Erotic film

Sex in film, the presentation of aspects of sexuality in film, specially human sexuality, has been controversial since the development of the medium. Films which display or suggest sexual behavior have been criticized by religious groups or have been banned or censored by governments, although attitudes have changed much along the years and a more permissive social environment has developed in certain parts of the world, notably in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. In countries with a film rating system, films which contain explicit 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, meaning that it may arouse sexual feelings, even if the stated or suggested intention of the film maker is to induce philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality and romantic love.

Love scenes, erotic or not, have been present in films since the silent era of cinematography. Films that include sex or erotic scenes are to be found in a wide range of genres and sub-genres, with genres that have a sexual or erotic component typically including the term "erotic" in its description – such as erotic dramas, erotic thrillers, sex comedies, coming-of-age films, romantic dramas, besides others. A pornographic film, on the other hand, is a sex film which does not usually claim any artistic merit, but intends to provoke sexual arousal in the spectators and as such is mainly intended for so called "mature audiences", meaning adults. Studies made by psychologists indicate that the consumption of pornography can be detrimental to sexual health, causing addiction to pornography, disregard for intimacy in real life, and a wearing down of the excitability leading to impotence in men and frigidity in women. Some well known actors and actresses in Western countries have performed nude or partial nude scenes, or have dressed and behaved in ways considered sexually provocative by contemporary standards at some point in their careers. One famous case in point was the late American actress Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson, 1926-1962), who early in her career in the film industry performed in sexually explicit short films (never widely circulated to the general public) before taking roles in films which did not require her to display sexual activity, but only that she could pose as a sexually attractive female. Her image has become an icon of American popular culture.

Terminology

Sex in film can be distinguished from a sex film, which usually refers to a pornographic sex 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.

Production

To minimize risk and conflict, and because an actor can feel vulnerable shooting a sex scene, agreements are signed prior to filming. Therein, specific terms of each sex scene are negotiated, including details of the sex scenes and the surroundings of the studio when the sex scenes will be shot. These "nudity riders" are written contracts commonly used by movie and television shows that intend to film sex or nude scenes. These agreements can include very detailed descriptions such as how much the actors have to be nude, i.e. nude or semi-nude, and information on their attire. An agreement may stipulate that while an intimate scene is being shot, only people associated with the scene or material can remain. Also, whether photographs can be taken, and if these are to be used in the promotion of the film. Use of a body double, a person replacing the performer, is also regulated, as is the consequences of a performer agreeing to a nude scene but later deciding against doing it. The agreements apply to auditions too.

To tackle the physical and psychological safety of the actors involved in sex scenes, Intimacy Directors International (IDI), a not for profit organization, was established. According to IDI, IDI provides an intimacy coordinator who works with actors and does following:

# Work professionally with actors to set rules when they engage in any type of sex scenes that includes simulated sex, nudity, and intimate scenes.
# They are a bridge between actors and producers.
# Direct scenes where it includes simulated sex, nudity and intimacy scenes.
# Support actors and advocate for them.

Production companies may hire an intimacy coordinator in the following situations:

* if an actor needs help in dealing with sensitive material.
* if the director needs help directing a sex scene.
* if the production company wants to make specific rules for the actors to feel safer.

Since the 2010s, film and TV productions increasingly employ intimacy coordinators to ensure the wellbeing of actors who participate in sex scenes, and to help prevent harassment and violations of consent.

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. The Finnish black comedy film '' Dogs Don't Wear Pants'' (2019) presents the viewer with a dive into the dark-toned world of BDSM.

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." The Catholic Church called for censorship and moral reform – because kissing in public at the time could lead to prosecution. 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

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