Comments on: How “X-rated” Came to Mean “Porn” and the Death of Movies for Grown-ups http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-rated-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-movies-for-grown-ups/ Real Talk About Making Real Sex Erotic Documentaries Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:28:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: tony http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-rated-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-movies-for-grown-ups/#comment-65317 tony Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:25:58 +0000 http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-grown-up-moviemaking/#comment-65317 Fad: For films like SHORTBUS or 9 SONGS, the theatrical runs are best understood as promotional vehicles for the ultimate release of the DVD. When a film has a theatrical run, critics write about the film, and that end up being a lot of free publicity. It's all a part of playing the game, and a part we need to get better at playing. Shanna: I am fortunate in that I have an uncle who has an extensive movie collection (on laser disc, then DVD) and an encyclopedic knowledge movie/Hollywood history. Since I was about 15 he made my education in film history one of his priorities. In fact, when writing this post, I called him to get more "adults only" film titles from the Golden Age. All I could remember was DUEL IN THE SUN. :-) Fad: For films like SHORTBUS or 9 SONGS, the theatrical runs are best understood as promotional vehicles for the ultimate release of the DVD. When a film has a theatrical run, critics write about the film, and that end up being a lot of free publicity. It’s all a part of playing the game, and a part we need to get better at playing.

Shanna: I am fortunate in that I have an uncle who has an extensive movie collection (on laser disc, then DVD) and an encyclopedic knowledge movie/Hollywood history. Since I was about 15 he made my education in film history one of his priorities. In fact, when writing this post, I called him to get more “adults only” film titles from the Golden Age. All I could remember was DUEL IN THE SUN. :-)

]]> By: Shanna (Essin' Em) http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-rated-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-movies-for-grown-ups/#comment-65310 Shanna (Essin' Em) Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:44:05 +0000 http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-grown-up-moviemaking/#comment-65310 I love that you know so much, and are so aware of the history of pornography. This blog isn't just a usual industry blog, it's always a learning experience, and I appreciate that so much. But what else should I have expected from the man who borrowed the name of Anthony Comstock from times of old :) I love that you know so much, and are so aware of the history of pornography. This blog isn’t just a usual industry blog, it’s always a learning experience, and I appreciate that so much.

But what else should I have expected from the man who borrowed the name of Anthony Comstock from times of old :)

]]> By: Fad23 http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-rated-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-movies-for-grown-ups/#comment-65308 Fad23 Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:22:47 +0000 http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-grown-up-moviemaking/#comment-65308 I don't think the majors have a stake in films about sex at the moment, short of the summer teen film like American Pie, or whatever happens to be playing at the moment. I'm not really concerned with the ends of the big corporations, but with the right of audiences to be informed. It seems now that there are many films (about sex, and not) that are looking for audiences. I suppose that I'm really more concerned about finding ways for the public to hear about smaller films that they'd (arguably) want to see. So if Shortbus only played on 52 screens, why weren't those theatres full? I guess JCM knew that this movie was going to be seen by more people on DVD than ever in the theatre. Anyway, thanks again for the thoughts. I don’t think the majors have a stake in films about sex at the moment, short of the summer teen film like American Pie, or whatever happens to be playing at the moment. I’m not really concerned with the ends of the big corporations, but with the right of audiences to be informed. It seems now that there are many films (about sex, and not) that are looking for audiences.

I suppose that I’m really more concerned about finding ways for the public to hear about smaller films that they’d (arguably) want to see. So if Shortbus only played on 52 screens, why weren’t those theatres full? I guess JCM knew that this movie was going to be seen by more people on DVD than ever in the theatre.

Anyway, thanks again for the thoughts.

]]> By: tony http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-rated-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-movies-for-grown-ups/#comment-65296 tony Wed, 08 Aug 2007 12:04:43 +0000 http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-grown-up-moviemaking/#comment-65296 Before the court cases that made exhibition of films with explicit sex possible, truly hardcore, cunts and cocks detail oriented films were confined to loops that were seen in peep booths, or screen at Elks' Lodge smokers. When DEEP THROAT was released, it was something truly novel: a film filled with explicit sex that had something resembling a storyline, with production values on par with the cheap exploitation flicks people had been seeing at drive-ins for years. And it was playing at regular movie theaters. You didn't have to go anywhere weird or uncomfortable to see it. People were curious, people were turned on, and of course the social mores of the 70s didn't hurt either. I think the reason that films like SHORTBUS or 9 SONG "fly under the radar" is that after 30 years of truly awful depictions of actual sex, most people think that making a film that centers around showing people "doing it" is nothing more than a sad joke. Add to that the fact that we've had two first-rate porn scares in the last thirty years; The Meese Comission in the 80s, and Ashcroft/Gonzales in the 00s, and anything to do with sex on film has gone into a sort of "don't ask, don't tell" limbo. Now if SHORTBUS or 9 SONGS (both produced on tiny budgets) went on to make BLAIR WITCH PROJECT sized returns, there's no doubt in my mind that Hollywood would take notice. But as it stands now the game is rigged so that this just can't happen. If I recall correctly, SHORTBUS played on a total of 52 screens nation-wide. 52 screens? I'd guess 9 SONGS played on even fewer. Why would the majors, who are making real money by making real films with real budgets waste their time on sexy movies that can't make money and might get them hauled in front of a senate hearing? Before the court cases that made exhibition of films with explicit sex possible, truly hardcore, cunts and cocks detail oriented films were confined to loops that were seen in peep booths, or screen at Elks’ Lodge smokers.

When DEEP THROAT was released, it was something truly novel: a film filled with explicit sex that had something resembling a storyline, with production values on par with the cheap exploitation flicks people had been seeing at drive-ins for years. And it was playing at regular movie theaters. You didn’t have to go anywhere weird or uncomfortable to see it.

People were curious, people were turned on, and of course the social mores of the 70s didn’t hurt either.

I think the reason that films like SHORTBUS or 9 SONG “fly under the radar” is that after 30 years of truly awful depictions of actual sex, most people think that making a film that centers around showing people “doing it” is nothing more than a sad joke.

Add to that the fact that we’ve had two first-rate porn scares in the last thirty years; The Meese Comission in the 80s, and Ashcroft/Gonzales in the 00s, and anything to do with sex on film has gone into a sort of “don’t ask, don’t tell” limbo.

Now if SHORTBUS or 9 SONGS (both produced on tiny budgets) went on to make BLAIR WITCH PROJECT sized returns, there’s no doubt in my mind that Hollywood would take notice. But as it stands now the game is rigged so that this just can’t happen. If I recall correctly, SHORTBUS played on a total of 52 screens nation-wide. 52 screens? I’d guess 9 SONGS played on even fewer.

Why would the majors, who are making real money by making real films with real budgets waste their time on sexy movies that can’t make money and might get them hauled in front of a senate hearing?

]]> By: Fad23 http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-rated-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-movies-for-grown-ups/#comment-65258 Fad23 Wed, 08 Aug 2007 04:39:03 +0000 http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/08/07/how-x-came-to-mean-porn-and-the-death-of-grown-up-moviemaking/#comment-65258 I've never felt simultaneously vindicated and like a complete know-nothing at the same time. Thanks for the perspective. So would it take a new rating AND a new movement of films marketed to adults before something would take? Are we better off ignoring the MPAA altogether? The weird thing is that I'm beginning to believe that controversy is what drove so many people to see Deep Throat. That kind of controversy was completely alien to movies like Shortbus or 9 Songs. They both seemed to fly right under everyone's radar. Is that the consequence of our permissive (sic) society? Are conservative picketers the key to generating an audience? I’ve never felt simultaneously vindicated and like a complete know-nothing at the same time. Thanks for the perspective.

So would it take a new rating AND a new movement of films marketed to adults before something would take? Are we better off ignoring the MPAA altogether?

The weird thing is that I’m beginning to believe that controversy is what drove so many people to see Deep Throat. That kind of controversy was completely alien to movies like Shortbus or 9 Songs. They both seemed to fly right under everyone’s radar. Is that the consequence of our permissive (sic) society? Are conservative picketers the key to generating an audience?

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