On 02.16.23 I wrote a piece titled Some Are Wondering Why Sex Has Disappeared From Movies. This was due to recent think-pieces from Eric Kohn and Adrian Horton making the case for on-screen sex to remain an essential part of today’s movies.
Then we had a great article from The Atlantic (“The Death of the Sex Scene”) criticizing prudishness in films and TV shows and why we should go back to embracing sex and nudity.
Now “Fatal Attraction” director Adrian Lyne, known for his ‘80s and ‘90s erotic thrillers, has joined fellow filmmaker Paul Verhoeven in criticizing the recent uptick in anti-sex scene sentiment:
“I think anything can be in a movie. I mean, the moment there’s a self-censorship, that’s awful, awful. You should be able do what the hell you want.”
Lyne, who directed last year’s “Deep Water,” also mentioned that he’s working on a new film that he’s trying to get off the ground called “One Neck.” It’s said to be about a serial killer who comes to a party in the Hamptons.
Back to sex.
America is currently messed up about sex and, really, the human body in general. Whether you agree that sex is essential, or not, that it’s immoral to have two nude actors, it’s clear that this big cultural shift has occured.
Oh, and access to porn is NOT the same as showing healthy passionate sexual relationships on-screen. I keep hearing that from a lot of people who don’t mind the disappearance of on-screen steaminess. No, sex shouldn't be removed from movies just to placate puritans. It’s an essential part of the human experience.
You’ve even had some productions go to extreme levels just to protect sanctity. I refer you to that scene from Netflix’s “You People” that keeps being mentioned. The final kiss between Jonah Hill and Lauren London was, for some reason, CGI’ed, they didn’t actually kiss when shooting that scene, director Kenya Barris instead opted to computerize their kiss. It was a fake out.
Whatever raw and genuine emotions a filmmaker like Barris might strive to achieve on-screen, that’s definitely not the way to do it.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.