How Male Nudity Has Gone Mainstream In Movies, Theater And On TV

New York Observer:

In one of the many (many) startling scenes in the new HBO drama Tell Me You Love Me, which debuted Sunday night, a young, attractive married couple sit side by side on a sofa, watching a boxing match on TV. The wife unbuckles her husband's pants, and after some noisy kissing, she pulls away and says, "I want to see it." She sees it and--holy cow--so do we.

Over the past few months, the breathy buzz on the show--about married and almost-married couples in various stages of intimacy-related despair and dishabille--has centered on the amount of its frank sexual content. And it was there all right--from minute two, when a man masturbates under the covers, to real-time full-monty couplings, to angelic, white-haired Jane Alexander kissing meaningfully down her husband's graying chest.

Read the whole story: New York Observer

Comments

[overtheedge]

This is a good trend! Let's see more penises!

[Yourtalkingtoyourself]

Another idiotic "look at the perfect Europeans, they are doing it" argument. People have such Euro envy that they overlook how so many of their "enlightened" policies actually cause them much harm we choose to ignore in our normal exercise of american self-flagulation. You think many parts of Europe aren't having major discussions now about the relentless sexualization of their public spaces and airwaves?

[JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin]

My point was in response to this article. The article made it sound like "wow, Americans/HBO discover sex" like it's innovative that HBO and the others are doing this, when Europe have been doing it for years.

As for your "relentless sexualization" argument, it sounds a little right wingish to me, and I don't know where you got that from. Europe isn't perfect, and I don't romanticise it like many on the left do, but there is much to be learned from them.

[JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin]

Showing nudity doesn't matter....what matters is whether the film or the TV show is any good. European filmmakers have been showing nudity for years, even actual sex in films. We shouldn't be patting ourselves on the back just yet.

[Ginzaman]

More female nudity!

[cinemaven]

Viggo Mortensen naked? I'm in favour.

I've seen Harvey Keitel's penis and ass many more times than I care to (although he's a wonderful talent). It's a positive move that it's Viggo who'll be naked next.

The general rule of film is, you get to see any woman you can dream of naked but the only naked men you see are the ones you've never dreamed of seeing naked!

[stillfresh]

I don't think we've got much to worry about. Fat disgusting people abound wearing inappropriately tight clothes, halter tops and stretch pants. Female nudity in the movies, to my eyes, has had no effect on beautifying the clientele even at a decent Macy's. Don't count on men reacting much differently. You want to look at a gorgeous guy? Right. Go to a movie. There's nothing left in real life -- except fantasy.

[dadw5boys]

Male nudity is having the same effect that female nudity had on women. Men are more and more worried about their looks, spending more time in front of the mirror, young men are worried they won't be part of the sexual selection process unles they have those 6 packs, and they are becoming more VAIN just like women.
A constant flow of visual images IS telling people how they should be and what they should look like. This is setting NEW standards for ASSIMILATION into society.
This is a form of brainwashing as I see it!

[gakabani]

Simply put and well said. It is part of a marketing program.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

Therefore, all of us with belly guts and jiggly butts should stroll downtown sans any gown.
Let's affirm that excessive vanity means
a man has lost his sanity.