Portrayal of Sex in Media & Entertainment - A necessity or a hoax
Sex is an emblem of a reality encountered by everyone, including “Animals” which includes us i.e. Homosapiens, Isn’t! Media & Entertainment has made billions, Oh Gosh! Zillions by the portrayal of sexuality in mainstream cinema, advertisements, short films, etc. irrespective of the genre. The question is, is it necessary to put that extra minute in a movie for the audience, or is it just a hoax technique of grabbing attention?
This dilemma was started way back in 1896 by William Heise, in the movie The Kiss, the first ever kiss recorded on screen, Was it even legal? You can check it out. The breakthrough and revelation started and now we are here, where few frames are completely dedicated to those sex scenes. Adèle Exarchopoulos has made a great career around its variations isn’t! You should see “Passages”, you will take the road next time. Coming back to the point, sex is freedom yes it is, the freedom of a woman, man, third gender, or LGBTQ. Even for animals, Oh Gosh! Homosapiens haven’t left animals out of it. Dog Lay Afternoon (1976) by Virgilio Mattei and Peter Skerl wherein a Doberman Dog was the happiest ever to share the screen with a homosapien. But Why is it necessary? Is it even logical? Sexuality is a product placement of inferior products which has opened a new market for beauty, glamour, sexual, and other products. Those dresses seen by you stripped in the movie scenes will put a hole in your pocket if you are planning to buy them for your honeymoon. It’s all connected. Media & Entertainment is one of the smartest industries of all time. They know the psychological development of the audience in a more detailed manner. Creating needs and desires is the basic element of marketing and this industry has done a phenomenal job in doing the psychological analysis of our brain triggers, which many big brands still cannot do so after so many years.
Sexual arousal in different variations is a very smart business strategy, just like 12th Fail by Vidhu Vinod Chopra did while restarting your journey preparing for government jobs, it’s a smart business strategy, it is not about making you officers but a great business strategy when 130 billion Indians need hope. Applications like Ullu, ALT Balaji, Boom Entertainment, and Hungama whose subscriptions cost a little more than your monthly newspaper expenses isn’t a coincidence. It’s a smart business strategy. Strategy to arouse you for that penny which can create millions or zillions apart from the porn industry, we haven’t counted on that. Sexual scenes are a meagre reward for you but a higher reward for the makers.
How to Have Sex by Molly Manning Walker who got 30 nominations around prestigious film festivals isn’t some irrelevant filmmaking. That’s smartness, yes you’ve heard it right, that’s smartness. The need of the hour. Here arises the question for the audience, does that need which was mentioned by Maslow, Need Hierarchy Theory way back arise by you or the filmmakers? You can check it out! Now you might be thinking about the numbers, and why the writer is showing us subjective understanding we are a pragmatic bunch of people who understand numbers! Let’s hear some numbers, Basic Instinct, grossed USD 36 million, whereas Sharon Stone hasn’t left any stone unturned for the arousals. Diane Lane starrer Unfaithful grossed USD 53 million where Lane has crossed all the lanes of sexuality. Dakota Johnson’s Fifty Shades series grossed USD 100 million at the box office, sorry for the Madam Web Dakota! but, in Fifty Shades all the shades of her are shown with precisions for you guys, “Audience”. For any more numbers, you can “Google”. Smartness isn’t!
Sex is a freedom and a very sacred moment between two lovers whether they are from any gender irrespective of race, religion, or case. Its representation is necessary but at a very sacred level. Filmmakers should portray it without idealising a gender weakness but while making it a strong point to enhance the bond. That’s why mainstream cinema is different from the porn industry, “The sacredness should be maintained”. So it’s you as an “Audience” to decide it’s a necessity or a hoax.