Lights, Camera, ... Strip?

Merry XXXmas

2007-12-04T16:38:00.000-08:00

As much as I have enjoyed writing this blog, as well as the class that I have been writing it for, the school year has come to an end, and I have been debating if this blog should too. I have actually had a lot of fun finding movies and exploring sexuality within film, and it has given me a new outlook on mainstream movies, and a new respect for movies that don’t try so hard to sell sex in obvious and ridiculous ways.

I have also learned how and why to critically think about how sex in film is portrayed. I will probably still watch every kind of movie (as creating jaded movie viewers was not the purpose of my blog) but continue to think critically about what I am watching, and the important implications films have.

I would have liked to explore many more movies, and still might explore them upon seeing the films, although Blockbuster will not be seeing as much of me because I do not plan on posting as often as I have been.

Possible movies to explore in the future: Superbad, Premonition, Jerry McGuire, This Film is Not Yet Rated, American History X and Primal Fear (an Edward Norton special because he deserves his own post), Cruel Intentions, Austin Powers, Black Snake Moan, There’s Something About Mary, The Departed, The Good Shepard, The Bond Movies. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

I would also love to move into the realm of television (think Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, all CW Teen dramadies) and also explore music videos (Video on Trial style) and the blatant exploitation within certain genres of music (as well as which artists transcend sexual “norms”). I have always found sexuality within media (and its effects on everyone, in particular the younger generations) extremely interesting and incredibly valid yet mostly ignored. I love that MuchMusic began to get people thinking critically about being “Media Literate” within music videos, and attempted to do the same with film.

Some of my favorite or most important topics covered:
Religion (Eurotrip, The Golden Compass)
Pornography (The Girl Next Door)
Violence and Death (horror genre)
Violence and sex (Mr. and Mrs. Smith)
Homosexuality (Brokeback Mountain)
Infidelity (The Notebook) Racial Stereotypes (Crash)
Virginity/Drugs/Alcohol (teen-sex comedies)
Rape, Bisexuality, Threesomes (Wild Things)
Abortion (Knocked-Up)Intimacy (Swimfan, Pretty Woman, 40 Days and 40 Nights)
Tasteful vs. Tasteless (300, Troy) Casual Multiracial, multi-partner Sex (Matrix)

I want to thank everyone who read my blog this past semester, and hope some of you check in once in a while to see if new things have been posted.

Merry XXXmas and Happy Holidays everyone!! And Remember:

OMG! Sex and Religion

2007-12-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

Eurotrip (from the Producers of Road Trip and Old School) is basically a blend of those two movies, only this one takes place in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and Rome, and includes more sexual jokes and a LOT more naked European men. Essentially, Scotty Thomas (Scott Mechlowicz) graduates from high school and his girlfriend dumps him (played by Kristin Kreuk-who was cheating on him with a hot rocker played by Matt Damon, hence the popular song, Scotty Doesn’t Know, which was actually written and performed by the band who played it in the movie) . Brokenhearted, he emails Mieke, an Internet pen pal in Berlin, Germany, with whom he has been corresponding for years. Scotty always thought that Mieke was a German boy's name (like Mike) and when Mieke (Jessica Boehrs) wants to get together with Scotty, his friend convinces him that Mieke wants a boyfriend. Scotty freaks out and emails Mieke never to write again, until Scotty discovers that Mieke is actually a cute girl (like Micah) and even though he has never met her, thinks she may be ‘The One’. Hence, their trip across Europe to find her, which proves to entail some interesting adventures.

Rated R for sexuality, nudity, language and drug/alcohol content, this classic misadventure actually got more laughs out of me than I originally expected. Between the robotic-dance-off in the street in Paris (which is one of the best dance sequences I’ve seen in a movie) and the infamous Absinthe green fairy, it almost makes up for the fact that the movie basically tanks in the last act, but for a movie with a paper-thin plot line, it had a few more-than-funny moments. (“Mi Scusi, Mi Scusi”)

Random Factoid: The first time that Michelle Trachtenberg did her bikini scene, she shook out her hair so much that she actually got dizzy and fell over. Random? Yes. Hilarious? Absofuckinlutley.

So, the final scene, when Scotty finally tracks down the girl of his dreams and (in front of all of Rome, of course, for dramatic suspense…) tells her he loves her, and asks her what she thinks… you get this scene…a horrible ending to an other-wise more-than-mediocre movie.
What exactly are the moral implications of two incredibly horny teenagers having sex in a confessional? In ROME? After pretending to be the NEW POPE? I mean…wow. What a stretch, even for this movie. It has the possibility of being pretty funny, but good Lord, a confessional? Really? The scene is so poorly done too, shoving each other against the walls while listening to her incredibly pathetic fake moans and groans like he has any idea of what he’s doing. And then, a woman actually comes in to confess, that she cheated on her husband (hah, that was pretty good) and she gets a dude’s ass in her face. C’MON. So, I was watching this scene at my friend’s house, and Dean looks over and says, “I knew someone who did that”. My jaw dropped. Someone actually thought this was a good idea. And the only thing running through my head was, “Do you think they confessed what they did afterwards..?”

Religion and sexuality has been intertwined within movies for some time now, but not usually in such a sacrilegious way. I mean, I know teen-sex-comedies have free reign to do basically whatever they can for a cheap laugh, but WOW... sex in a confessional. That is stretching the moral limits a little far, don’t you think.

But where is the line? What’s too far and what’s just far enough that it’s funny without offending someone? Isn’t there always someone who will be offended? Should we just ignore those people and pass them off as “too sensitive” (as we so obviously do) or should we take into consideration the serious implications that this can lead to?

Food for Thought: The Chronicles of Narnia was praised by the Christian community for the morality lessons within it, yet the new movie, The Golden Compass, changed or took out basically all of the anti-Christian-ness that is in the book for the movie, for fear of the backlash from the Christian community. Fair? Or exclusion of the essence of a fiction novel because of what people might think?

This is the "Unrated" Version of the movie. Compare it to the original movie picture, and then try to tell me that media doesn't try to sell sex---->

The Porn Star Next Door

2007-12-02T18:23:00.000-08:00

Upon thinking of what to do for my genre switch layout pages, I remembered a movie that fit perfectly for what I plan on doing, yet I overlooked in my blog. I find Girl Next Door interesting simply because it is meant to be a regular teen-sex comedy, yet clearly borders on teen-porn attempted-comedy. Elisha Cuthbert (who I remember from Popular Mechanics for Kids) plays a porn star trying to get away from the life by moving into a small town, next door to a dorky teenage boy who instantly falls in love with her. In this movie, Elisha could not wear sexier or tighter clothes if she tried, and includes a sexy pool scene, a scene with her attempting to seduce the dork in a hotel room, and finally, the incredibly awkward sex scene at the end of the movie in the back seat of the limo (how romantic).

Most teen-sex comedies focus on teenagers in some embarrassing or impossible situation, with sexual gags, innuendos or embarrassing circumstances. This movie doesn’t contain a scene that doesn’t have to do with sex, strippers, porn stars, date nights, making porn, lingerie shows, porn star parties or sex scenes. It’s as if the point of the movie was to show as much skin as possible, and the plot line had to try to keep up as best it could. If you’re looking for another “guilty pleasure” to stash with your new copy of Wild Things, this can be purchased at your local Wal-mart for 6.99 in one of those big bargain bins, if you’re not too embarrassed to purchase it.

*Spoiler Warnings*
High points of the movie: main guy character (Emile Hirsch) has sexy pool scene with hottie Elisha and then gets her to ring his buddy’s doorbell (soaking wet) and say “I’m all wet, Can I come in?” Yes, trust me that’s a high point. Oh, and Elisha is at her annual porn-star convention in Vegas and Emile’s nerdy guy friends pretend they are porn directors, until they almost get the shit kicked out of them by a male porn star for groping his porn star girlfriend while “auditioning” her. The plot line is about as unrealistic as the main sex scene.
At the end of the movie, resident Dork finally gets laid by the former porn-star after he helped her get her life back on track. It is supposed to be romantic and sweet sex (in the back of the limo…on prom night – can I get a Holy Cliché, Batman) but actually just looks like the porn pro is faking it while the virgin has a permi-holy-shit-this-is-awesome face happening. He looks so stunned the whole time and she has the standard porn face on, it doesn’t really come off as sweet sex, but awkward to watch and cheesy altogether. As funny as some parts are in this film, this scene is such a let down.

Obviously the movie is incredibly unrealistic (some would argue that’s what makes it funny, as well as a movie) but what kinds of unrealistic stereotypes does this film set up about porn stars?

Come to think of it, the entire porn industry is so commercialized, idealized, and romanticized in this movie that it glosses over any moral implications that comes along with the very important issue of pornography, and all that it entails.

From all we know regarding treatment of porn stars, abuse, rape and child pornography, does this film give a younger generation unrealistic ideals of the porn industry, and could this be a problem for porn in the future (in terms of how much more violent or destructive it may get)?

If “Reality is a thing of the Past”, is this the Future of Sex?

2007-11-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

If you live under a rock and don’t know what The Matrix is, here is a brief synopsis: Computer-hacker Thomas Anderson (Neo) discovers that life on Earth is nothing more than an elaborate façade created by cyber-intelligence for the purpose of placating us while our life essence is “farmed” to fuel the Matrix’s campaign of domination in the “real world”. Neo (Keanu Reeves) joins rebel warriors Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie Ann Moss) in a struggle to overthrow the Matrix.

Since there is really only one main male character, and one main female character, they simply must fall in love; it's mainstream movie algebra. Neo and Trinity finally have sex (in Matrix Revolutions) in their cave-like bedroom that is lit with enough candles to fill a shrine (watch the scene below). Slow-motion, extra-zoomed-in clips of kissing takes the focus off the fact that their bodies are covered with little metal holes (giving way to more sexual possibilities?) and of course the sex is so hot that she has to do the sex scene trademark of clawing her fingernails into him.

In the midst of the two cyberfreaks getting it on, scenes of a rave orgy cut in and out, where sweaty half-naked couples dance and grind with each other in celebration, and six foot tall black men jump (what seems to be) 20 feet in the air as part of some sort of strange dance move (if someone tried that in a club today, they would either get beaten up, made fun of, or thrown out). The sweaty skin clips of the famous couple are mixed in with the skin-filled clips of random party-goers' random body parts (toned and sexy, of course—because everyone in the Matrix has all the time in the world to tone and sculpt their beautiful bodies – just like all the people in 300 *eyeroll*).

The pulsing music with a strong backbeat gives the feeling of a racing, throbbing heartbeat that’s in tune with each lustful thrust (like Neo cares that he is missing the party – he’s getting lucky, damn it). Then suddenly, they stop, the music slows, they look longingly into each others eyes, and … we get the image of Trinity falling to her death (well, certain sexual occurrences are called “little deaths”, aren’t they? Well played, Wachowski brothers).

So, what’s the deal with all the sexiness in a movie whose premise is that we can transcend our bodies using computers? After all, most of us went to see it for another taste of a virtual world where Neo flies, Trinity leaps across buildings in a single bound, and Morpheus battles albino bodygaurds who can dematerialize at will.

Does this scene show a juxtaposition of the hedonism of Zion with the truly pure love of a hero, or does the scene come off as compleltey irrelevant, rediculous, and un-sexy, and manage to undermine the hero and cheapen the film’s entire purpose?

Is the sex in this movie a radical statement of multiracial, multipartner, out-of-wedlock sex that for once doesn’t spell doom for its participants, or does it seem like it is simply placed in the film for Matix nerds to gawk at a glimpse of skin in order to fulfil the media’s need to sell sex?

Why Crash conquered the Mountain

2007-11-18T14:52:00.000-08:00

Although I have personally tried my very best to avoid watching Brokeback Mountain, I figured that because it was such a controversial mainstream movie, I ought to explore the impact of this type of sexuality within the film industry. I had no idea the plethora of information I was about to get myself into, but for the sake of this blog, I trudged my way through article after article to get a feel for how this affected the American audience.

If you didn’t already know, Crash beat out Brokeback Mountain for the 2006 Academy Award for Best Picture. The fan favorite (Brokeback Mountain [Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger] ) about a 20 year long gay love affair was highly favored to win, and the audience was in shock and awe when the movie taking a racial stance won out.

Regarding this night, this gay news blog stated that; “In one wild moment, the whole evening turned around, ripping through the show's complacency and probably spoiling a lot of instant think-pieces already half-composed about "Brokeback's" gutsy reversal of America's sexual-cultural mythos.”

The good news: In a movie that is 130 minutes long, 129 of them are male kissing/male sex free. So yes, maybe it will be the longest almost 60-seconds of your life, but the rest of the film is intense longing and sadness of a doomed love. The sex scene is described by Roger Ebert as “sudden” and “almost violent”. It takes place in a tent after a night of drinking, and contains more shoving and pushing each other away than tenderness or kissing. I don’t feel the need to get into the specifics, that’s not the point of this particular blog, but if I had to group the scene into one of my “categories” (of either being 1) uncomfortable, 2) awkward, 3) unrealistic, or 4) simply put in movies to make money off selling sex) I would have to say it was just awkward (and unnecessary to be quite honest) probably more for males than females (simply because females are more accepting of the idea of expressing forbidden love (be it gay or straight), not because men are homophobic). Ebert says; “Brokeback Mountain” has been described as "a gay cowboy movie," which is a cruel simplification. It is the story of a time and place where two men are forced to deny the only great passion either one will ever feel. Their tragedy is universal. …Strange but true: The more specific a film is, the more universal, because the more it understands individual characters, the more it applies to everyone. I can imagine someone weeping at this film, identifying with it, because he always wanted to stay in the Marines, or be an artist or a cabinetmaker.”

Yet, Crash still won the Oscar.

Michael Wilmington, a movie critic for the Chicago Tribune, wrote; “Crash probably won because more of the academy voters liked and admired it as a movie. They didn't shun “Brokeback”; they gave it three key Oscars (best director, adapted screenplay and original score) and a strong place in academy history. But I would argue that the majority -- and maybe it was a slim majority -- honestly preferred "Crash." In the end, it's more likely that the voting majority thought "Brokeback" was a good, honorable film, but slower, less engrossing and less moving compared with the jazzy, multistranded, Altmanesque L.A.-contempo "Crash," a movie about racism and crime in today's Los Angeles with a big-name ensemble cast playing for peanuts, a tricky structure of interweaving stories and an overall L.A. atmosphere and feeling that struck many Angelenos as right-on."

I agree that Brokeback is slower, less engrossing, and less moving than Crash, because many parts in Crash left me with my hand over my mouth, eyes wide open and loving the film. The scene that most stuck with me, however, was the physical abuse cavity search from the white police officer (Matt Dillon) to the upper-class black women (Thandie Newton) where she is basically “hand raped” by an officer while her husband stands by and watches her get “finger-fucked” in fear of the gun-holding policemen. The actress explains here why she is still outraged by the whole scene (watch it here).

In the midst of a racially interlocking story of whites, blacks, Latinos, Koreans, Iranians, cops and criminals, the rich and the poor, the powerful and powerless, who are all defined in one way or another by racism, this rape scene is thrown in to show racial discrimination as well as unnecessary physical violence in a situation that forces you to think about what you would have done if this happened to you. It is interesting how well-received this movie was with blatent scenes of racism and violence, but Roger Ebert explains why he thinks this is; “Not many films have the possibility of making their audiences better people. I don't expect "Crash" to work any miracles, but I believe anyone seeing it is likely to be moved to have a little more sympathy for people not like themselves….You may have to look hard to see it, but "Crash" is a film about progress.”

I agree that this film moves viewers forward more than Brokeback does, but then why was the win such an upset?

Why all the criticism saying that American wasn’t ready for homosexual sex scenes, yet a movie with racism, violence, sexual abuse and discrimination is not only fine with the American public, but glorified for the possibilities it can bring to society?

Is there a problem with this, or have we gotten so used to seeing this type of violence, we are immune to it in a way that is destructive?

With all its commercial success, along with all the comedic bashing surrounding Brokeback, do you think America was ready for this type of mainstream homosexuality, or was it simply a ploy to try to make American think they were ready for something so obviously controversial?

"Wild"ly Surprising...

2007-11-12T17:41:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to get back to raunchier mainstream movies filled with porn-like sex scenes and nakedness at every turn, I asked my boyfriend’s roommates for this week’s pick and after much deliberation, they suggested Wild Things. What a fabulously trashy choice, boys. Good Work.

Synopsis: Sam Lombardo is a well-respected Florida high school guidance councilor who gets his life turned upside down when two students, spoiled rich-girl Kelly Van Ryan (Denise), and trailer-trash bad-girl Suzie Toller (Neve), bring rape charges against him in which local police detective Ray Duquette investigates the allegations. But not everything is what it appears to be and the big question arises: Who is deceiving who?

Instead of reviewing the movie, however, I thought it would fun to review someone else’s critique on the movie, since many movie reviews found they had something to say about this lovely piece of fiction. First, Rob Blackwelder of Spicedonline.com was pleasantly surprised regarding his own enjoyment of this film.

He describes it “A whodunit with a ‘90s mentality, it has back stabbing conspirators, a bi-sexual love triangle and teenage temptresses claiming rape. It’s moderately entertaining trash that turns crafty in the last reel when it is finally called on to explain itself. But until then, the only (cheap) thrill comes courtesy of Denise Richards, … and the wet T-shirt she sports while coming on to her high school guidance counselor”. It is true, this movie relentlessly tries to throw in a sexy car wash scene, tight and exposing clothing and shower scenes (ahh the infamous shower scene..) wherever and whenever possible. Blackwelder feels that “With more explicit sex scenes and smaller stars it could be a feature on the Playboy Channel.” I totally agree. This is definitely not something you want to get catch watching by your mom at three in the morning. File this under “guilty pleasure”.

He also says that it is unnecessarily complex, but not clever, and is more sex than mystery. “Richards’ body is on display throughout, Campbell’s contract had a no-nudity clause, but she comes awful close, and even [Kevin] Bacon goes full frontal in a late scene that leads the audience to momentarily expect some boy-boy hanky-panky to balance Richards-Campbell saphic pow-wow earlier in the movie.” The famous bitch-fight sex scene in the pool (featured below thanks to YouTube) is idealized in the film industry as one of the best girl-on-girl sex scene, complete with bitch slap after bitch slap, and ending with both of them topless in the pool (with a peeping tom recording it from the bushes). The blatant attempt at sexuality (watch this scene) makes this movie only earn 2 ½ stars, however, it does do one ingenious thing that makes it worth a rental—the closing credits are accompanied with out-takes that fill in the story’s holes. “This flash of creativity made me decide at the last minute that I liked the picture in spite of myself.”

Reviewer James Brundage (article) of ContactMusic.com wraps up this movie perfectly:
“Hands down, Wild Things is the most guilt-inducing guilty pleasure movie that I have ever watched… until you get to the end. When you do get to the end, you realize that, as sleazy of a film as Wild Things is, it is actually a brilliantly concocted, Hitchcock-with-a-hard-on, mystery thriller.” Hitchcock-with-a-hard-on… I couldn’t have put it better myself.

"Wild Things" Bitch Fight/Sex Scene

2007-11-12T14:48:00.001-08:00

Denise Richards and Neve Campbell have a way of fighting, and then making out..i mean, up. ;)

Shower...If You Dare...

2007-11-10T10:20:00.000-08:00

I know Halloween has come and past, but in the spirit of the season, I thought I would focus on sexuality within horror films. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays because everything seems a little creepier; every rustle of the leaves, every graveyard you pass, every ax murderer in the shower…wait…that’s only in horror movies. What is it about horror films always containing a shower scene? Is it because you are more vulnerable to be killed when naked and in the shower? Or is a simply a ploy to somehow add in nudity and the sex appeal of the shower into a movie where most people just want to see someone’s head get chopped off?

Thanks to a little movie called Scream, (one of the highest grossing films in 1996) we all have detailed rules of How to Successfully Survive a Horror Movie (watch the scene).

Those rules are:
1.You may not survive the movie if you have sex.
2.You may not survive the movie if you drink or do drugs.
3.You may not survive the movie if you say "I'll be right back."
Click Here for even more rules.

It is interesting that if you are not a virgin, you will die in the movie. Sex = death. That’s some several morality teaching right there. It reminds me of the Victorian notion that women who have sex ("the fallen woman") must die. This notion of mixing sex with death is sinister but somewhat overseen in film. Why are these two things grouped together? This brings us back to the idea of the shower scene.
Psycho’s famous shower scene was among the first to show a naked women being murdered in the shower. The scene doesn’t actually show ..anything, really (ahh Hitchcock..) but is still mixing the idea of sex (naked and vulnerable) with violence and death. Friday the 13th is another example of two lovebirds getting it on the shower, and then as soon as she leaves, he’s murdered. (Watch the scene)

Newer horror movies feel like throwing some sexy shower scenes in for no apparent reason other than to show the heartthrob of the week getting naked and engaging in steamy sex. (Think this scene from The Fog, or this scene from The Skulls)

My favorite horror scene is probably the ending scene from I Know What You Did Last Summer. Who doesn’t want to see Jennifer Love Hewitt in a towel? Those creepy words “I Still Know” written on the shower wall, and then…– well, just do yourself a favor and watch the scene.

So, what is the facination with adding sex into a blood bath movie? You’re expecting one thing, and then BAM! a random (usually pointless) sex scene or a naked shower sequence pops up and you’re thinking, “Who’s gunna die in the shower this week”? I found that most horror flicks with the random sex scenes fall into the category of “only put there to show skin in the commercial/trailer” and are usually uncomfortable because you are either a) waiting for someone to be killed or b) wondering what the point of this is if someone has not been killed yet.

All in all, most of the time sex in horror films are used as (SHOCKER!) just another ploy to sell movies, or to add more sex appeal to another teen box-office hit.

This does however give us (yet) another form of sex and violence. Should we be considering how sex and violence is portrayed in the media when thinking about how high sexual abuse, murder and rape statistics have become over the last decade? How big of an effect does the media have over our lives?

Think about how many images of violent sex, sexual abuse or rape you have seen within movies or on television.

Is this number too high?

Is there probable cause to think there is a link between these images portrayed in the media and rape/murder statistics?

Top Three Worst "Love" Scenes

2007-11-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

After a few months of looking up “sex scenes” in the film industry on the internet, I realized that I was getting the same thing over and over, but not always exactly what I wanted. Then I realized that “love scenes” got waayyy more hits than “sex scenes” (unless you’re looking for porn). Why do we call scenes that are full of sex between people who don’t really love each other “love scenes”? I figured it was coined from the term “making love”, which apparently took on its modern connotation only in the middle of the 20th century. (The Oxford English Dictionary lists the first quotation for it’s definition of “make love,” as “to copulate” from 1950.)

So, upon typing in “love scenes” and opening up a whole new world of blogging opportunities, today’s post will focus on five incredibly BAD “LOVE” (sex) SCENES just for fun, and because the weather’s bad, and I’m sick, making me feel miserable and thus more able to rip on terrible movies with even worse sex scenes.
From Maxim’s 10 Worst Love Scenes of All Time, I picked my top 3:

3. Gigli
"Love"birds: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez
Maxim said : “Leave it to “Bennifer” to ruin every man’s fantasy of being able to lure a hot lesbian onto “Team Hetero”. This is so true. The cheesy music mixed with Ben’s half-stoned look made for this scene to be almost as bad as this movie’s reviews. As they both scrambled to make people forget about this massive box-offive let-down, they also scrambled to get out of this relationship. No wonder Ben ran into the arms of Jennifer Garner. Maybe she didn’t make his eyes glaze over during sex.

2. National Lampoon’s Van Wilder
"Love"birds: Ryan Reynolds and Cynthia Fancher
Pairing someone as hot as Ryan Reynolds with someone as old, toothless and hairless as the elderly “seducer” in this scene, should be illegal. You can almost smell the mixture of whiskey, denture cream and old person sweat. No one wants to see someone that old licking her lips and saying, “Shut up, Bitch, and give me some sugar”. That woman whipping her hair off is the definition of not sexy. Poor, Ryan.

1. The Shining
"Love"birds: Jack Nicholson and Lia Beldam/Billie Gibson
The only thing worse than watching Jack Nicholson making out with someone is watching the naked women he is making out with turn into a mold-and-sore infested grandma. The creepy music and octogenarian in the bathtub makes this scene so incredibly…terrible. This movie gave children nightmares for more reasons that "Heeere's Johnny"...

Honorable Mention: Nip/Tuck
"Love"birds: Julian McMahon and Rosie O’Donnell
Even though this is a TV series, not a movie, I thought this deserved honorable mention simply because of the sheer horror it brought to anyone who had to watch it. Rosie couldn’t even keep her huge mouth shut through her very expensive ten minutes with Julian, telling him about Brit and K-Fed, among other things. And nothing is worse than asking the question, “Are you all the way in?” Horrified to the very core…

So what is the purpose of these terrible sex scenes? Everything from horrifying images in a horror film, to horrifying images in a comedic setting, bad "love" scenes are all over television and movies. Is it simply for the effect that sex sells, or is it something more? Do people enjoy watching sex scenes in horror films? Do audiences like cringing at uncomfortable (and usually amusing) terrible sex scenes?

Especially in horror films (as we just past Halloween), is there a certain element of thrill and fear in including sex into horror films? Are the scenes usually forced sex or sweet sex? This seems like the making of my next post...

Ready, Set, Strip.

2007-10-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

Instead of exploring another sex scene, I thought it would be fun to explore how actors and actresses feel about being in a sex scene. I’m sure a lot of people think that celebrities are incredibly lucky to be making out and simulating sex with other hot famous celebs, but I have actually found out that the majority of actors find these scenes incredibly awkward and usually pretty boring, and they are just happy the scenes look good once the editing room is done with them.

Scarlett Johansson talks about how her sex scenes are less than romantic, and insists they are more like “organized boxing matches”. Wenn from Hollywood.com reported that Johansson found filming scenes for The Black Dahlia deeply unsexy, as the pair was “trying to get in the mood while members of the crew stood around eating sandwiches.” She also described how awkward it is to have a director shouting orders at you to ‘move here’ or ‘put your hand there’. I can see how that would be awkward.

Jennifer Lopez reported to Indiainfo that now that she is pregnant, sex scenes are off the agenda. “I'm not comfortable with it, I'll be honest with you -- not at this point in my career. I love the idea of being a bold actress and I am quite fearless when I work but there is just something about it that just feels not quite right to me -- a bit exploiting”. When she was asked to comment on sex scenes in Hollywood movies, she said: “You can't get rid of those….they are always a little bit uncomfortable because you have to be intimate with somebody you're not intimate with.”

Jessica Alba discussed her new movie Good Luck Chuck (Murray, Hollywood Movies) which led to emergency dental work. Alba said: “I did chip my front tooth doing a kiss with Dane. I chipped my top tooth and he chipped his bottom tooth. We were doing a comedic Mr. and Mrs. Smith love scene and we were slamming into walls and breaking things, tumbling over couches and stuff. He slammed my head into a picture and, while my head was smacking into the wall and breaking the picture, his teeth slammed into my teeth.” I wonder if Brad or Angelina got hurt doing the actual scene..

Regarding James Bond, Guylaine Cadorette reports that director Lee Tamahori says Die Another Day will include a steamy love scene. Whether audiences will ever get to see it, however, is another story. Tamahori said it will be up to the censors to decide what ends up on the cutting room floor. “In lovemaking, Bond's PG requirements have traditionally meant you can only show post-coital sex…you know, clothes strewn around the room, the camera slowly pans over to the bed....But we thought, why couldn’t Bond have the best lay of his life? So we shot a very hot love scene. Whether it survives the censor’s cut, or the producer’s, we’ll see.” Alot of scenes, it seems, don't "make the cut".

For Monsters Ball, the film reportedly has a sex scene so graphic that a minute had to be cut from it to avoid an NC-17 rating. Halle Berry said that “I would only [get naked] if Billy Bob [Thorton] agreed to be as naked as I was,” telling The Times, noting that in Swordfish, her breasts made their wide-screen debut. For Monsters Ball, they shot the sex scene on Day 19 of a 21-day shoot. She says, “I always say Billy Bob and I dated for three weeks, and then we had sex.” Admitting that the scene “scared me completely,” Berry went on to say, “I look at it now and think, ‘Who is that girl up there?” (Stephen M. Silverman, People.com)

Now Magazine reports that Demi Moore will no longer get intimate on the big screen with another man for fear of upsetting hubbie Ashton Kutcher. She says that she wouldn’t dream of getting naked with anyone else: “I just feel discomfort [kissing on screen] and I don’t know if it’s just from being so madly in love.” Alright, Demi, we get it, you love him. That's no reason to not get naked..All the other celebs are doing it..

Orlando Bloom tells People.com that he hated kissing Zoe [Saldana] and felt like telling her to “Take your tongue out of my mouth, please. Your boyfriend is standing right there. Most people think kissing beautiful costars must be great. But it’s always awkward, man.” Ok, man, quit whining. I'm sure Zoe was thinking, "Gee, thanks a lot, Orlando"...

Justin Timberlake apparently hates filming sex scenes, and thinks they are the worst part of acting (he reports). In Black Snake Moan, him and Christina Ricci had a sex scene to which Justin though was “pretty hot. I’m not going to say it doesn’t feel weird pretending to fuck someone in front of a man with a sound boom, though.” He also said that “When you're doing [a sex scene] you’re constantly thinking it isn’t going to look hot at all. I’ll crack a joke or something so it is not as uncomfortable.” Aww, so considerate.

So, all in all, there are a lot of actors and actresses that feel the same way (I could have easily posted 20 more). As unrealistic and awkward as they are to watch, they are just as unrealistic and awkward to act (probably more so).

So, I ask you, does it ruin your enjoyment of a sex scene knowing the actor wasn't into it and it's basically all smoke, mirrors and editing?

Knocked Up a Knock-Out

2007-10-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

For all of you, (of course) in the name of research, I spent last Friday night with 8 of my best friends watching Knocked Up. I can’t imagine this movie being that funny watching it alone.
I probably need to put a spoiler warning up, although it is called Knocked Up, so you know there is bound to be a sex scene (or two). I was pretty excited when, only a few minutes into the movie, the group of guy nerds were talking about their website to show people where the sex scenes are in movies! I was thinking, man THAT would be helpful! Until I went to Mr.Skin.com and discovered that you have to pay to get in (bummer) and it is basically just celebrity soft-core porn. Anyways, back to the movie... (Here's the trailer)

The scene: Hot girl goes to bar. Nerdy guys go to bar. Hot girl gets drunk and has one night stand with one of the nerdy guys. This sex scene is probably one of the most awkward scenes to watch because, the sex is, well…clumsy and awkward (making it a stereotypically realistic drunken sex scene) Red background lights, fast music, the long drawn out condom search and … “problems”, and then the massive misunderstanding. Hot girls line: “Just do it already!” makes nerd think he can forget the condom and continue in the sweaty, sloppy grind-fest where he was so drunk he could “last forever” …yea, right.
My favorite line? “Stop talking, now”. Classic.
The next morning, being pretty impressed with himself that he slept with such a hot girl (and after the incredibly awkward morning-after-breakfast), they assume they will never see each other. But then the title “Knocked Up” would not have made any sense.

So she’s pregnant and when she calls to tell him, he thinks he is getting a booty call, but how oh-so wrong he is. So, she tells him, he is semi-supportive and they want to try to “work things out” and see how dating goes. This makes for another hilarious sex scene (watch it here) in which she is very pregnant, making him nervous and distracted that he is basically smacking the baby in the face. The “sex music”( think: bow-chicka-bow-wow) and self conscious questioning (Good? Slower? Faster? Lower? Harder? Shut up already!) is nothing compared to when the baby kicks, making him freak out (“It was a warning kick!”), and making her “lose it” completely. She then remarks “Don’t worry, I wont make you do this again” to his response, “…SHIT!”

Many incredibly awkward sex scenes in comedies usually get their hilarity by how believable they are. This could actually happen, or did happen to someone, and probably will happen to other people in the future. Being self-conscious or nervous or awkward about something like sex is funny because it actually is realistic. Funny things happen in the heat of the moment, and if you can’t laugh at yourself (or your partner) and move on, then the moment can be totally ruined (like here). This element of realism is also what makes teen-sex comedies so popular (remember kids, always lock the door when your parents are around).

I loved how abortion (literally) could not even be mentioned in this movie, (alluded to by “it rhymes with smashmortion” or “dealing with it”). Her decision process to keep the baby was relatively quick, even though it wasn’t with the right guy, at the right time, she wasn’t ready and she was obviously quite scared. Yes, the movie wouldn’t be the movie if she didn’t have the baby, but it was nice to watch her not spend too much time debating the issue since abortion is a popular choice (taking 1.6 million lives per year in America). But how many people were really rooting for her to keep the baby? How many women would have stepped up, and how many guys would have supported that decision? Sad truth: not many. Dana Stevens of Slate Movie Review agrees: "It's just not believable that, in Alison and Ben's upper-middle-class, secular L.A. milieu, abortion would not be matter-of-factly discussed as a possibility in the case of a pregnancy this accidental." And although this movie got an R rating for the out of place baby-crowning shots, an actual abortion debate probably would have been even more controversial (which is why this scene was deleted)...Interesting.

All in all, my advice would be either rent it (or download it) and watch this movie with friends if you want some cheap laughs (alcohol optional--and recommended).

I wonder how many times this movie actually mentioned Canada...

This scene is the Pitts.

2007-10-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

Married couple Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (-Pitt)) were getting bored with their quiet domestic life, even though they are secretly both assassins, hopping the world and killing for hire. Their separate lives collided when each found out their next target is their own spouse.
*SPOILER ALERT* As it turns out, neither are very good assassins, because they just can’t seem to kill each other, but do an excellent job of tearing their house apart. For anyone who hasn’t seen this movie, know that before this sex scene, they spend a good amount of time trying to kill each other with automatic weapons, knifes, and other household items.

Mrs. to Mr:
“You still alive, Baby?”

Okay, so this sex scene starts off with the end of violent foreplay, and them dropping (err, throwing down) their weapons and aggressively ripping off each others clothes. They violently throw each other around, smashing into walls, counters, and …glass, apparently. The sound of things crashing in the background adds to the idea of mixing sex and violence, which makes parts of this scene only available in the “Unrated” version of the film. The already hurt and bloody pair gasp, grunt, groan and moan their way onto the glass covered kitchen island to simulate penetration (making this part “unrated”) and Mr. proceeds to choke Mrs. (to which, it appears, she likes) to finish (themselves and the scene) by shedding new light on “rough sex”.

They collapse on the floor in exhaustion, and she SLAPS him in the face, and then laughs at him. What a Bitch! A hot bitch...but still a bitch...
They then share a “tender” moment of him ogling her body, and then, a knock at the end of the scene means they have to haul ass to escape people who are trying to kill them. So much for spooning…

This scene (like so many others) is dark in lighting, incredibly unrealistic, and includes the ever-popular cheesy music (this time I think its bongos and a violin...) This scene also falls into the we-can-put-it-in-the-commercials category, and probably makes Jennifer Aniston cringe every time she thinks about it. The ploy to add sexuality into this movie wherever humanly possible is borderline ridiculous (left), but what else would you expect when you put the two hottest celebrities on-screen together…an actual plotline and amazing acting?

Yes, the scene is a major selling point of this film, especially since the movie came out during the Pitt-Aniston break-up (along with The Break-Up), but the reality of it, lets just say the ending to this movie was almost as believable as the sex scene.

Cheating? pphfff.. Who Cares? It's "True Love".

2007-10-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

Alright girls, this one’s for you (and all the boyfriends who have ever been “Notebooked”). Now, I am really NOT one for sappy movies, but this love story sucked me in when I was on a Nicholas Sparks fascination in like, eighth grade and read everything he ever wrote (because the book is always better). This movie made girls all over America swoon for Ryan Gosling’s character Noah (and Ryan himself) who has got to be the most romantic man on the planet (if only he were real). The ever popular sexy-kiss-in-the-rain scene comes after a seven-year pining (it’s fourteen in the book) for his high school sweetheart Allie (Rachel McAdams) who’s now engaged. When she comes back to their hometown (right before her wedding) to see the house Noah basically built for her, they fall passionately back-in-love and now Allie has a “tough” choice to make (yea, right). Watch the whole scene.

It is interesting that even though she is cheating on the man who has only ever treated her right, the audience’s investment in the characters make them root for her to cheat on him, because with Noah, its “true love” (*sigh*).

So after the romantic kiss, they turn into primal sexual beings who rip off each others clothes and take their signature leap-on-top-of-him pose as their wet, naked bodies bash against walls and stairs to get to the bedroom (which was much better than the first time they attempted to have sex in high school and got interrupted, yelled at, and forbid to see each other). They finally make it to the bedroom, and apparently taking off pantyhose is hot. Who knew.

The one thing keeping this scene classy is that the only thing Allie is wearing is a string of pearls. The lighting is dark, the music is cheesy (what…do I hear flutes?) and her line is pretty laughable; “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me. All this time that’s what I’ve been missin’? Let’s do it again”. Then, this sex scene ends with …another sex scene! And he’s actually getting so much sex that he needs food to “regain his strength”. That is, until his girlfriend knocks on the door, and, as realistic as this is, Allie invites her in for tea!

The whole thing is pretty funny, but girls everywhere love this scene, and so, I guess I should too, right? The long involved back-story of these characters make this scene (and all the pent up passion of star-crossed lovers) seem romantic (even though, hey it broke up a marriage, sorry, engagement in the process). But it's not really cheating if it's your one true love, right?

P.S. Notice the picture of the movie vs. the picture on the sidebar – Ryan’s beard was edited out because nobody liked the look. Poor, Ryan.

Sexy Spartan Lust

2007-10-10T15:39:00.000-07:00

Sex scenes in dramatic, action-filled movies are usually much different than other genre's, and two interesting "anti-chick-flick" films come to mind: 300 and Troy . This video contains both movies sex scenes, but please ignore the cheesy pop music in the background..and warning--there is nudity. (This link is a longer version of just the 300 scene)

In 300, this passion-filled scene between King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo of Sparta is interesting because it contains elements that make this hardcore grope-fest what society deems "tasteful". For starters, the scene is done in black and white, and mixes in dark pulsing voids (basically between sex positions). The subtle background music is in tune with their heavy breathing, while the Queen's perfectly windblown hair stays flawless, even though the sex is so passionate that she has to claw her nails into his back. I find it interesting that this scene contains nudity (only female, however), and the positions are that of rough sex (as opposed to sweet sex), but the scene still comes off incredibly classy. The dynamic of their relationship is so rich and involved within this movie, its no wonder there is insane heat between the sheets.

In Troy, the sex scene with Orlando Bloom is intercut with other scenes, taking away an element of passion and privacy, and is done in color (however, lit by candlelight...how realistic). The woman is the aggressor in this scene, as opposed to Queen Gorgo's submissive nature. This is definatley a scene of "sweet" sex, cementing this notion with Orlando's line "Till the day they burn my body, I will love you" (How, umm, romantic...)
In Brad Pitt's scene, the woman appears to be the aggressor (by, well, attempting to kill him), but Brad turns the option of a violent death into a sexual invitation and makes the act more about him. We will see that this theme of violence mixed with sex comes up alot in Drama and Action films (as well as all great tragedies).

So, which sex scene is the most "tasteful"? What are the key elements in dividing scenes from sexy acceptable to slutty inept? Is it the element of passion and love what seperates a great sex scene from basic porn? Directors have many different techniques to make a sex scene just right. This is how most actors feel when they are given bad (or not enough) direction. Directors must work hard to have the right tone, show just enough (but what's too much?) and attempt their best shot at sexy yet tasteful. Are these movies successful?

Sex Scenes...without SEX?

2007-10-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched a sex scene where the couple doesn’t touch? Although I do not recommend this movie, I find the main “sex scene” in 40 Days and 40 Nights very interesting. This movie is entirely about sex (or the act of trying NOT to have it), yet the three main sex scenes are so varied and unusual, it makes this movie very intriguing. The main character, Matt Sullivan (Josh Hartnett) vowed to give up sex for Lent (giving off Christian values, yet in a very un-Christian setting and without the normal “rules” of Lent) and ends of meeting Erica (Shannyn Sossamon) at a laundry mat, and of course, falls in love.

This first sex scene is of Matt getting it on with a girl while he envisions the ceiling collapsing around him because of his unresolved issues of an ex-girlfriend (and the reason for his sex-strike). We are apparently supposed to feel bad for the poor stud that can have sex with whoever he wants, whenever he wants, because it’s simply tearing him up inside.

The second sex scene I find interesting (SPOILER ALERT) is at the end of the movie when his ex-girlfriend tries to rig the office-pool going on and ties Matt to the bed to rape him. It is interesting that in this rape scene Matt is forced into nonconsensual sex, but the depiction involves no negative consequences for the rapist, and makes the victim appear to be at fault. She wins the money and leaves him there for Erica to find. Nice girl, eh?

The last scene I want to explore is the most interesting (watch scene here), and possibly the only one in the movie with actual human emotion (and somewhat decent acting). Since Matt has sworn off any sexual contact (including kissing), him and Erica use a flower to express the way they feel about each other. Clothes come off, which you think would make it harder for Matt NOT to sleep with her, but instead of focusing on his needs, he focuses on hers (a nice change from most movies). Petals fall, and the sensation of Matt blowing the petals across her, apparently makes her orgasm (yea, not very believable, but makes for a highly sexual scene without sex).

This is a very interesting notion in mainstream media, because this is one of the very few sex scenes that contains no kissing, no touching, (and no awkward/fake grinding) yet appears very sensual. Can we even call this a “sex” scene if there is no actual sex taking place? What then, are the elements needed to create a sex scene, and where did those notions come from? …Any thoughts?

Searching for that "deeper" connection...

2007-10-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, this post may seem a little random, but stay with me. I want to discuss something that I find interesting within sex scenes; the importance of kissing, and the significance of saying “I love you”. Three sex scenes come to mind:

The one we already know is Kevin and Vicky in that famous teen-sex comedy, American Pie, where Vicky doesn’t want to have sex with her high school boyfriend until he tells her he loves her. Holy Cliché, Batman! This one is straightforward and makes for that crazy-awkward sex scene.

Moving on to a classic, prostitute Julia Roberts can’t kiss "client" Richard Gere in Pretty Woman, because kissing is totally inappropriate, even though she is sleeping with him. This is a common rule amoung prostitutes (so I hear), because the act of kissing is known to be more, well…“intimate”. I wonder if the idea of kissing, or the importance of “the first kiss” had anything to do with the build-up of the climactic kiss at the end of every great movie. Think about it, it’s just another body part touching someone else’s, where as sex is…well…deeper. Why is kissing so out of the question when you are spending the night naked and engaging in sexual activity with someone…shouldn’t THAT be more personal?

This brings us to the most interesting of the three, psycho Swimfan Erika Christensen and hot Jesse Nicholas getting busy in the pool, before she goes all Fatal Attraction on him. Here's a short clip of that scene, and the trailer.

So, he has a girlfriend, and he’s cheating on his girlfriend with a blonde he barely knows who ends up being obsessed with him. For anyone who has seen this movie, you can just see him saying, “It seemed like a good idea at the time…”

So, they’re having sweaty sex in the school pool when Erika tells Jesse that she wants to have him say that he loves her. “Ben…tell me that you love me. You don’t have to mean it, just say it…” Okay, if this didn’t set off some kind of WARNING alarms for him, I don’t know what would. Then she uses that against him later, to his response “You told me to!”

What is the obsession with hearing that someone loves you during sex (or during a sex scene)? I would have thought that our society had separated the two so much that it wouldn’t even be an issue anymore, yet many other movies contain scenes where the woman just wants to hear that she is loved (before she gives it up). The link between kissing and love in sex scenes is fascinating, and brings up questions of emotional attachment in a society where “casual sex” is a phrase thrown around an awful lot…Thoughts?

"This one time, at Band Camp..."

2007-09-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Since teen-sex comedies are the topic of choice this week, I thought I would focus on the first American Pie. The movie that ruined apple pies for me forever, coined the term MILF, and compares on an infamous level with Porky’s shower scene (with peeping-tom teenage boys spying on a girls’ locker room), this film makes you cringe with jaw-dropping embarrassing moments (most of which could have been avoided by simply locking a door).

The last scenes of the movie contained four separate and very interesting sex scenes in it’s climax, of the four main guys trying desperately to lose their virginity at the Armageddon of high-school sex opportunities, prom.

The first couple that I find the most interesting is Vicky and Kevin. Vicky, a “normal” teenage girl with romantic notions of the perfect time and place to have sex for the first time, is told by her sexually advanced friend that sex isn’t a rocket launch, and she should just do it already.

She wants to hear Kevin tell her he loves her, and convincers herself by the counter argument that she would probably just go to college and do it with some random guy in a dorm room. Kevin doesn’t know if he loves her, and tells his friends five minutes before prom party that he’s scared. Yet, they end up going through with it. It is awkward to watch because… it’s just plain awkward. I mean, starting sex off with “how should we do it?” isn’t exactly hot. Kevin tells her what she wants to hear (those three little words) and after an uncomfortable and clumsy passion-less night, they BREAK UP IN THE MORNING. Like they couldn’t have realized that they wouldn’t work after high school BEFORE they had sex. Their happy-break-up-present was a terrible first time...congratulations. Geez, even Finch and Stifler’s mom had more exciting sex (which made pool tables even hotter)

Next, Heather (choir girl) turned Oz (rugby jock) into Mr. Sensitive, only to fall in love and spend the night in an actual beautiful “perfect” setting, because they didn’t try so hard to make it “perfect”. And, after his terrible anti-Casa Nova line, “Suck Me, Beautiful” I never would have thought he could just spend a night with a girl.

This brings us to Jim. After he raped a pastry and came too times too soon with Nadia, he ends up at prom with Michelle, ultimate band geek who turns out to get freaky with him in a children’s bedroom (how ironic). Instead of Vicky’s “tell me you love me,” Michelle just wants Jim to say her name, Bitch!

Through sex scenes, this film actually teaches teenagers a few important lessons in sex. First off, the film very explicitly promotes the use of condoms. Also, “perfect moments” don’t exist when they try to be planned. On top of that, a passion-filled night can happen with someone you don’t expect, and falling in love is possible without sex. All in all, the movie’s raunchy nature gives teens what they want by making them feel like their doing something wrong. What more could you want in a teen-sex comedy?

Teen Sex Comedies

2007-09-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, now that we have the historical stuff out of the way, we can dive into a genre of film that we are all familiar with…the ever –famous teen sex comedies. "Usually structured around a crude story about a group of high school or college students who want sex, and featuring plenty of nude or near-nude female bodies but no close-ups of genitals, sex comedies are like the nonalcoholic beer of porn.” There is nothing like half-naked teenagers seeing who can get drunk, get high or get laid more than their friends.

From Animal House (1978) and The Last American Virgin (1982) to Road Trip (2000), Mean Girls (2004) and The American Pie (1999-03) holy trinity of teen sex comedies, teen viewers flock to this genre like strippers to a pole because it’s an acceptable way to surrender to visually stimulating hormonal urges. American pop culture has bred sex-seeking generations, and by adding comedy into the mix, these films give teenagers (and adults) the stimulation and sexual gratification they crave, without crossing the line into full-blown porn. “And it’s hard to appeal to the groin and the funny bone at the same time; the movies are, with a few exceptions, witless.” These films are popular because of their sexual content, not their great acting, tender moments, or clever plotlines (because there aren’t any).
My next post will dive into some of the most popular sex scenes within these comedies, and reveal what makes these scenes so dynamic, entertaining, and unforgettable.

Cinematic History and "The Classics"

2007-09-24T17:40:00.001-07:00

Film has always had the ability to anger, divide, shock, disgust and captivate us. Pushing the envelope with graphic, horrifying, obscene, “tasteful”, or just plain hot sex scenes has been an exciting way to provide controversy, shock value and ultimately insanely high-selling box offices.

Within the context of sexual revolutions that cinema has tried so hard to push, one must ask, “What makes a sex scene influential, ground-breaking, memorable or exciting?” Is it simply semi-naked celebrities, the build-up of sexual tension, unique or new uses of nudity, raw passion and emotion, or something else entirely?

The general depiction of sexuality in mainstream cinema was at one time restricted law and self-imposed industry standards. “Films showing explicit sexual activity were, with very rare exceptions, confined to privately distributed underground films”. The 1960’s, however, began to push the boundaries in terms of what was allowed on-screen. Although now-a-days, the vast majority of sexual situations depicted in mainstream cinema are simulated, on rare occasions filmmakers have produced motion pictures in which actors were allowed (or instructed) to engage in some level of genuine sexual activity, up to and including sexual intercourse!! That takes a sex "scene" to a whole other level!

Now, nudist films were mainly associated with the 1950s and 1960s, although the genre has roots dating back to the 1930s. Nudist films claim to depict the lifestyles of members of the nudism or naturist movement, and sent shock values through the roof for these time periods.

So, back to what makes a sex scene, you know, “sexy”. Here is a list I have compiled of truly captivating sex scenes (to help understand what makes a sex scenes note-worthy):

Nine ½ Weeks (1986)
Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke pushed the limites of sexuality in cinema for mainstream film with their notorious scenes, which lead film industries to be concerned regarding the R rating. The incorporation of blindfolds, ice, and food singlehandedly made new sex fetishes for many.

The Way We Were (1973)
Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford play a couple who fall for each other because of their differences, then break up because of them, too. The sex scene catches them at the height of their doomed romance, and every knows that what’s bad or wrong (or naughty), is sometimes what makes it sooo hot.

The Blue Lagoon (1980)
Don’t tell a guy, “I wouldn’t sleep with you if you were the last man on earth?” At least for Brook Shields, being stranded on a deserted island with Christopher Atkins—the last man around was hot.What is it about a deserted beach??

An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
A handsome young Navy pilot-in-training (Richard Gere) picks up a local girl (Debra Winger) in a bar. Three easy steps to a hot sex scene; Step One: Get a motel. Step Two: Rip off her clothes. Step Three: Devour her. Doesn’t this set back women, like, 30 years? Not when it’s Richard Gere, right? Riiiight…

Risky Business (1983)
Tom Cruise played a regular teen seduced by a call girl (Rebecca De Mornay). Their steamiest liaison: on a train. And, no, he didn’t jump up and down on the seat afterward to proclaim his love for her, thank God.

Dirty Dancing (1987)
Ahh the innocent summer flirtation turned sweaty “dance” with me grope-fest. Patrick Swayze gave Jennifer Grey the time of her life, alright.

Ghost (1990)
Patrick Swayze seduces his wife, Demi Moore, while she’s sculpting pottery. I bet he showed her just how skilled his hands are. I wonder just how many women signed up for ceramics class after this aired…

Titanic (1997)
Awww…star-crossed lovers on that damn ill-fated ship. Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio made drawing a little more interesting with their sex scene, in which they make love after he sketches her nude portrait. And, who can forget that sweaty hand.. that kept our love for Leo afloat for the next 10 years (including that unfortunate pasty, bloated stage)

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
On vacation in Jamaica, Angela Bassett has an affair with an islander (Taye Diggs). When they get into a fight, she follows him into the bathroom to apologize, and then steps into the shower with him, fully clothed. Five ultra-sexy minutes later, she does get her groove back — and so does the very pleased audience.

I will be taking a closer look at more modern, mainstream sex scenes but it is hard to look at the present (or future) without taking a quick glance at the cinematic past to see how far we have come (and its faarr). This list of “classics” help show how much sex scenes have evolved, and why they are what they are today.

9 1/2 Weeks

2007-09-24T17:13:00.001-07:00

These and other ground-breaking scenes helped to push forward the sexual movement in Cinema.

Romantic vs. Slutty - The Evolution of Sex Scenes

2007-09-20T06:43:00.001-07:00

Sex scenes, as we know them today, were very different (a.k.a. non-existent) only a few short decades ago. Us Weekly teamed up with Hershey’s Kisses and America’s top movie houses to identify the Top 10 All-Time Best Kisses in Film.
1. Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in “Gone With the Wind”
2. Omar Sharif and Julie Christie in “Doctor Zhivago”
3. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman at the end of “Casablanca”
4. Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn in “Sabrina”
5. Rock Hudson and Doris Day in “Pillow Talk”
6. Molly Ringwald and Michael Schoeffling in “Sixteen Candles”
7. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in “A Place in the Sun”
8. Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson' in “The Breakfast Club”
9. Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds in “Singin’ in the Rain”
10. Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke in “Reality Bites”

This list was unveiled atop the Empire State Building; the scene of many of the most memorable, romantic movies kisses ever. Most of these scenes were the most touching, passion, sexually charged scenes in film history, and if you notice, most of these kisses are in old-school movies from years past.

So why is it, that with all the movies out nowadays, all the best sexually passionate moments were set way-back-when. Today, a sexual moment in a film usually consists of, well, a sex scene.

Don’t lie. You all know the difference between a good sex scene, a hilariously funny-because-it-could-happen sex scene, and an incredibly uncomfortable sex scene that always seem to come on when you’re with a family member or on a first date. The purpose of the typical sex scene in movies today seems to be simply because if it doesn’t have one, the movie is seriously lacking and basically boring, yet, if it has too many, its trying too hard to be artistically dramatic and gets labeled a slutty soft-core porn.

It’s interesting to think about how sexual ideas in older blockbusters (think black and white) were so incredibly taboo or socially unacceptable, and now we can’t even turn on a toothbrush commercial without a sexualized version of a woman and a phallic object in her mouth.

We now live in a society where the romantic kisses are scoffed at, and the idea of “long walks on the beach” are only said in reference to a cheesy personal ad. Sex scenes have evolved from the climactic romantic kiss of soul mates at the end of the movie, to the climactic…well, climax of the we-just-met-through-the-internet College couple’s “first” time (with that particular person) or the adulterous husband’s fling with the copy girl. On top of that, (no pun intended-thanks Matt) actors/actresses are paid a ridiculously large sum of money depending on how naked they get on-screen (think Halle Berry in Swordfish).

This evolution of the way sex is portrayed from “then” to “now” has been so drastic, I’m almost afraid to think what my children will one day be watching on the “family” channel.

"Sex Sells"

2007-09-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

Right now, we live in a society that is basically driven by the media. Whether it is spoon fed to us through the news on television or in newspapers, or crammed down our throats in movies, music, or magazines, most people in society thrive on the currents events going on around the world, be it wars, politics or which celebrity marriage is breaking up this week. Now, in this media-driven circus we call our everyday lives, sex, sexuality, and everything that it entails, is basically everywhere we turn, don't you agree?

I literally can't turn on the television without a sex scene in a soap opera, a shower scene in a prime-time drama, a teenage love/sex-triangle, or a couple TV doctors doing it in a broom closet. The ingenious idea that "sex sells" has worked it's way into everything we read, watch, listen to, or hear about almost every day. Now, exploring the reasons of why this is, is well, pointless. The reasoning behind why sex sells is not of interest because the innate sexual force is in all of us, and the media is only trying their best ways to exploit it.

What is interesting to me, is simply how sex is portrayed within the media, mostly narrowing in on movies and the film industry, and how it is has changed so drastically over the last twenty to thirty years. Also, how movie genre's have changed and how sex within each genre varies from each other and why (directors gender, viewer ratings, shock value, etc.) By exploring sexuality within movies, we might gain a better understanding of how the media has morphed sexuality into what it is today, and how the media (along with the film industry) has shaped societies moral standpoints, personal views, and overall opinions regarding sex.