[ROCKSTAR]

How do you guys feel about film nudity?

I must admit I don't like watching my favorite actors nude in films. Movies like Cold Mountain, A Walk on the Moon and In the Cut feature some of my all time favorite actors naked and I have such a difficult time getting past it.

I'm not really that "paranoid" about unknown actors but I would prefer immensily that the nude scenes really add to the movie, otherwise I'm weirded out.

For example, The Dreamers benefits nicely from the nudity and, pure Bertolucci, from the raw exposure physically and emotionally of its stars. It's a lovely take on idealistic youth. Same with a movie like Unfaithful.

On the other hand, I obsessively love Jerry Maguire but I could've been happy without the somewhat explicit sex scene including mild nudity. It's such a shock after a sweet, family oriented (okay, I'm stretching but) scene.

[AutumnColorsღ]

I dont mind it too much, though when I saw Velvet goldmine with my friend Kati and we saw Ewan McGregor's full monty, I was just shocked and well couldnt stop laughing. I just always pictured him like on Moulin Rouge and Star Wars, a romantic serious/funny guy.

[Quarterley]

I'm okay with it. Nudity doesn't bother me. Gore does.

[LittleMilkJug]

I don't mind it, especially if there is a hot actor involved. What gets me are some of the most ridiculous expressions some actresses put on while 'making love'

[UnsilentMajorty]

It comes down to individual tastes... But even that is heavily influenced by the society you were brought up in as well.

For example, Western Cultures, specifically, the U.S., has a fit about nudity thanks to our Puritain roots... Yet we have no problem with senseless violence where fifty thousand people can be killed (on screen) in the name of "justice".

What is more natural? Seeing a man's schlong or a woman's nipples...

Or seeing portrayls of people being gunned down, blown up, burned alive, blugeoned to death, etc -- Which, by the way, is now considered "PG-13" material and completely hypocritizes this whole obsession with what is appropriate and what is offensive in my opinion.

Actress Jamie Pressley said it best: People in this country [USA] make such a big deal over nudity and its about time they just get over it because it's not that big a deal in Europe and other places. Who really cares?!

It should be noted she is from the South which is very conservative in a lot of respects as well.

[Alexander]

As long as it's important to the story

[bluntsbitch]

Agreed. If it's essential to the movie, then why not?

[shrrshrr]

Originally posted by UnsilentMajorty For example, Western Cultures, specifically, the U.S., has a fit about nudity thanks to our Puritain roots... Yet we have no problem with senseless violence where fifty thousand people can be killed (on screen) in the name of "justice".

I was shocked when a good friend of mine (who's a European transplant to the US) wouldn't let her teenaged son see Chasing Amy because of the content, but had no problem with him seeing Grosse Point Blank, instead (while she saw the former in another theater).

Are you kidding me?

And she's usually so sophisticated about these things. But she decided the content was too adult.

PUHLEEZE!

Versus the mindless overkill that is GPB?

Don't get me wrong, I liked both films, but they are extremely different from each other and if I wanted my child to learn something about what it's like getting older and dealing with one's past, I'd definitely choose the former, not the latter.

I think the whole topic is extremely complicated but I'm frequently disturbed by gratuitous sex scens that are thrown into films for no reason (kind of like Caligula - a little sex, then some story...a little more sex, then some more story...), but equally (and possibly MORE) disturbed by gratuitous extreme violence that is added in just to make the film more "interesting."

Still, if it fits the story and is well advertised as being graphic, then I don't mind - I know it's part of the art form.

[spent cigarette]

I'm fine with it, as long as I'm not watching a movie with my parents.

No, seriously. I get where you're coming from. Sometimes nudity is not needed and it kills the scene, so to speak. If it is there for a reason, whether it be romance or whatever, then yay. But some of the time it's not necessary, and that can be a bit bothersome.

[ScorpioGrl]

honestly i am comfortable watching nude scenes but i can't watch really with my parents especially my dad

[UnsilentMajorty]

Here is an interesting question:

Do you think nudity and graphic (depictions of) sex in a film like "Basic Instinct" is necessary to create the kind of atmosphere it was going for (decadant abandon) and tell the story it was trying to tell (a well-told murder mystery)?

I say, yes because a part of the story it is trying to tell and explore is the darker side of the human psyche -- the sexual psyche -- And that is part of the characters who inhabit the film and make them a lot more interesting as a result.

Also, I think the real "test" as to whether a scene of gratuitous violence of nudity is really gratuitous or not is for film makers to ask themselves...

Would the same, emotional effect of the story be felt if the scene(s) were not there?

A lot of film makers like to use this an excuse to always answer "no" so they can put gratuitious sex and violence in films...

But honestly, I am a firm believer in using this test as because if film makers really have a strong story that can stand on its own without them...

Then they shouldn't worry about this too much as these kinds of scenes will come naturally and as a bi-product of telling a realistic and compelling story versus trying to consciously build a shallow story around such scenes.

I speak from frist hand experience writing screenplays as well as getting paid by production companies to write screenplays as the general perception is more-is-better is what Hollywood lives by... But that doesn't necessarily make them correct

[Galaxia21]

Originally posted by Rainstorm18 I dont mind it too much, though when I saw Velvet goldmine with my friend Kati and we saw Ewan McGregor's full monty, I was just shocked and well couldnt stop laughing. I just always pictured him like on Moulin Rouge and Star Wars, a romantic serious/funny guy.

I still haven't seen that. So.... ?

[Gardenia]

It doesn't really bother me if it's part of the story. Gratuitious, worthless nudity, however, does. Well, doesn't "bother" me per se, but it just seems pointless.

I think violence is a lot bigger deal than nudity--it drives me nuts that we'll give movies higher ratings because a woman's breasts (something NATURAL) are showing, while we can let someone being blown to smithereens slide.

[shrrshrr]

Originally posted by Gardenia Well, doesn't "bother" me per se, but it just seems pointless. I think violence is a lot bigger deal than nudity--it drives me nuts that we'll give movies higher ratings because a woman's breasts (something NATURAL) are showing, while we can let someone being blown to smithereens slide.

*nods*

Exactly.

[The Daywalker]

I like boobies. Yet, if the storyline doesn't really call for it, like say a sex scene in the middle for no reason, then I just don't htink it's necessary, but i'll slomo it anyway.