Why is sex even needed in cinema?
Sex between characters is an integral and beloved part of mainstream cinema. Since ancient times, directors have added intimate moments to their films to stir the viewer's imagination.
From an artistic point of view, such scenes can carry different meanings: to show characters as close as possible or, on the contrary, to emphasize their vulnerability and suffering if, for example, it concerns violence. Sometimes authors simply want to attract attention and add controversy to the plot.
From a technical perspective, this is always a very complicated process, far removed from real sex.
When was orgasm first shown in a film?
Even in the early days of cinema, directors often shocked the audience by dressing their female characters in revealing outfits or showing them completely naked. For example, this happened in the grand film "Cleopatra" from 1917, starring Theda Bara— the sex symbol of that era. Unfortunately, the only copy of the film burned in a fire at the Fox studio in 1937.
Surprisingly, but in the USSR in 1930, a film titled "Earth" was released, in which the heroine Elena Maximova appeared on screen absolutely naked. And Joseph Stalin supposedly praised director Dovzhenko for this work and recommended shooting the actress more often. However, a couple of days later, the film was banned for its "incorrect interpretation of collectivization".
The revolution occurred in 1933 with the release of the Czechoslovak film "Ecstasy" by Gustav Machatý. In this film, budding actress Hedy Lamarr not only swam naked in a lake for 10 minutes but also simulated an orgasm on screen for the first time. Rumor has it Hedy Lamarr: Racy actor and technology pioneer , to achieve the illusion of real emotions, she was stabbed with a pin at that moment.
The film caused a real scandal. It was only shown in a shortened version without the most explicit scenes, and in many countries it was banned from distribution altogether. Interestingly, Lamarr later fled to the USA from her husband, who served the Nazis. Now she is more known not thanks to cinema: Hedy Lamarr became one of the developers of Wi-Fi.
Although "Ecstasy" struggled to hit the screens, after its release, European directors became bolder and increasingly began to show the simulation of sex. In the USA, censorship lasted longer, and in the USSR, until the early 90s, intimate moments in cinema were a great rarity.
Do actors agree on sex in advance?
Now, filming intimate scenes is a fully organized process that begins at the hiring stage of the actor in the film. The actor is provided with a contract that must specify literally everything: the degree of nudity, which intimate body parts will be shown on camera, how close and how long they plan to show them.
In addition, the actor and producer can set additional conditions. For example, a prohibition on the use of similar material in the film's advertising. And even if the artist signed this document, he has the full right to withdraw it before beginning work on the scene.
Of course, much of the consent depends on communication with the director. He must explain in advance Good sex scenes: when actors play it safe how everything will look.
Each movement is already known before work begins, and I candidly talk to my actors about what will be visible, where the camera will be, what the actions will be. I constantly use such words as "nipple" and "vagina" to clearly explain to the artists how we will film. And when we work, we do stick to the script. I don't come to the actors with additional details that may be unacceptable.
But there is another approach. Seth Rogen believes that it’s easiest to invite a porn star to film explicit scenes: "For her, it will be the easiest job of the week."
Are sex scenes rehearsed like all others?
Not only Paul Verhoeven but also many other directors plan literally every movement in intimate scenes in advance. For example, David Fincher. This author is known for his meticulous attention to detail in his films. And on-screen sex is no exception.
For example, Neil Patrick Harris told Metamorphosis how precisely he directed intimate moments in "Gone Girl".
We had to rehearse every inch. "You take his penis in your mouth, do the following number of movements, and then you ejaculate." It was strange; we were technically breaking down the sex scene. He wanted it to be almost robotic.
The downside of this approach is a large number of takes. If the director tries to fit everything into a pre-prepared scheme, actors have to repeat the same movements over and over again. The same David Fincher makes them do up to 50 takes, which, of course, tires the artists. Other authors try to get it done in a few attempts.
Is there really no spontaneity at all?
Some directors care more about making the scene look alive and emotional. Therefore, they leave room for spontaneity or trust the guidance to the actors themselves. For example, Kate Winslet shared “Oh F***, I’ve Forgotten How to Act”: Kate Winslet, Back in the Awards Race With Same-Sex Romance ‘Ammonite,’ on Getting Back to Work that she planned the sex scenes with Saoirse Ronan for the film "Ammonite" herself, and director Francis Lee supported this initiative. This made the actresses feel more comfortable.
Oscar-winning Jean-Marc Vallée also believes that excessive choreography only harms the naturalness of the process. For instance, in his famous film "Wild," some of the positions taken by the actors originated Shooting Film and TV Sex Scenes: What Really Goes On right during the filming process.
It wasn’t specifically planned that this guy would take Reese Witherspoon, flip her over, and enter from behind. But that just happened while we were shooting.
However, he emphasizes that the tone and main actions in the scene must be pre-thought-out and agreed upon. Otherwise, it can end up like in Bernardo Bertolucci's scandalous film "Last Tango in Paris". During the work, the director and star Marlon Brando spontaneously devised a scene in which the character uses butter as lubricant and anally rapes Maria Schneider's character. However, the actress was not informed about it in advance.
Of course, this added to the naturalism: there was genuine fear on Schneider's face. But after this film, she completely ceased communication with the director and repeatedly accused him of inappropriate behavior.
For everything to turn out, must the actors get close?
At what point in the film's production should explicit scenes be filmed is a disputed question. Most actors and directors believe it’s better to postpone them to a later period. By this time, on-screen partners know each other better and find it easier to relax.
However, there are exceptions. For example, actress Jenna Fischer shared Xmas-Card Addict: Jenna Fischer that the sex scene in the film "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" was filmed on the third day.
And Robert Pattinson believes that the better the actors get along with each other, the harder it is to work on the scene. Because instead of playing the role, they worry too much about their partner's comfort.
But still, this is rather the exception. Most authors try to introduce the artists to each other in advance and help them bond. Then the work goes easier. Partners support each other and sometimes entertain.
For example, Jamie Dornan— the star of the primary erotic hit of the 2010s "Fifty Shades of Grey"— shared on Graham Norton's show that he entertained his partner by making funny noises during the simulation of orgasm.
However, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, who played a couple in "Dirty Dancing," really disliked each other off-set. This complicated the work on intimate scenes significantly. Achieving the illusion of real feelings did not succeed on the first try.
Is the entire crew watching the sex?
A significant challenge for actors during the filming of explicit scenes is the large number of crew members. Technicians, lighting specialists, and dozens of other helpers constantly hustle around the set. Of course, it is difficult for many to convey any emotions when strangers are running around, and a camera operator looms above.
To reduce stress, everyone unnecessary is removed from the set when filming sex. Ideally, only the operator and director should be present. And Stanley Kubrick during the work on the film "Eyes Wide Shut" would stand behind the camera himself, remaining alone with the actors.
The rest depends on the technical capabilities and the requirements of the actors themselves. For instance, some request a more comfortable temperature. In addition, there may be assistants on set with robes ready to cover the body immediately after the take.
If possible, filming is also tried to be done from a distance. For this, zoom lenses are used: about the same as photographers use when shooting wild animals. Or the camera is operated remotely.
In recent years, an intimacy coordinator is usually also present on set. They ensure that the actors feel comfortable and are not under pressure.
Are the artists completely naked?
A whole team works to make the characters look as naked as possible, and they have a vast supply of props. Most often, performers simply wear flesh-colored underwear: they try not to include it in the frame or cover it up during post-production.
If it's necessary to show the body up close, additional tricks are employed. For women, there are special stickers What It’s Really Like to Shoot a Sex Scene, From Masters of Sex Creator Michelle Ashford .
It’s like a big patch that goes in front, covering the groin, and then tucks in at the back. It looks quite uncomfortable.
Men, on the other hand, have to wear something resembling a sock or pouch to tuck away anything that should not be visible in the frame.
In addition, realistic coverings are used for all necessary parts. This way, an actor can feel somewhat dressed, especially if he is unsure about the perfection of their body. Meanwhile, viewers will get the impression of full nudity.
The skin of the actors also requires some work. Wet and shiny bodies often flash on screen due to passion. However, sweating genuinely is not allowed: it would be unesthetic. Therefore, makeup artists use baby oil or glycerin, or even Vaseline.
The contact between on-screen partners may also be far less close than it appears in the final version of the film. Sometimes an unnoticeable pillow is used. And occasionally, an actor is filmed alone. If only particular body parts of the second character are visible, they are simply replaced with artificial limbs.
What do they do if an actor doesn't want to undress?
Actors have various attitudes towards nudity and explicit scenes in films. For example, Eva Green regularly undresses on screen if it serves an artistic purpose and reveals her character. On Jimmy Kimmel's show, the actress even joked with the host about the poster for "Sin City 2," which was deemed too revealing and overshadowed the actress's breasts. The gun in the frame did not bother anyone.
However, not all colleagues share her views. Reasons can vary: from principled positions to dissatisfaction with their body. For instance, "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker categorically refused to undress on screen.
In such cases, body doubles come into play. They can fully enact the scene for the actor. Then the actor's face is shown separately, while other angles are covered by extras.
This was vividly and humorously depicted in the film "Love Actually". There, Martin Freeman and Joanna Page played such doubles. Their characters completely undressed on screen instead of the actors and simulated sex. Meanwhile, the characters behaved very shyly with each other.
In other cases, there might be several body doubles. Each is responsible for a specific body part that will be shown up close, and it has to look perfect. For instance, in the film "Uninvited Guests," Isla Fisher's breasts are shown from one double and her bottom from another.
But technology is advancing, and there is now a possibility of showing the star's face in a very explicit scene. It can simply be added using CGI (computer-generated imagery) after filming the body double. A famous example is the public walk of a naked Cersei Lannister in "Game of Thrones". Instead of Lena Headey, who actually disrobed ‘Game of Thrones’: Lena Headey hits back at critics who shamed her , was an extra named Rebecca van Klief. The actress then recreated the scene in a flesh-colored outfit, and the footage was combined.
Another striking example is "Nymphomaniac" by provocation director Lars von Trier. This film repeatedly shows unsimulated sex scenes (even group ones) involving the main characters. Shia LaBeouf happily confirmed that he played everything personally. However, he was being disingenuous: they actually used Shia LaBeouf didn’t have real sex in Nymphomaniac CGI. Real sex was performed by invited porn actors, and their faces were added later.
So there is no real sex in films?
Not exactly. Some films have directors who decided not to use complicated stunts and choreography in erotic scenes and simply filmed real sexual acts. Of course, these are isolated examples of experimental cinema that is usually only shown at festivals.
Sometimes authors of such films try to maintain maximum realism, while in other cases, they simply want to shock the audience.
For instance, in 1971, director Melvin Van Peebles made the film "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" in the blaxploitation genre. Among other storylines (also quite provocative), the main character of this film was supposed to have sex with unfamiliar people. Unsurprisingly, there were no actors willing to participate, and the director had to play in his own film himself. Later he treated himself for gonorrhea.
In 1976, the film "In the Realm of the Senses" by Japanese director Nagisa Oshima caused a sensation at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is based on the true story of a courtesan, Sada Abe, who strangled her partner during sex. The realistic intimate scenes caused quite a scandal. In most countries, if the film was screened, it was shown in a censored version. However, in Cannes, it was dubbed "the first great erotic."
Moreover, we cannot forget about Lars von Trier again. Promoting his invented idea of "Dogme 95," according to which the director must adhere to realistic filming, he showcased group sex in the film "The Idiots." Moreover, one of the pairs was actually having sex. They invited two porn actors to achieve this.
And of course, we must mention one of the main provocateurs of modern cinema, Gaspar Noé. In many of his films, the actors engage in real sex. The film "Love" consists almost one-third of such scenes and was even shot in 3D. It is logical that the film never reached theaters in Russia.
Directors attempt to show real sex in mainstream cinema not only from male directors. For example, in 1999, Catherine Breillat released the provocative film "Romance X." It tells the story of a girl whose boyfriend refuses to be intimate with her, so the heroine starts seeking sexual adventures on the side. To support, Breillat even invited famous porn actor Rocco Siffredi to her project.
However, most often, it is more important for the authors to create the right atmosphere than to show real intimacy. That is why they go through all sorts of tricks and complexities. All for the sake of making the viewer feel pleasant.
