Sexuality in Film

Fifty Shades of Grey has broken ground in making BDSM legible and desirable. Given its unprecedented popularity, the Fifty Shades series stands as an apposite cultural artefact to think through BDSM mainstream representation. Through a comparative analysis, this chapter takes a meandering journey through Fifty Shades to see how the story stacks up in relation to some of the dominant themes and ideologies found in an array of popular BDSM films, and, in so doing, will provide an overview of that body of work. I begin by summarising the plot of the trilogy, highlighting features that I later pick up in my analysis. I then turn to considering the two main genre categories that feature BDSM themes – the romantic drama and the erotic thriller – and discuss how Fifty Shades incorporates both, conforming to some conventions and defying others. After this, I consider the way in which stories with sympathetic BDSM characters, such as Fifty Shades, often displace stigma and abjection onto other identities and practices, using narratives of childhood trauma and pathology and reinscribing gender and sexual normativity, albeit with a tolerance towards mild heterosexual kink. By way of conclusion, I offer a brief summary of the analysis, and then consider the progress made in humanising BDSM subjectivity.

This paper reconstructs the history of the reception across the Italian Catholic world of the first sex education film ever screened in Italy, the documentary “Helga” (Erich F. Bender, 1967). Most Catholics were initially fearful and skeptical about the film and its pedagogical potential, and condemned in particular the decision by the national censorship board that the film was “suitable for all”. However, as the weeks went on, and while the film surprisingly topped the box office, their position became less hostile, and more and more nuanced, to the point that some Catholic teachers started testing “Helga” with teenage classes on sex education.

From Hollywood classics such as Now Voyager (1942), My Fair Lady (1964), and Pretty Woman (1990) to TV lifestyle programming such as What Not to Wear (2001–07), 10 Years Younger (2004–08), and Gok’s Fashion Fix (2008–09), the makeover narrative is an endlessly repeated and eagerly consumed staple of popular culture. Prevailingly structured around three key components — namely the make-under, the makeover, and the final revelation/affirmation1 — the makeover narrative implies that through the processes of consumption and feminization, the female protagonist will achieve social mobility, popularity, and the “prize” of (a new or rekindled) heterosexual romance. Through their formulaic structure, such texts work to establish the parameters of acceptable feminine appearance, while also offering viewers the vicarious visual pleasure of witnessing the protagonist’s transformation from frump to bombshell.

As contemporary cinema intersects with both celebrity (Church Gibson 2011) and convergence culture (Jenkins 2006), it is vital that the academic analysis of screen costuming moves beyond the film text to consider the wider institutional processes and consumption practices connected to fashion and spectators. In examining the role of costume and fashion as a source of meaning and pleasure this article forms part of my wider research project, which includes a forthcoming monograph and adopts both textually centred and interdisciplinary cross-media methodological approaches. This methodological shift is reflected in this article – the examination of Shakespeare in Love (Madden 1998) adopts a predominantly textually centred approach focusing on the cinematic representation of Viola / Thomas (Gwyneth Paltrow) in which I argue that costume functions as both a spectacular intervention and a visual narrative of gender transformation and sexual fluidity. In then shifting to a cross-media approach, I will discuss both Gwyneth Paltrow and Keira Knightley in relation to issues of fashion, femininity and celebrity culture. As contemporary popular cinema shifts from character centred narratives to the formation of transmedia worlds existing over multiple media platforms, the text-spectator relationship is one grounded in a participatory convergence culture (Jenkins 2006). In the final section of this article I argue that the meanings and pleasures of cinematic costume are increasingly characterised by what I term ‘tactile transmediality’. Through moving my analysis beyond the film text to explore gaming, cosplay and fashion in relation to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise (Verbinski 2003, 2006, 2007, Marshall 2011), I will argue that clothing enables a tactile platform in which the spatial distance between the text and the spectator can be bridged via adornment and touch and thus the processes of identity transformation and performativity can be played out in our everyday lives.

The first exhibition of its kind, ‘Hand in Hand’ featured Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Maori, Samoan, Niuean and Fijian Artists based in Aotearoa, USA and Australia.

The 2008 annual Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative’s Sydney Mardi Gras exhibition was an opportunity for Indigenous artists across the Pacific to participate in a celebration of international standing through a program that openly challenged dominant views on sexuality.

The exhibition was also held in collaboration with the Performance Space @ CarriageWorks in Australia.

The artwork featured was a focus on non-conventional media including: the moving image, installation and also inter-disciplinary media including performance art, music and adornment. The artists: Jeffery Samuels, Tracey Moffatt, Arone Raymond Meeks, r e a, Darrell Sibosado, Clinton Nain, Adrian Wills, Dianne Jones, Gary Lee, Moana Nepia, Niwhai Tupaea, Sionelagi Falemaka, Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Claudine Sartain, Salote Tawale & artist / curator: Jenny Fraser (AUS) & invited guest artist / curator Shigeyuki Kihara (NZ).

"The article examines the ways in which the representation of Will Smith in I am Legend and I, Robot constructs post-colonial performative visual narratives that both follow and disrupt existing discourses of sexualised black masculinity within visual culture. Through comparative analysis with examples drawn from photography, I argue that Smith’s representation enables the black body to be rendered as fashionable and aspirational, rather than simply objectified via sexualised visual discourses.

Building on existing critical work on costume, identity and cinema (Bruzzi, Church Gibson, Gilligan), the article forms part of my wider research project, which includes a forthcoming monograph, that responds to calls for further interdisciplinary work exploring the ‘new nexus’ of film, fashion and consumption that has emerged as cinema ever increasingly ‘bleeds across’ different media (Church Gibson 2008, 2010).

Despite Smith's popularity with audiences, together with the on-screen product placement and off-screen promotion of fashion brands such as Ray-Ban, Puma, Belstaff and Converse, the intersection of Smith, black masculinity and fashion does not appear to have been the subject of extended academic attention. In starting to readdress this absence, I will argue that whilst Smith’s body initially appears to be fetishised, his representation is characterised by performance and fragmentation which renders the body and blackness a construction, rather than a naturalised / essentialist object of desire. Mythic phallic power and desire is displaced onto clothes and accessories that function to construct Smith’s on-screen personas as a new male hero with cross-over appeal in order to maximise his celebrity commodity status. Although such commodification is offered up as aspirational, it is potentially highly problematic in the ways that it attempts to further render Smith’s blackness ‘safe’ for audiences."

Analysis of the gender, ethnicity, and class aspects of Mauricio Garcés's representation of Don Juan. Garcés plays with the classic elements of Claramonte's and Zorrilla's character but his roles evince the politics and social tensions of the 1960s and 1970s in Mexico. The emphasis is on the complex and ambiguous screen masculinity created by Garcés, that transcends the strict hypermasculine tropes established by the male leads of the Mexican Golden Age of cinema.

Chi-Raq is a free adaptation of Aristophanes’ classical comedy, Lysistrata. The Greek playwright’s comedy is about Athenian women that withhold sex from their warrior husbands for fighting in the Peloponnesian war, disrupting social setup. The play is one of the most studied and staged play in the world. Accordingly, Spike Lee and Kevin Wilmott, too, borrows thematically and stylistically from the play in the movie, Chi-Raq. The movie is set in modern day America in the city of Chicago. It stars the best of actors like Samuel L. Jackson, Wesley Snipes, Angela Bassett, Nick Cannon, Jennifer Hudson, etc.

In his films of the late 1960s and the early 1970s, Jörn Donner, a Swedish-speaking Finnish author, critic and film director, employed his body and popular media image as a contemporary celebrity for narrative and marketing purposes. Focusing on the film Naisenkuvia/Portraits of Women (1970), a metanarrative about the alliance of art cinema and pornography in the 1960s and a parody of Donner’s public persona, this article investigates Donner’s ‘authoring practices’ and gestures of authorial ‘self-projection’ amidst the mediatized sexual revolution of the 1960s. Portraits of Women reveals Donner's appropriation and analysis of a newly sexualized public sphere, but the film also reads as a crisis point. While capitalizing on his public persona by casting himself as the male lead, Donner was forced to acknowledge that self-fashioning in the sphere of public sex escapes authorial control.

Questo volume indaga la relazione tra pubblicità cinematografiche e sessualità in un periodo chiave della storia nazionale, quello che va dalle prime elezioni dell'era repubblicana nel 1948 all'apertura delle prime sale a luci rosse alla fine degli anni Settanta. In questi trent'anni la società italiana passa da un forte controllo di matrice clericale a una fase di totale caduta dei tabù e intrattiene un intenso dialogo con un cinema che, a sua volta, attraversa un vertiginoso processo di sessualizzazione riscontrabile non solo nelle pellicole, ma anche nei materiali promozionali diffusi per le strade e nelle pagine di quotidiani e riviste, i quali vanno a formulare al pubblico proposte eterogenee in merito alla diffusione di nuovi stili di vita e nuovi modi di concepire la sessualità. L'autore analizza questo processo esaminando una serie di questioni che vanno dai meccanismi di funzionamento del marketing cinematografico al rapporto che esso intrattiene con le culture visuali dell'epoca, dalla relazione che i manifesti di contenuto erotico instaurano con lo spazio urbano e con il modo in cui esso viene esperito dai suoi abitanti, fino al ruolo della sessualità nelle pubblicità rivolte agli operatori del settore e alla rappresentazione della cartellonistica nel cinema del periodo.

Since its origins in the mid-1970s, the slasher has been defined as a subgenre of horror in which a serial or mass killer stalks and massacres middle-class youngsters, and preferably attractive young women, using cutting weapons or projectiles. In that regard, the twenty-first century has seen a revival of the slasher, combining the release of original movies with remakes of classic films, adapting the traditional plots to the current context. In this paper, a comparative content analysis is performed on 13 slasher films made during the 1970s and the 1980s and 13 remakes premiered in the new millennium, focusing on the differences stemming from the adaptation of the latter to the new sociocultural context. The results indicate that, although there have been a number of changes, such as higher doses of explicit violence and profanity and in the fight responses of the victims, most of the subgenre's defining traits have remained intact, whereas others, such as those relating to the defining traits of the victims, should be questioned. The limited differences found between the original films and the remakes provide the basis for drawing interesting conclusions about the subgenre itself, as well as to raise discussions about the different contexts of production and reception.

This chapter examines the role of screen costume in fashioning masculinity, focusing upon two recent film and BBC TV drama representations of Sherlock Holmes (Guy Ritchie 2009, Gatiss and Moffat BBC TV series 1, 2010). Masculine dress within these texts supports the ongoing reimagining of the character of Holmes, but also creates intrusive spectacular interventions. A complex three-way tension is created within these two texts, between surface adornment, space and the body. In the interaction between garments and the moving body, the former are raised to the level of fetish, offering visual pleasures that classical fetishism cannot fully account for.

The essays included in this collection all explore non-normative representations of gender and sexuality in contemporary popular fantasy. Each focuses on a specific form of cultural product or media, including, but not limited to: tv episodes and series, films, video games and MMORPGs, novels and short stories, comics and graphic novels, role-playing and board games, and fanfiction.

The intention in this collection is engage directly and explicitly with an enormously successful popular genre which is often overlooked by literary and cultural criticism, rather than to look at 'the fantastic' broadly conceived. Previous studies of fantasy fiction have often tended to distinguish between popular fantasy and the literary fantastic, opting to focus on the latter at the expense of the former. While film, television and game studies have engaged with popular fantasy this has often been primarily on the basis of its reinforcement of gender and sexuality norms, rather than considering the possibilities afforded by the genre. Fantasy has also been subject to a range of criticisms centred around both its popularity and its perceived escapism, from scholars of realism and from scholars of other non-realist genres, such as horror and science fiction. In contrast to many claims made about the fantasy genre being necessarily conservative/reactionary, (see, for example, Suvin 1972, Stockwell 2000, Freedman 2000) this collection will explore the ways in which this genre can be and is being used to reflect on the contingency of gender and sexuality norms.

The majority of essays here focus on immersive secondary world fantasy. By making a fantasy immersive the audience is given the illusion of the suspense of the social rules of the society in which they live. An immersive secondary world is one in which literally anything could happen. In creating a fantasy world anything is possible, therefore writers, artists, directors and producers of fantasy worlds must acknowledge a degree of responsibility for their world beyond that of other creators. Therefore, it is appropriate for the various authors in this collection to interrogate the ways in which these worlds are created.

Our interests here are in the ways in which the producers of fantasy texts – visual, game, cinematic, graphic and literary texts - are able to play with gender and sexuality, to challenge and disrupt received notions and to allow and encourage their audiences to imagine ways of being outside of the constitutive constraints of socialized gender and sexual identity. This study is not significantly concerned with the critique of fantasy texts which duplicate or reinforce existing prejudices about gender and sexuality – there is already a growing body of scholarship concerned with exactly this approach – rather our interest is to discuss and focus on those texts, media and cultural products which explore or attempt to make possible non-normative gendered and sexual identities.

The article discusses the issue of instrumentalisation and objectification of corporeality and sexuality. The issue was considered in the context of forms possible to distribute by the media. The starting point is general tabloidisation in the contemporary culture, which changes due to new technologies of production, recording and distribution. The body, nudity and violence are becoming a tool of inducing shock, dazzling with vulgarity and breaking taboos in order to satisfy sexual needs and curiosity. The ability to access previously restricted content or content which was previously not feasible due to the lack of universality of the media, causes that these forms find their customers.
This problem has been reduced to the so called "hard pornography" (pornography using and presenting violence); however, attention should be paid to a broader range of issues which included (1) the actual sexual violence, (2) real sexual relations of BDSM partners and (3) sexual violence in pornographic films. In fact, in each of these situations we will talk about different forms of instrumentalisation and objectification of human corporeality.
          The text presents the thesis that the legal sphere related to ius publicum, which is shaped by participation in the public sphere, has a significant impact on private life. Hence the dominance of particular social narratives (ideology, ethics, etc.) affects the legal sphere, which interferes to a great extent with the private sphere of people. We should also stress the change in the meaning of what was called pornography – from tools to express political ideas to contents aiming at providing amusement and satisfaction on different levels.
          The legal issue related to the so-called hard-core pornography (pornography using and presenting violence) has been generally presented on the example of the Polish Criminal Code. Of particular importance is art. 202, § 3, which defines criminal penalties for distribution, production, recording, importing, storage and possession of "hard pornography" (the text is limited to the analysis of pornography using and presenting violence).



          Artykuł podejmuje problematykę instrumentalizacji i uprzedmiotowienia cielesności i seksualności człowieka. Problem rozważany był w kontekście przekazów, możliwych za pomocą środków społecznego przekazu. Punktem wyjścia jest tabloidyzacja przekazu w ogóle we współczesnej kulturze, która zmienia dzięki nowym technologiom produkcji, utrwalania i przekazywania treści. Ciało, nagość i przemoc stają się narzędziem wywoływania szoku, epatowaniem wulgarnością i przełamywaniem tabu w celu zaspokojenia potrzeb seksualnych jak i ciekawości. Możliwość dostępu do treści wcześniej zabronionych lub treści, które wcześniej były nie osiągalne z powodu braku powszechności przekazów, powoduje, że przekazy te znajdują swoich odbiorców.
Problem ten został sprowadzony do tzw. „pornografii twardej” (pornografia z użyciem i prezentacją przemocy), jednakże należy zwrócić uwagę na szerszy zakres tej problematyki czyli m.in. (1) faktycznej przemocy seksualnej, (2) faktycznych relacji seksualnych partnerów BDSM i (3) przemocy seksualnej w filmach pornograficznych. W zasadzie w każdej z wymienionych sytuacji będziemy mówić o różnych formach instrumentalizacji i uprzedmiotowienia cielesności człowieka.
          W tekście przedstawiono tezę, że znaczny wpływ na życie prywatne ma przestrzeń prawna związana z ius publicum, która kształtowana jest przez partycypację w sferze publicznej. Stąd dominacja poszczególnych narracji społecznych (ideologii, etyki itd.) wpływa na przestrzeń prawną, a ta ingeruje w szerokim zakresie w sferę prywatną człowieka. Należy również zwrócić uwagę na zmianę znaczenia czegoś, co określano mianem pornografii – od narzędzia wyrażania idei politycznych do przekazów mających jedynie za cel dostarczanie rozrywki i satysfakcji na różnych poziomach.
          Problem prawny związany z tzw. twardą pornografią (pornografia z użyciem i prezentacją przemocy) w ogólnym zarysie przedstawiono na przykładzie rozwiązań w polskim kodeksie karnym. Szczególne znaczenie ma art. 202 § 3, który określa odpowiedzialność karną za rozpowszechnianie, produkcję, utrwalanie, sprowadzanie, przechowywanie i posiadanie „twardej pornografii” (w tekście ograniczono się do analizy pornografii z użyciem i prezentacją przemocy).

This chapter examines the role of screen costume in fashioning masculinity, focusing upon two recent film and BBC TV drama representations of Sherlock Holmes (Guy Ritchie 2009, Gatiss and Moffat BBC TV series 1, 2010). Masculine dress within these texts supports the ongoing reimagining of the character of Holmes, but also creates intrusive spectacular interventions. A complex three-way tension is created within these two texts, between surface adornment, space and the body. In the interaction between garments and the moving body, the former are raised to the level of fetish, offering visual pleasures that classical fetishism cannot fully account for.

The emotionally inept (mostly) male protagonists that exist in American 'smart' cinema are frequently in search of love and driven by their desire for another. While sex might feature in discussions between characters, or we are witness to the uncomfortable aftermath of a sexual encounter, the actual sex act rarely features. When it does, it generally confirms the character's solitude, strangeness and desperation via solo sexual pursuits and masturbatory ventures or their romantic and sexual incompetence as part of a dysfunctional couple. Sex, it seems, is subject to the same 'dispassion, disengagement and disinterest' as any other narrative device (Sconce 2002). The overwhelming message appears to be that physically and emotionally satisfying sex is unachievable for these idiosyncratic individuals; they are destined to have bad sex.

There are some interesting exceptions. The aim of this paper is to explore how three films manage to successfully elude the threat of sexual failure while retaining the awkward qualities of the quirk. Being John Malkovich, Her and Anomalisa present narratives that navigate the unsteady terrain of identity and, to a large extent, conform to claims that smart cinema is characterised by repression and miscommunication. Yet, in their respective sex scenes, the sex act becomes the space for authentic and honest connections that appear impossible across their wider narratives, revealing their character's passion, engagement and interest. In doing so, this paper also considers the potential of smart cinema to raise meaningful questions about sexual identity in spite, and because of, its unconventionality whether through puppet sex, phone sex with a virtual assistant or sex via a portal into an actor's body.

This chapter will be significantly revised, updated and expanded in my forthcoming monograph 'Fashion and Film' (Bloomsbury) to also discuss costume and fashion in Skyfall (2012).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/James-Bond-World-Popular-Culture/dp/144382867X