female (1992), Color of Night (1994), The Maddening (1995), Wild Things (1998), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), In the Cut (2003), Chloe (2009), Compliance (2012), and The Boy Next Door (2015). In some films, the development of a sexual relationship (or even a one-night stand) is often used to create tension in the storyline, especially if the people involved should not be sleeping together, such as in Out of Sight (1998), where a U.S. Marshal has sex with the criminal she is pursuing.

Horror

In horror films, sex is often used to mark characters that are doomed to die. Characters that engage in sex acts are often the first to be claimed by the antagonist(s), or will die shortly after their sex scene or (sometimes) in the middle of it. This convention of it being bad luck to have sex in a horror film is notably illustrated in the Friday the 13th film series, where supernatural villain Jason Voorhees takes a special dislike to teenagers and young adults having sex because, as a young boy, he drowned in a lake while the camp counselors who should have been supervising him were having sex.

In some interpretations of this "rule", the sex acts themselves directly cause the character's demise. In Cabin Fever, a man catches the deadly illness because a woman who was infected (but not yet symptomatic) seduces and has impulsive sex with him. They don't use a condom because the careless woman believes she is healthy. Ironically, the woman (and the audience) only realize that she is infected because of red welts that are brought out by their rough lovemaking. Species (1995) and its sequels also feature many sexual deaths as virtually every human who mates with an alien in the franchise subsequently dies - female aliens kill human suitors regardless of whether they have poor genes, resist the alien's advances, or mate successfully. Human women who mate with alien men die shortly after sex as their abdomens burst during the unnaturally rapid pregnancy that always follows.

Most times in horror movies the typical survivor is a young girl who is still a virgin. In the film Scream, which satirizes horror movies, this rule is somewhat broken as the character Randy Meeks points out that one of the rules of horrors is to not have sex. In an intersecting scene, the film's main protagonist Sidney Prescott loses her virginity to Billy Loomis. After they finish, Billy is stabbed by Ghostface and Sidney is then chased. Randy himself survives a gunshot wound at the end of the film because, as he explains, he is a virgin. However, he dies in the sequel, Scream 2, after which it is revealed that he lost his virginity sometime prior to his death.

Mexico

In Mexico, many comedy films are based on sex, typically portraying men as unstoppable sex-seeking creatures and women as willing targets. Although the number of such comedies waned during the 1990s, domestic servants, bar workers, dancers and neighbors' wives continue to be depicted as potentially willing sexual partners. The films La Tarea (1991), Miracle Alley (1995) and Y Tu Mamá También (2001) are some of the most important examples of this.

Television

Many drama series, and daytime soap operas are based around sex. This commonly revolves around the development of personal relationships of the main characters, with a view of creating sexual tension in the series.

Partial nudity was considered acceptable on daytime television in the 1970s but disappeared after 2000, partly due to more conservative morals, and also to the prevalence of cable and satellite subscriptions. Only PBS occasionally features nudity.

In 2008 and 2009, the French TV channel Canal+ featured a series titled X Femmes (English: X Women), which consisted of ten short films shot by female directors with the goal of producing erotica from a female point of view.

See also


See also

sex and nudity in European cinema






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