Poll: Sex scenes in movies

[FuktLogik]

So I was sitting here watching 300, and got to the sex scene, and it just seemed to drag the fuck on and on. I was surprised when I checked the time code and saw that it was less than a minute, but it still got me thinking. Aside from the obvious fact that sex sells, why do we have them in movies? If I wanted to see sex, I'd hang a mirror above my bed, or more realistically, watch some porn. The only justification I can think of is a way to establish one character's feelings for another, or their unchained lust. I certainly don't hate sex scenes, I just think the time could be better spent furthering the plot, or making something blow up real good...

What do you escapists think?

Also, wow, my captcha was anill wind...

 

[Aris Khandr]

Can I vote for both? I don't watch many movies that include such things, but the last one I saw was Love and Other Drugs. The first couple of scenes were good for establishing the characters. But they just kept going back to it, over and over and over. It went from being a part of the narrative to just "we know you're all here to see Anne Hathaway naked, so here's some more".

 

[TheEvilCheese]

sex sells

That's pretty much all there is to it in most cases I'm afraid.
Sure there is the odd character driven film where it gives us a deeper understanding of their personality / issues; but mostly it's about money.

 

[-Dragmire-]

Some are pointless, some are meaningful. If done well it can establish alot of complex emotions that are hard to define in other ways. If done poorly, well... at least the marketing department can have a field day and not work very hard.

The one in 300 I found pointless however I found that whole movie to be defined by that word.

 

[Aphex Demon]

I don't know tbh, they always gives me a semi though xD

 

[Summerstorm]

Both.

Sexscenes are great to convey a climaxing (MEGAPUN) relationship or signify some character developement or set up a plot or motivation etc.

It also is disgustingly stupid, weird and absolute pointless "LOOK AT US... WE HAVE SEX... just look at those actors!!!, arent' they great fucking?)

Well, alternating and mixing between those two extremes.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Depends. It's the usuall undefinitive answer, but there ya go.

Like with everything in a movie, a sex scene works if the movie calls for it.

 

[Gigano]

Never did bother me.

If it adds to story/characterization, excellent. If it doesn't, then it can simply be ignored (or even enjoyed if one is in the mood), so long as it doesn't completely and utterly clash with the tone and setting (akin to a break dancing scene in a medieval war drama or something).

 

[Smooth Operator]

Usually they are pointlessly dragged out, get the points you want across then move on (RocknRolla did it perfectly).

Watchmen was the most aggressive one with this, they just went on and on, I know they got that semi porn actress specifically for this but come on I wasn't there for porn, release it as a DVD extra if you really feel the need to make fan fiction.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

I thought the same thing during that scene in 300. I agree that it is mostly pointless.

 

[SpaceBat]

There are a few sexual scenes I can think of that actually add something to the story or atmosphere (Eyes Wide Shut for example and a certain other disturbing horror movie), so no, no matter what people may think, sex in movies isn't always useless. It just usually is, because 99% of the other movies that contain these scenes, merely have them because it sells. Watchmen for example, while being a great comic book movie, has a really pointless and distasteful sex scene that actually just drags the movie down a bit.

So I'm most definitely not against it, as long as it has a point. If I wanted to see two people fucking for no reason, I'd watch porn.

 

[TheSolemnHypnotic]

Usually they are pointlessly dragged out, get the points you want across then move on (RocknRolla did it perfectly).

Watchmen was the most aggressive one with this, they just went on and on, I know they got that semi porn actress specifically for this but come on I wasn't there for porn, release it as a DVD extra if you really feel the need to make fan fiction.

I agree with everything you said. That scene in Watchmen nearly killed that movie for me. It was softcore trash that didn't make me care anymore for the characters and the music was just awkward. :|

 

[Vault101]

So I was sitting here watching 300, and got to the sex scene, and it just seemed to drag the fuck on and on. I was surprised when I checked the time code and saw that it was less than a minute, but it still got me thinking. Aside from the obvious fact that sex sells, why do we have them in movies? If I wanted to see sex, I'd hang a mirror above my bed, or more realistically, watch some porn. The only justification I can think of is a way to establish one character's feelings for another, or their unchained lust. I certainly don't hate sex scenes, I just think the time could be better spent furthering the plot, or making something blow up real good...

What do you escapists think?

Also, wow, my captcha was anill wind...

well...I mean its not liek they are THAT unbearible to watch, and somtimes they do have a point..

and honestly Im not about to go "lets ban sex scenes!" in movies because I hate cencorship

I somtimes find them a little hard to watch because I keep thinking about how its just two actors mashing their facses together in the presence of the film crew

I think they're a disgusting, vile and completely irrelevant addition to movies. They possess no artistic merit, and if I had my way, all sex in a movie would be entirely implied. In fact, if I had my way, there would be few romantic relationships within movies at all, and all of them would be pre-defined.

actually somtimes they do, and hey some peopel actually enjoy them, as Bob said in his reveiw of black swan is that really a bad thing?

 

[DEAD34345]

Well I think they could be meaningful, but they're not quite there yet. Sex-scenes in movies (and games for that matter) always seem extremely awkward and faked, and are usually just tacked on to make something more edgy. I don't think I've ever seen a movie in which a sex-scene actually contributes anything to the story...

 

[munkymp3]

Where's the "It depends" option? Sometimes, sex scenes are necessary to, like you said, establish two characters' feelings for one another. Most of the time, sex scenes are used to sell something to their audience. It's really not that much different from things blowing up or bloody battle scenes. Unless it's written well, it can be pretty pointless. Most of the films guilty of this crime are mindless action flicks with mindless sex scenes :\

 

[Roserari]

Sex scenes like in The Matrix? Yes. Sex scenes like in 8 Mile? Frack no.

 

[Tonythion]

most of the time POINTLESS

and especially awkward if watching with family.

You know I don't even mind if they show hot make out sessions but to go all the way for a long time.

You don't even need sex scenes to establish a relationship unless that relationship is about how they only have sex or the WAY they have sex. A movie about a BDSM couple--go ahead because you can't imply that situation.

But most other sex scenes that last longer than 30 seconds I don't care much for. Give me a chick in short shorts and a cut off tee or a half naked guy walking across the screen and that's enough sexiness for me

but please stop adding the long wannabe pornos.