Sex as usual (yawn)

[sifutofu]

It just doesn't surprise me anymore. Any time there are rave reviews over a movie, you can be sure there's at least one very explicit sex scene. I offer as evidence of this, "Monster" (Charlize Theron plays a bisexual serial killer, filmed in a slathering lip-lock with Christina Ricci); "Game of Thrones" (explicit sex scenes throughout, such as a naked woman getting it from behind as her breasts bobble wildly); "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" (Well, maybe much of the sex, and certainly the violence, is necessary. But I can't say for sure, since I only managed to watch one episode, before realizing an ugly part of history had been resurrected for entertainment, and only for it's own sake. I simply found it to be depressing); "True Blood" (Do I really have to go into this one?) Maybe those little Oscar statues should be re-cast, complete with a massive ****-on. The Oscars seem to have become a laughable fiasco.
The producers, director, cast, etc., will argue that these scenes were necessary to establish the character, yada-yada-yada, but at least in some of these scenarios, I question this. Come on! It's only a competition to top the other movies, etc., for shock value.
If shock-jock radio can be used as a comparison, it seems that the new attitude is, "Writing? Writing be da**ed! Bring on the T @ A!
Andy Griffith made me laugh out loud. So did, "I Love Lucy". "My Three Sons", etc. And no sex. Where's the talent? And I'm no prude.

[MattNY]

I cannot say that I agree with your opinion, but I will leave it pretty much at that. You obviously feel very passionate about it and I doubt deconstructing it with my own would accomplish anything for either party. I will say that I feel there are plenty of quality choices available for everyone's taste in every medium and perhaps you need to stick to types of shows that cater more to your individual taste.

[Anjasa]

There's plenty of shows and movies without sex...

Though to be honest I can barely remember any sex or nudity in Monster because I was blown away by the acting and how real it felt.

I don't know, comparing 'family friendly' shows to 'adult oriented' shows seems a little skewed. I don't watch family friendly television and sitcoms, but I know they're out there.

Besides, I'd rather sex be a selling point for media than violence. At least sex is a positive human experience while violence is almost always a negative one.

[Loerwyn]

I'd argue the opposite, in a way. I think it's much more likely that sex is used to cover up a bad film/show or to add controversy to, um, boost the visibility of the film/show.

Heck, I remember the semi-outrage over a certain sex scene in Game of Thrones last year.

[Anjasa]

I definitely think HBO often opens shows with sex in order to get people watching. Especially in True Blood. Now I think True Blood has toned it down to a more 'natural' feeling in this season and last, it doesn't feel so exhibitionist.

But honestly, we're all so messed up about sex in North America, and how it's sold to us everywhere (usually in the form of nude or partially nude female bodies), but never really talked about or explored as just another aspect of human behaviour. A very important, driving part of human behaviour.

I mean, really, we're all here because of sex. Most of us think about sex on a daily basis. On average we're having sex a few times a week. I don't understand why we can't explore that for the people that do enjoy a bit of raciness to their shows - and the popularity of True Blood, and Game of Thrones, and The Tudors and other shows of its kind show that there are a lot of people who want sex and sexuality in their shows. At the very least, they don't seem to feel it detracts so much they don't enjoy it.

[algernoninc]

I am of the school that nobody is forcing you to watch something you don't enjoy and that a little internet research before starting a new series or watching a new movie will give a good prediction of what to expect. HBO is notorius for adding spicy sex scenes as a selling point to its series, but they are also known not to overdo it and to have other hooks : good production values, good casting, interesting stories.

I happen to agree with you on how depressing Spartacus was, but some of the other titles I would be sorry to miss just because they include nudity.

[sifutofu]

Besides, I'd rather sex be a selling point for media than violence. At least sex is a positive human experience while violence is almost always a negative one.

Very well said...couldn't agree with you more.

[sifutofu]

I am of the school that nobody is forcing you to watch something you don't enjoy and that a little internet research before starting a new series or watching a new movie will give a good prediction of what to expect. HBO is notorius for adding spicy sex scenes as a selling point to its series, but they are also known not to overdo it and to have other hooks : good production values, good casting, interesting stories.

I happen to agree with you on how depressing Spartacus was, but some of the other titles I would be sorry to miss just because they include nudity.

Some research before beginning to watch a series, particularly of HBO and Showtime, would be advisable to someone who feared they might be scarred for life from a sexual scene. However, my only lamentation is derived from what seems to be an eventual, common road to sexualization ("Common" being the operative word here.). It's as if the bigwigs are saying, in effect, "You mean we're only going to offer them some WEED? Hey, we're in a competition here! Let's go with the crystal meth!" Will the finer parts of STORY be forgotten? Will all different genres of TV (and radio) programming eventually seem the same? Give a kid the choice between candy and green beans, and take note of what he chooses. I think this is a perfect analogy. Which is the healthier choice? And given that, which will require UN-learning, then RE-learning, to truly appreciate? I'd like to think that consumer tastes run in circles, like clothing fashion, but sex? Well, I only see a profound apostacy in store for all sexualized broadcast media. I only hope someone has cared enough to preserve some old, "I Love Lucy" episodes for some meticulous study.

[DDCOrange]

Fully agree about Spartacus: Blood and Sand. If any series is over the top on sex and violence, this is the one. I was about to give up on it after a couple of episodes (rented it on Blockbuster) when I noticed that every episode had commentary by at least one of the actors and director's, producers etc.). I was curious about what the actors had to say about what they were expected to portray and found it very interesting (there were some very subtle plot threads that went nearly unnoticed beneath all the sex and violence). I couldn't help but wonder how much more entertaining the series might have been if they toned it all down a bit and didn't try to make the whole thing look like a graphic novel movie like 300.
However I find that most series (excepting perhaps TruBlood because they mess up Charlaine Harris' excellent books so completely) while having nudity and violence, place it within the context of the stories. Take it or leave it, no one is making you watch.
For the record, I know a lot of women out there who hate I Love Lucy because of the demeaning message it sends out about women as helpless, manipulative, screwups who need husbands to keep from being self-destructive. The feeling (and not entirely without merit) is that we are not just specifically laughing at Lucy, but at women in general. While I don't totally agree with that concept, it is food for thought.

[sifutofu]

I'd argue the opposite, in a way. I think it's much more likely that sex is used to cover up a bad film/show or to add controversy to, um, boost the visibility of the film/show.

Heck, I remember the semi-outrage over a certain sex scene in Game of Thrones last year.

...and if you tell ANYBODY, I'll be mortified!
I, sifutofu, watched the movie, "Pirahna DD" yesterday, and loved it!
Mind you, one has to take this movie for what it was meant to be...
a farce. Yet it was a very well done farce...excellent movie for a drive-in theatre,
a pajama party (or most any party at all), where folks just want to have fun.
Yes, there was nudity (female, full-frontal; mucho b**bage), sexual situations, even a ridiculous cameo by David Hasselhoff. I laughed out loud on at least several occasions.
but in my defense, movies in the Redbox have been of the two-star variety lately.
Therefore, my taste in cinematic entertainment fare went a'slummin', but I was shocked to find I had been rewarded. To have approached this movie in search of Oscar material would have been a farce, as well. I gave this one three stars out of five, to support the overall rating of three stars. On "I Love Lucy", I, too, have been dismayed at times when Ricky would draw back his fist as if to hit her. Not sure that women, in general, were portrayed as screw-ups (Ethel always seemed to have her head on straight). But in this age of rampant divorce, I think the practice of each spouse having his or her own bed, maybe even SEPARATE ROOMS (that is, until somebody gets frisky >;>) may lengthen a marriage's lifespan substantially. Spartacus was obviously meant to ride on shock value and titillation, and I can't help but view the cast members as having been rabidly desperate for work when their respective agents sent over the script. Should "exposure" be sought after at any cost? Will your public continue to see you as a viable star, or just a desperate porn actor? (Actress signing an autograph) "So, did you like my performance?" (Fan) "Your performance? Uhh...yeah, I guess so. I really think you gotta nice rack!"
Sorry for being so long-winded here, people. But I am a writer, after all.

[Steven L Jordan]

Sorry, but telling us after all that raving that you loved "Pirahna DD" seriously deflates your message.

Personally, I'd rather watch a movie with sex than a movie with violence... I'll take porn over Doom every time. Fortunately, I have the freedom of choice to pick which one I'll watch and which I'll ignore... as do you. You don't like sex? Fine: Go watch Pirahna DD. Don't like that? Watch a screwball comedy (there was no sex in Night at the Museum, as I recall). Don't want that? Check out Oklahoma. No? Then watch The Andromeda Strain.

You obviously have opinions about the value of sex in media. Just don't forget that not everyone shares those values. I don't see the problem in having sex in media, though I tend to avoid media that adds sex in lieu of things like good scripts or acting.

[sifutofu]

Sorry, but telling us after all that raving that you loved "Pirahna DD" seriously deflates your message.

Personally, I'd rather watch a movie with sex than a movie with violence... I'll take porn over Doom every time. Fortunately, I have the freedom of choice to pick which one I'll watch and which I'll ignore... as do you. You don't like sex? Fine: Go watch Pirahna DD. Don't like that? Watch a screwball comedy (there was no sex in Night at the Museum, as I recall). Don't want that? Check out Oklahoma. No? Then watch The Andromeda Strain.

You obviously have opinions about the value of sex in media. Just don't forget that not everyone shares those values. I don't see the problem in having sex in media, though I tend to avoid media that adds sex in lieu of things like good scripts or acting.

I'm well aware that not everyone shares my opinions on sex in media. However, know why I can enjoy, "Pirahna DD", despite the sex and nudity, more than "Game of Thrones", for example? Because "PDD" is HONEST. The nudity is all in-you-face from the very beginning. Were you to look at a DVD cover of PDD, and then a cover from a set of, GOT DVDs, this would be glaringly obvious. To seem to sneak graphic depictions of sex acts into my audio/visual entertainment is to insult me, to jiggle it in my face in some ridiculous situation which spoofs movies in the same genre is to entertain me. Soon, the impact of the ludicrous is at least on a par with the titillation of sexual situations/sight gags. I particularly detest when a movie, TV episode, etc., seems to be running through a politicised list of sexual situations, having come to expect this, each and every time. "OKAY NOW, is that everybody? Lessee, we got heteros, homos, lezbos...OMG! WE FORGOT DOGS AND CATS! SOMEBODY CALL THE LAWYERS! And alert the fork-lift drivers about all the hate mail! Say what? Dogs and cats can't read OR write? Whew!" This gets very old. I've already seen all these developing in GOT (except the dog and cat thing...but I wouldn't totally rule it out).


least on a par with the sexual situations/sight gags

[kshRox]

I cannot say that I agree with your opinion, but I will leave it pretty much at that. You obviously feel very passionate about it and I doubt deconstructing it with my own would accomplish anything for either party. I will say that I feel there are plenty of quality choices available for everyone's taste in every medium and perhaps you need to stick to types of shows that cater more to your individual taste.

Adult themes do not necessarily require graphic sex.
We used to have drama and pornograhy now it does seem there is a large pornrama or dramography genre.

While I might not agree entirely with the original poster I do believe we as a society are obsessed with sex and good drama without a graphic component in this area is becoming increasingly rare.

[sifutofu]

...AND THEN...kinda kills the moment, doesn't it? Those bloodthirsty fishies (got tired of tryin' to spell "pirahana", pirahana, oh...wadeva) kept poppin' up as frequently as those other thingies, which makes "Pirahna DD" the raucous rollercoaster ride that it is. I caught myself asking myself (I wasn't talking TO "myself", so fear not), "Was I supposed to be terrified, or turned on?" "Final Destination" is another similar experience, sans the b**bage. I actually find myself laughing out loud at the creative ways in which Death punches their ticket.

[Anjasa]

I couldn't get into Blood and Sands because omg slow motion all the time.