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Sex in film refers to the presentation in motion pictures of sex acts, including love scenes. Sex scenes have been depicted in film since the silent era of cinematography. Many actors and actresses have exposed parts of their bodies or dressed and behaved in ways considered sexually provocative by contemporary standards at some point in their careers. Some films of the sexual nature have been criticized by religious groups and/or banned by governments because of the amounts of sex scenes.

Sex in film should be distinguished from nudity in film. Nudity and sexuality are features of pornographic films. In softcore films, sexuality is less explicit. Erotic films are suggestive of sexuality, but need not contain nudity. A film on naturism or about people where nudity is common may contain non-sexual nudity. In some genres of film sexuality is rarely depicted.

Attitudes by region

India

Sex scenes in mainstream Indian movie industries were rare until the end of 1990s, with kisses, sex, and rape usually being depicted symbolically. In recent years, attitudes have changed in Indian movie industries, especially in Bollywood, with some movies dealing with sexual themes, though not without controversy. Many Bollywood stars accept sex scenes but without nudity.

Europe

Pedro Almodovar of Spain is a prolific director who includes eroticism as part of many of his movies. Tinto Brass, from Italy, has dedicated his career to converting explicit sex into mainstream content. His films are also notable for feminist-friendly eroticism^{[citation needed]}. French filmmaker Catherine Breillat caused controversy with unsimulated sex in her films Romance and Anatomy of Hell. In Italy, nudity and strong sexual themes go back to the silent era with films such as The Last Days of Pompeii (1926).

North America

In North America, erotic films may be primarily character driven or plot driven, with considerable overlap. Most dramas center around character development, such as Steven Shainberg's Secretary. Comedy films, especially romantic comedies and romantic dramas, tend toward character interaction. Mystery films, thrillers, drama films and horror films tend toward strong plots and premises, such as Angel Heart, Leaving Las Vegas, Love and Other Drugs, Dressed to Kill, Basic Instinct, Color of Night, In the Cut, Showgirls, Different Strokes and Eyes Wide Shut.^[1] Others, like Body Heat and Chloe, combine both strong plots and characters.^[1]^[2]

Thrillers

A popular American sub-erotic film genre is erotic thriller with films such as Wild Things (1998), Basic Instinct (1992), Color of Night (1994), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), In the Cut (2003) and Chloe (2009).^[1] In some films, the development of a sexual relationship (or even a one night stand) is often used to create tension in the storyline, especially if the people involved should not be sleeping together, such as in Out of Sight, where a U.S. Marshall has sex with the criminal she is pursuing.

Horror

In horror films, sex is often used to mark characters that are doomed to die. Characters that engage in sex acts are often the first to be claimed by the antagonist(s), or will die shortly after their sex scene and sometimes in the middle of it. This convention of it being bad luck to have sex in a horror film is notably illustrated in the Friday the 13th film series, where supernatural villain Jason Voorhees takes a special dislike to teenagers & young adults having sex, because, as a young boy, he drowned in a lake while the camp counselors who should've been supervising him were having sex.

Comedy (Mexico)

In Mexico, many comedy films are based around sex, typically portraying men as unstoppable sex-seeking creatures and women as willing targets. Although the numbers of such comedies waned during the 1990s, domestic servants, bar workers, dancers and neighbors' wives continue to be depicted as potentially willing sexual partners.

Television

Many drama series, and daytime soap operas are based around sex. Partial nudity once acceptable on daytime television in the 1970s disappeared after 2000, partially due to more conservative morals,^[3] but also to the prevalence of cable and satellite subscriptions. Only PBS occasionally features nudity.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Lundin, Leigh (2010-07-25). "Erotic Mystery Thrillers". sex-n-violence. Criminal Brief. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
^ http://www.rogerebert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100324/REVIEWS/100329990/1023
^ Siegel, Tatiana (2006-04-03). "Erotic thrillers lose steam on big screen". Erotic genre weak. Hollywood: Hollywood Reporter.

External links

Sex in Cinema: The Greatest and Most Influential Erotic or Sexual Films and Scenes
Sexuality in the Mass Media: How to View the Media Critically
Lundin, Leigh (2010-07-25). "Erotic Mystery Thrillers". sex-n-violence. Criminal Brief. A movie plot with gaping holes isn't a mystery and not even a good movie.

[CB1-1] Lundin, Leigh (2010-07-25). "Erotic Mystery Thrillers". sex-n-violence. Criminal Brief. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)

[2] ttp://www.rogerebert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100324/REVIEWS/100329990/1023

[HR1-3] Siegel, Tatiana (2006-04-03). "Erotic thrillers lose steam on big screen". Erotic genre weak. Hollywood: Hollywood Reporter.

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 ===India===
 Sex scenes in mainstream [[Indian movie]] industries were rare until the end of 1990s, with kisses, sex, and rape usually being depicted symbolically. In recent years, attitudes have changed in Indian movie industries, especially in [[Bollywood]], with some movies dealing with sexual themes, though not without controversy. Many Bollywood stars accept sex scenes but without nudity.
 ===Europe===
 [[Pedro Almodovar]] of [[Spain]] is a prolific director who includes eroticism as part of many of his movies. [[Tinto Brass]], from Italy, has dedicated his career to converting explicit sex into [[mainstream]] content. His films are also notable for [[feminist]]-friendly eroticism{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}. French filmmaker [[Catherine Breillat]] caused controversy with unsimulated sex in her films ''[[Romance (1999 film)|Romance]]'' and ''[[Anatomy of Hell]]''. In [[Italy]], nudity and strong sexual themes go back to the silent era with films such as ''[[The Last Days of Pompeii (1926 film)|The Last Days of Pompeii]]'' (1926).
 ===North America===
 In North America, erotic films may be primarily [[character driven]] or [[plot driven]], with considerable overlap. Most dramas center around character development, such as [[Steven Shainberg]]'s ''[[Secretary (film)|''Secretary'']]''. [[Comedy films]], especially [[romantic comedies]] and [[romantic dramas]], tend toward character interaction.
 [[Mystery films]], [[thrillers]], [[drama films]] and [[horror films]] tend toward strong plots and premises, such as ''[[Angel Heart]]'', ''[[Leaving Las Vegas]]'', ''[[Love and Other Drugs]]'', ''[[Dressed to Kill (1980 film)|Dressed to Kill]]'', ''[[Basic Instinct]]'', ''[[Color of Night]]'', ''[[In the Cut]]'', ''[[Showgirls]]'', ''[[Different Strokes (film)|Different Strokes]]'' and ''[[Eyes Wide Shut]]''.<ref name="CB1" /> Others, like ''[[Body Heat]]'' and ''[[Chloe (film)|Chloe]]'', combine both strong plots and characters.<ref name="CB1" /><ref>http://www.rogerebert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100324/REVIEWS/100329990/1023</ref>
 ====Thrillers====
 A popular American sub-erotic film genre is [[erotic thriller]] with films such as ''[[Wild Things]]'' (1998), ''[[Basic Instinct]]'' (1992), ''[[Color of Night]]'' (1994), ''[[Eyes Wide Shut]]'' (1999), ''[[In the Cut]]'' (2003) and ''[[Chloe (film)|Chloe]]'' (2009).<ref name="CB1">{{cite web|last=Lundin|first=Leigh |title=Erotic Mystery Thrillers |url=http://www.criminalbrief.com/?p=13152|work=sex-n-violence |publisher=Criminal Brief |date=2010-07-25 |}}</ref>
 In some films, the development of a sexual relationship (or even a [[one night stand]]) is often used to create tension in the storyline, especially if the people involved should not be sleeping together, such as in [[Out of Sight]], where a [[U.S. Marshall]] has sex with the criminal she is pursuing.
 ====Horror====
 In horror films, sex is often used to ''mark'' characters that are doomed to die. Characters that engage in sex acts are often the first to be claimed by the antagonist(s), or will die shortly after their sex scene and sometimes in the middle of it. This convention of it being bad luck to have sex in a horror film is notably illustrated in the [[Friday the 13th]] film series, where supernatural villain [[Jason Voorhees]] takes a special dislike to teenagers & young adults having sex, because, as a young boy, he drowned in a lake while the camp counselors who should've been supervising him were having sex.
 ====Comedy (Mexico)====
 In Mexico, many comedy films are based around sex, typically portraying men as unstoppable sex-seeking creatures and women as willing targets. Although the numbers of such comedies waned during the 1990s, domestic servants, bar workers, dancers and neighbors' wives continue to be depicted as potentially willing sexual partners.
 ====Television====
 Many [[Dramatic programming|drama series]], and daytime [[soap operas]] are based around sex. Partial nudity once acceptable on daytime television in the 1970s disappeared after 2000, partially due to more conservative morals,<ref name="HR1">{{cite web |last=Siegel|first=Tatiana |title=Erotic thrillers lose steam on big screen |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002276018 |work=Erotic genre weak |publisher=Hollywood Reporter |location=Hollywood |date=2006-04-03 }}</ref> but also to the prevalence of cable and satellite subscriptions. Only PBS occasionally features nudity.