Blowjobs = good cinema? ONLY TIME WILL TELL. |
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Last Thanksgiving, I spoke of a taboo in horror movies, cannibalism. Today I will tell of the great taboo of the world and its place in horror. That's right, SEXUAL INTERCOURSE. An act as natural as eating, breathing and dying, and yet is debated and argued perhaps more heatedly than anything else. Sexuality in general is one of the most mysterious and wondrous aspects of human behavior. Of COURSE I need to talk about it.
In mainstream film, sex is treated very gingerly. Usually the act is shown from specific angles and then fades away into a totally harmless scene, sometimes involving a puppy and/or clowns. When a movie shows the act in a very blunt way, such as Vincent Gallow's infamous fellatio scene in his film THE BROWN BUNNY, it is usually regarded as obscene and pornographic. Gallow has said that it was artistic, and deserves to be treated as art. However, the whole "What is art?" debate is for another time. Maybe when I'm dead, because that argument is very tiring.
In horror though, sex is usually depicted in a more carnal sense, very primal and animalistic. Within the more gory horror movies, blood is sometimes involved as well. Sex can become a venue of letting out your inner evil, or if you wanna go Freudian, your id out. Two lovers, or strangers, ripping into each through the deed of carnal lust. Violence can be involved as well, making it seem more like a brawl than an act of love. But 
Very worthy remake of the Vincent Price original. |
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that's the point; sex and love are not always intertwined.
Sexuality has been around in horror film since its beginnings. Dracula was suave, and would seduce his victims. Vampires as a whole are a very sexually charged group. They are creatures of the night, mysterious and they focus on the neck. Werewolves and mummies, eh, not so sexy, however if bestiality and necrophilia are your things...MOVING ON.
In the 1986 version of THE FLY, the character of Seth Brundle gradually becomes a Fly/Man hybrid-monster because of a freak lab experiment. But on the way to insect-ual oblivion, he gains supper strength, agility and energy. He becomes a perfect specimen of human physique. He brings home a girl and ravages her, wanting to go on for hours. The monster that is emerging craves sex and cannot be sated. Metaphor for the forbidden act perhaps?
However, sex can be shown as an amazing achievement between two people. In horror, it seems that the lines of prudence and political correctness are pushed back a bit, so the deed has a bit more freedom than it would in mainstream cinema. The shots are longer, the emotions higher and the sweat...uh, sweatier. In my opinion, horror shows sex in a more honest light. It doesn't hide or mask what it is, two bodies mashing into each other, trying to gain pleasure. Sometimes it's more, or maybe less, but horror usually tries to show it for what it is. And that's pretty neat.
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| The Lair of the Mad |
Every other Tuesday
'The Lair' discusses the many aspects and qualities of the horror genre. From actors, to make-up, to music, James Shafie explores everything the "cult" genre spews up.
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| James Shafie |
James Shafie is an avid watcher of movies of all sorts, but the horror genre is closest to his heart. He loves to read and is addicted to music, mostly metal and it’s thousands of sub-genres. He was once fired by Blockbuster, which we see as a strong character trait.
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