NUDITY IN FILM
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'Nudity in film' is the appearance in motion pictures of people without clothing. Nude scenes can be controversial because they go beyond culturally specific boundaries defining modesty.
In many cultures, nudity in cinematic film is governed by a tiered system of censorship. Such systems are predominately aimed at limiting children's access to content that is deemed harmful by the masses, the government, and/or the movie industry.
Nudity is a volatile topic. Some movies include full nudity — a view of someone's entire nude body. Others show partial nudity. Either might offend some people in some cultures, depending on who is exposed, which body parts, for how long, how close a view, the pose, in what context, etc.
Often only are shown.
Few mainstream American films "dare to show" male or female genitalia (in what is called by many ''full frontal nudity''). Instead, buttocks and female breasts are displayed in order to titillate, surprise, disgust, or otherwise amuse the viewer. In many cases, separate objects are used by the filmmaker to obscure an actor's primary erogenous zones, this may prevent a film from receiving an "NC-17" ("No one 17 and under admitted") label from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which typically leads to commercial failure for films which target the mainstream theatre market of the U.S.A.. Some forms of human nudity are found in "PG" and "PG-13" (other grades of MPAA "rating") films as well, particularly when the nudity in question is not presented in a obviously sexualized context (e.g. a scene of the PG-rated ''Footloose'', in which a minor character is seen from behind whilst taking a shower after having attended a physical education class).
In mainstream North American films, human genitals are very rarely visible and the penis itself is 'never' shown erect.
Thus most nude scenes are of limited nude only, and lead to an R rating from the MPAA.
Also in animated films nudity is limited. However, ''The Simpsons Movie'' has a brief scene of full-frontal nudity of Bart Simpson, and carries a PG-13 rating.
The tastefulness of nude scenes are hotly debated in the United States. Adding nudity to films may increase both audience interest and publicity. However, some movie critics view gratuitous nudity (that which is not necessary for the plot) negatively. Various actors refuse to appear on film in the nude citing either their personal moral value-system or the risk to their reputation and/or career. Elisha Cuthbert, Lindsay Lohan and Eliza Dushku are amongst those American actresses which have publicly stated that they will never " ''do'' " a nude scene. [1][2][3]
Audrey Munson appeared in the first American film to feature nudity by a leading actor, ''Inspiration.''
Several early films of the silent era and early sound era featured nudity; one standard justification for a nude scene was to include it in a historical or religious context. Cecil B. DeMille, whose later reputation was that of a family entertainment specialist (''The Greatest Show on Earth''), included several nude scenes in his early epics. Other filmmakers followed suit. The film ''Dante's Inferno'' featured many naked women suffering in the bowels of hell. The early Johnny Weismuller Tarzan films featured at least partial nudity justified by the natural surroundings in which the characters lived. Nudity of natives was also portrayed in jungle epics.
In response to objections voiced by several groups – and at least partly due to the notorious 1933 film ''Ecstasy'', which featured a nude scene by Hedy Lamarr – scenes of nudity were forbidden in films from the major American studios from 1934 until the late 1960s under the Motion Picture Production Code, also known as the Hayes Code. During this time, the only acceptable cinematic displays of nudity in the U.S. were in naturist quasi-documentary films and foreign films. Other portrayals were in early pornographic films which, due to limited means of distribution, were not widely seen.
Nudist films are a genre of films associated with the 1950s and 1960s, although the genre has roots dating back to the 1930s. Nudist films claim to depict the lifestyles of members of the nudism or naturist movement — known commonly as nudists — but were largely a vehicle for the exhibition and commercial exploitation of female nudity within the context of public theatrical screenings.
Famous examples of nudist films are ''Garden of Eden'' (1954) directed by Max Nosseck. Other producers and directors active in the genre included David F. Friedman, Herschell Gordon Lewis, and Barry Mahon. Filmmaker Doris Wishman was probably the most active producer/director in the genre, with eight nudist films to her credit during the early 1960s.
The 1959 film ''The Immoral Mr. Teas'' by Russ Meyer, in which the main character was overcome with fantasies of nude women, was the first non-naturist feature film to openly exhibit nudity. The 1964 film ''The Pawnbroker'' became the first movie under the Hayes Code to show a woman with bare breasts. In 1966, the British-Italian film ''Blowup'' became the first mainstream English-language film to show a woman's pubic hair, although the particular shot was only a few seconds long. (Some sources, such as ''Playboy magazine'' in their ''History of Sex in Cinema'' series, have stated that the pubic hair exposure was unintended).
In autumn 1966 the Motion Picture Association of America unveiled a new Production Code. The new Code replaced specific rules, including those on nudity, with more general principles advising caution in matters like nudity and sexual intimacy. It also gave the MPAA the power to label certain films as "Suggested for Mature Audiences". In November 1968, the MPAA abandoned the Production Code altogether and replaced it with the voluntary rating system. Full frontal nudity could then be legitimately included in a commercially distributed film.
At present, genital nudity is still rare in U.S. cinema. Further, the MPAA finds it more acceptable for a male's genitals to be depicted in a flaccid state. The film ''Angels and Insects'' (1996) was the first to be given an NC-17 rating specifically because an actor had an erection. A large amount of genital nudity, especially in a sexual context, often leads to an X or NC-17 rating. One notable exception is ''Porky's'' (1982), a broad sex comedy with an R rating that featured several full-frontal nude scenes with multiple men and women (though never both together). Many movie theaters refuse to show films with these ratings. Nevertheless, many X-rated films became culturally significant, including ''A Clockwork Orange'' (1971), ''Last Tango in Paris'' (1972), and ''Midnight Cowboy'', which won an Academy Award for Best Picture in 1969. In the 2000s, most nude scenes lead only to an R rating from the MPAA, instead of NC-17. Many films that were once rated X have been "re-rated" R.
★ Depictions of nudity
★ Nudity in American television
★ Sex in film
★ List of mainstream films with unsimulated sex
★ No-nudity clause
★ Non-pornographic films with considerable nudity:
★
★ ''Ten Canoes''
1. http://www.ketv.com/entertainment/2992785/detail.html
2. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8320680/
3. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0244630/bio
★ Jones, Marvin. (1996). ''Movie Buff Checklist: Male Nudity in the Movies''. (5th ed.) Panorama City, Cal.: Campfire Productions. ISBN 1-888211-04-0.
★ Hosoda, Craig. (2001). ''The Bare Facts Video Guide''. Bare Facts. ISBN 0-9625474-9-2.
★ Mr. Skin (2004). ''Mr. Skin's Skincyclopedia: The A-to-Z Guide to Finding Your Favorite Actresses Naked''. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-33144-4.
★ Storey, Mark. (2003). ''Cinema Au Naturel: A History of Nudist Film''. Naturist Education Foundation. ISBN 0-9740844-0-9.
★ A extensive look at sex and nudity in cinema
★ http://www.screenit.com - Screen it!, see section "Sex/Nudity" of each film description
★ Celebrity Nudity database
★ Nudography
★ Naturist Guide to the Movies
In many cultures, nudity in cinematic film is governed by a tiered system of censorship. Such systems are predominately aimed at limiting children's access to content that is deemed harmful by the masses, the government, and/or the movie industry.
Nudity is a volatile topic. Some movies include full nudity — a view of someone's entire nude body. Others show partial nudity. Either might offend some people in some cultures, depending on who is exposed, which body parts, for how long, how close a view, the pose, in what context, etc.
Often only are shown.
| Contents |
| United States |
| History |
| See also |
| Footnotes |
| Further reading |
| External links |
United States
Few mainstream American films "dare to show" male or female genitalia (in what is called by many ''full frontal nudity''). Instead, buttocks and female breasts are displayed in order to titillate, surprise, disgust, or otherwise amuse the viewer. In many cases, separate objects are used by the filmmaker to obscure an actor's primary erogenous zones, this may prevent a film from receiving an "NC-17" ("No one 17 and under admitted") label from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which typically leads to commercial failure for films which target the mainstream theatre market of the U.S.A.. Some forms of human nudity are found in "PG" and "PG-13" (other grades of MPAA "rating") films as well, particularly when the nudity in question is not presented in a obviously sexualized context (e.g. a scene of the PG-rated ''Footloose'', in which a minor character is seen from behind whilst taking a shower after having attended a physical education class).
In mainstream North American films, human genitals are very rarely visible and the penis itself is 'never' shown erect.
Thus most nude scenes are of limited nude only, and lead to an R rating from the MPAA.
Also in animated films nudity is limited. However, ''The Simpsons Movie'' has a brief scene of full-frontal nudity of Bart Simpson, and carries a PG-13 rating.
The tastefulness of nude scenes are hotly debated in the United States. Adding nudity to films may increase both audience interest and publicity. However, some movie critics view gratuitous nudity (that which is not necessary for the plot) negatively. Various actors refuse to appear on film in the nude citing either their personal moral value-system or the risk to their reputation and/or career. Elisha Cuthbert, Lindsay Lohan and Eliza Dushku are amongst those American actresses which have publicly stated that they will never " ''do'' " a nude scene. [1][2][3]
History
Audrey Munson in ''Inspiration
Audrey Munson appeared in the first American film to feature nudity by a leading actor, ''Inspiration.''
Several early films of the silent era and early sound era featured nudity; one standard justification for a nude scene was to include it in a historical or religious context. Cecil B. DeMille, whose later reputation was that of a family entertainment specialist (''The Greatest Show on Earth''), included several nude scenes in his early epics. Other filmmakers followed suit. The film ''Dante's Inferno'' featured many naked women suffering in the bowels of hell. The early Johnny Weismuller Tarzan films featured at least partial nudity justified by the natural surroundings in which the characters lived. Nudity of natives was also portrayed in jungle epics.
In response to objections voiced by several groups – and at least partly due to the notorious 1933 film ''Ecstasy'', which featured a nude scene by Hedy Lamarr – scenes of nudity were forbidden in films from the major American studios from 1934 until the late 1960s under the Motion Picture Production Code, also known as the Hayes Code. During this time, the only acceptable cinematic displays of nudity in the U.S. were in naturist quasi-documentary films and foreign films. Other portrayals were in early pornographic films which, due to limited means of distribution, were not widely seen.
Nudist films are a genre of films associated with the 1950s and 1960s, although the genre has roots dating back to the 1930s. Nudist films claim to depict the lifestyles of members of the nudism or naturist movement — known commonly as nudists — but were largely a vehicle for the exhibition and commercial exploitation of female nudity within the context of public theatrical screenings.
Famous examples of nudist films are ''Garden of Eden'' (1954) directed by Max Nosseck. Other producers and directors active in the genre included David F. Friedman, Herschell Gordon Lewis, and Barry Mahon. Filmmaker Doris Wishman was probably the most active producer/director in the genre, with eight nudist films to her credit during the early 1960s.
The 1959 film ''The Immoral Mr. Teas'' by Russ Meyer, in which the main character was overcome with fantasies of nude women, was the first non-naturist feature film to openly exhibit nudity. The 1964 film ''The Pawnbroker'' became the first movie under the Hayes Code to show a woman with bare breasts. In 1966, the British-Italian film ''Blowup'' became the first mainstream English-language film to show a woman's pubic hair, although the particular shot was only a few seconds long. (Some sources, such as ''Playboy magazine'' in their ''History of Sex in Cinema'' series, have stated that the pubic hair exposure was unintended).
In autumn 1966 the Motion Picture Association of America unveiled a new Production Code. The new Code replaced specific rules, including those on nudity, with more general principles advising caution in matters like nudity and sexual intimacy. It also gave the MPAA the power to label certain films as "Suggested for Mature Audiences". In November 1968, the MPAA abandoned the Production Code altogether and replaced it with the voluntary rating system. Full frontal nudity could then be legitimately included in a commercially distributed film.
At present, genital nudity is still rare in U.S. cinema. Further, the MPAA finds it more acceptable for a male's genitals to be depicted in a flaccid state. The film ''Angels and Insects'' (1996) was the first to be given an NC-17 rating specifically because an actor had an erection. A large amount of genital nudity, especially in a sexual context, often leads to an X or NC-17 rating. One notable exception is ''Porky's'' (1982), a broad sex comedy with an R rating that featured several full-frontal nude scenes with multiple men and women (though never both together). Many movie theaters refuse to show films with these ratings. Nevertheless, many X-rated films became culturally significant, including ''A Clockwork Orange'' (1971), ''Last Tango in Paris'' (1972), and ''Midnight Cowboy'', which won an Academy Award for Best Picture in 1969. In the 2000s, most nude scenes lead only to an R rating from the MPAA, instead of NC-17. Many films that were once rated X have been "re-rated" R.
See also
★ Depictions of nudity
★ Nudity in American television
★ Sex in film
★ List of mainstream films with unsimulated sex
★ No-nudity clause
★ Non-pornographic films with considerable nudity:
★
★ ''Ten Canoes''
Footnotes
1. http://www.ketv.com/entertainment/2992785/detail.html
2. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8320680/
3. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0244630/bio
Further reading
★ Jones, Marvin. (1996). ''Movie Buff Checklist: Male Nudity in the Movies''. (5th ed.) Panorama City, Cal.: Campfire Productions. ISBN 1-888211-04-0.
★ Hosoda, Craig. (2001). ''The Bare Facts Video Guide''. Bare Facts. ISBN 0-9625474-9-2.
★ Mr. Skin (2004). ''Mr. Skin's Skincyclopedia: The A-to-Z Guide to Finding Your Favorite Actresses Naked''. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-33144-4.
★ Storey, Mark. (2003). ''Cinema Au Naturel: A History of Nudist Film''. Naturist Education Foundation. ISBN 0-9740844-0-9.
External links
★ A extensive look at sex and nudity in cinema
★ http://www.screenit.com - Screen it!, see section "Sex/Nudity" of each film description
★ Celebrity Nudity database
★ Nudography
★ Naturist Guide to the Movies
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