In the last chapter we looked at how history shaped our sense of nudity and sexuality as a way of discerning a collectible DVD once it is discontinued. This time I want to consider famous nude or scenes of sexuality that have sparked controversy or popularity.

In 1962, a young director approached Russian author, Vladimir Nabokov, to write a script for his controversial novel Lolita. Yes, that director was Stanley Kubrick at the age of 34 Kubrick was ready to do what would be the most controversial movie of his career to that point. While Nabokov initially declined, Kubrick eventually persuaded him to write a script. Nabokov, who is an author, churned out a 400-page script, much of it was not used as it would be a 6 hour film. Kubrick ultimately revised the script to a seemingly different version, but still attributed Nobokov full credit. The film was eventually barred from those 16 years or younger according to the Hays Code that was in place at the time due to suggestions of sexuality, particularly of old men having sex with pubescent girls. The book itself had difficulty getting published and had its debut in 1955 by a small press in France called Olympia Press. While its initial response was controversy over the subject matter, and evenutal banning from some countries (like the States until a few years later), it became an instant classic and is considered one of the greatest love stories ever written. Kubrick's version does have some differences, but in my opinion, has always kept in place the spirit of Nabokov's dark humor and style. In the film Lolita, the early scene in which Humpert Humpert (otherwise known as H.H.) first sees Lolita (played by Sue Lyon), is perhaps one of the most famous scenes of forbidden seduction and sensuality. Even the credit sequence was far more suggestive than at first glance. It was later re-imagined by director Adrian Lynne, but to disappointing and mixed reviews, but not without controversy as no distributor would touch it. It eventually fell to a cable premiere. I chose Lolita to open with as the term was coined at the publication of the novel to refer to young, sexual girls, usually younger than the age of consent.

Later Kubrick would strike more controversy in his film A Clockwork Orange, a movie adapted from Anthony Burgess' novel of the same name. It is argued whether Kubrick based the film on the 20-chapter version of the book or the 21-chapter version of the book. Supposedly the 20-chapter version deleted the last chapter due to its controversial nature at the time and was not privvy to American audiences, as the film does not address the final scenes of the book. This did not stop it from being controversial when Alex and his Droogs set out for the "ole in-out, in-out". The scene where they rape and pillage a writer and his wife's house remains a sore spot amongst most people, which warranted an X-rating, later to be cut by 30 seconds to get the R-Rating.

Famous scenes of nudity do not always come from controversial, exploitation or even films dealing with sexuality. Sometimes its the star that is nude that makes the scene imprinted in the minds of the culture. Consider Jennifer Connelley in her first nude scene in The Hot Spot. This voluptuous beauty made, in what would be a rather incidental film, rise to cult status. Or what about Julian Moore in Robert Altman's Short Cuts? She is innocuously moving about the house without her lower half dressed has caused alarming interest and recognition. Or, in the OOP world, there is Exit to Eden where the well-endowed Dana Delaney uncovers herself in the S&M comedy based on the Anne Rice book. In 1990, Spanish director Pedro Almodovar creates an unlikely comedy about abduction. In Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, stars Antonio Banderas and Victoria Abrile headline this NC-17 film. The scene in which Abril is taking a bath and allows a mechanical diver to float between her legs was not only risky and thought-provoking, it was sexy and funny. Exploitive films by their nature one would expect a certain amount of nudity, and because they are so abundant, there are few scenes which have the imprinting power of the more traditional types of films.

We can trek back to 1933 with the film Ecstasy (Extase)which showed one of the first popular on-screen nude scenes of Hedy Lamarr going skinny-dipping. This film was controversial by all means during its release and is now a legend in the field of exploitation cinema. Also in 1915, the first American female portrayed nude on the silver screen, Audrey Munson, in the film Inspiration. Later, in 1938, a controversial film, Child Bride, due to its main star, Shirley Mills, having nude scenes. From the 30's to the late 60's, the Hays Code was set to establish a conduct for studios to prohibit exploitive nudity, drug abuse, certain topics, etc., which made it only possible to view these tabboo articles outside the system or, minimally, outside the code. Few instances were allowed in which the nudity was not to promote titilation or sesuality, but for medical or educational reasons. This is basically how the exploitation era began. Instead of fighting the Hayes Code, they embraced it. So you end up with films like Reefer Madness, Ingagi, The Violent Years and so forth. All these films purported to show the wrong doings and their consequences, but ultimately were viewed as laughable entertainment. But because of their "intentions", they side-stepped the Hays Code, but with minimal and even independent distribution.

It was later towards the 60's that the "nudie cuties" would start to reveal themselves by showing nudity in a non-sexual context, such as at a nude camp or some similar situation. It was Russ Meyer's The Immoral Mr. Teas that showed female nudity in the context of sexuality outside of any educational forum. More recenetly was Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs which caused a disturbance for most audiences because of the violent rape scene. What people reacted to was different from what Peckinpah was suggesting. The audiences accused Peckinpah of glorifying violence and rape, while Sam argued the exact opposite. He detested violence. What the audiences were reacting to was not the rape scene itself, but how it was portrayed - through the point of view of the girl. Check out the scene below.

(Incidentally, i highly reccomend the Criterion Straw Dogs for its commentary which is superb in appreciating this film).

John Waters became notorious with his grotsque picture Pink Flamingos. The film stars Divine, an overweight transexual. The movie made its true mark in the final moments when Divine is walking down the sidewalk and stumbles upon some dog poo. Well, this not being a traditional film, s/he picks it up and eats it. This film, not being a high budget production, had no special effects. 'Nuff said.

Jamon Jamon and Dream Lover are two recent entries in the world in which famous actresses do excessive nude scenes. Penelope Cruz, the international star was noted in Belle Epoque and later in Open Your Eyes. Jamon Jamon however has many suggestive scenes that became well known once Cruz became international. Dreamlover stars Madchem Amick, most famous as Shelly from Twin Peaks. The movie Dreamlover was originally released on VHS in two versions, a rated and unrated version. A DVD release happened, but only in R-rated form and never the unrated. Scenes of Amick were of full frontal, many sex scenes, although nothing explicit. Swordfish was among the highly touted nude scenes, featuring for the first time well known celeb and model Halle Berry. It was reported she received some $500,000 for exposing her breasts on screen.

Back to Kubrick to wrap this section up. Eyes Wide Shut premiered with mixed reviews and less controversy. But it was not until later that controversy started to surround the film, some regarding his death (some suppose he revealed high degree rituals and so was "taken out"), but more in the fact that the ritualized orgies were digitally covered with sillouettes. The US version has most of the nudity blocked while the UK version allows the whole scene to be...seen. See here at DVDBeaver a comparison of the two versions. In relation to the DVD culture, much of this has been prohibited from public performance. While many artists have always fought for freedom of expression in which ever art they speak from, restrictions in any form has always been their base of creativity. Home Video has dispersed of any restrictions, for the most part, and allowed full frontal vieweing come into the scenery totally intact. So, in some instance, a DVD that goes on moratorium, for whatever reason, is almost a type of repression. The issues are different. Instead of what the public should or should not see, it is now an issue of what the public should or should not pay for.