Pornography has long been a source of entertainment. For female viewers in particular, pornography can provide empowerment and validate many different sexual identities and expressions.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s film about the decade’s decadence within the porn industry manages to both capture its glamour and present an insightful account of its corrupt business practices, making for an excellent and timeless classic movie experience.
What is pornography?
Pornography refers to any artwork, video or media with sexually explicit content such as photos or movies that depict naked or disrobed people engaging in sexual acts for the sole purpose of entertainment and pleasure. The word pornography comes from Latin meaning porno „coarse” and graph „writing”. Pornography’s purpose is to appeal to sexual desires which conflict with God’s command to be chaste – viewing such content can be considered sinful behavior.
Although there can be a fine line between erotic art and pornography, it is important to keep in mind that intent lies with each person viewing an artwork; what may appear erotic for one may be considered pornographic by another (for instance a statue of Aphrodite may seem sexual to one viewer while semen stains could make another cringe), even when this kind of imagery features as part of a piece of artwork with other components like humor, irony or symbolic significance – so long as these other aspects also present themselves within.
Pornography often depicts people, particularly women and members from marginalized groups, as objects used for sexual pleasure. This form of entertainment often exploits and harms its subjects’ dignity while creating feelings of objectification and fetishism in viewers who watch it.
One of the main types of pornography is POV porn, which creates the impression of experiencing sexual acts from within. Gonzo pornography, an offshoot of POV, has similar filming styles but prefers close up shots of genitalia rather than full body shots/wide shots.
Pornography can now be easily found online through search engines like Google or Bing, with millions of people regularly accessing websites dedicated to pornographic material daily and searching for explicit images or videos containing sexually explicit material.
Studies have demonstrated the addictive nature of pornography. It stimulates certain areas of the brain, especially its reward circuit. This stimulation may lead to compulsive viewing or drug seeking behavior; additionally it could impede normal prefrontal cortex function that controls impulse and judgment processes.
Why are pornographic films made?
Films featuring sexually suggestive content have been produced ever since cinematic filmmaking was invented, yet their production was often illegal due to strong public opposition. Many governments worldwide have passed laws against such movies in an attempt to suppress them; with mixed success.
Erotic movies didn’t become mainstream in America until the late 1960s and 1970s. At that time, adult entertainment stars like Ron Jeremy, Christy Canyon, Ginger Lynn and John Holmes first rose to fame; plus directors like Harrison Marks. Furthermore, video tape was eventually adopted as the standard media in pornography production.
Since 1969 (Denmark was first followed by America), hardcore pornography has been legalised and many filmmakers were given permission to create explicit films which were shown both at adult theaters and pay-per-view channels; these movies eventually becoming part of an enormous business which continues today.
As society has become more accepting of depicting sexualized images, pornographic films have continued to be made. While some producers aim to excite sexual desires through their productions, others aim to tell a story or produce art pieces instead. Doing both successfully is very challenging work that only talented filmmakers are capable of accomplishing successfully.
Pornography is a challenging art to master as it requires an intimate knowledge of human anatomy and its functions. Filmmakers must know how to manipulate their camera in such a way as to highlight desirable body features while telling the desired story – this can be dauntingly difficult for newcomers in this field.
Another key element in creating a great pornographic film is casting. A beautiful cast will greatly increase its appeal to audiences and this is why so many films feature large ensembles of actresses or actors in their casts.
Pornographic films’ arousal factor depends on both physical characteristics of its cast members as well as how their scenes are directed. A director who can create an emotional connection between viewer and character will keep viewers coming back for more!
What are the genres of pornographic films?
Pornography filmmaking follows the same constraints of other forms of cinema, in that genres establish specific restrictions while also offering opportunities for artistic creativity. Working within any given genre imposes constraints but also provides space for artistic experimentation; working within it requires restrictions but can provide new avenues for expression if you use its potential narrative and sensory impact effectively.
Flesh films may be entertaining, but they are rarely attractive from an erotica standpoint. Watching an attractive actress get sexually assaulted in a moving truck (Throat), or hero with an infinitely erected penile (Pillow Party) likely won’t get anyone excited; especially if the soundtrack includes Pepsi commercial music as it often does in Flesh flicks. Instead of invoking feelings of evil these films tend to entertain by mocking it instead.
Recently, many sex films relied heavily on shock value to elicit reactions from their audiences; this strategy no longer works, and audiences for such movies now range from respectable middle-aged women all the way down to young people and men.
To reach this wider audience, films have moved away from shock tactics towards more lighthearted approaches to sexuality – often to great success.
The sex film industry has undergone several stages in an effort to restore some of its once-provocative nature when it became mainstream entertainment. At first, its sense of ill was generated by extreme cruelty and degradation during production; but over time this sense has faded as production has become an easier means of income generation for studios.
During the Golden Age of Pornography, films were typically created without much or any music at all. Music would typically serve only to provide rhythm and set a certain atmosphere in films containing sexual material; later sampled music became common before eventually giving way to full orchestral scores in the 1990s.
Early directors of sex cinema were unconcerned with technical proficiency or quality; instead they focused on conveying an image of sinfulness for their target audience to view on screen. Furthermore, fearful audiences didn’t care much for camerawork or editing of films, preferring instead just viewing something unsavory onscreen.
What are the effects of pornography?
Pornography may appear harmless at first glance, but for people struggling with porn addiction it can have serious physical, psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual repercussions. Perhaps its most obvious ramification is a loss of control over one’s viewing habits – becoming compulsively addicted means spending too much time in front of screens instead of engaging in productive activities like work or school. Furthermore, those addicted may experience withdrawal symptoms when not allowed to watch pornography.
Pornography’s influence over sexual attitudes and behaviors cannot be overstated. For instance, pornography can spread sexist beliefs which lead to harassment and violence against women; promote child sex – illegal and harmful activities; contribute to sexually transmitted diseases through depicting medical procedures which are too explicit or inappropriate for younger viewers; as well as increase sexually transmitted infections among male viewers.
Pornography can have serious repercussions for relationships. It can undermine trust and intimacy, leading to infidelity. Furthermore, pornography may induce sexual fantasies that clash with those of their partner(s), potentially leading to the collapse of that partnership altogether.
Studies have revealed that watching pornography leads to decreased relationship satisfaction and an increase in need for stimulation to reach orgasm, decreasing an individual’s sensitivity for others’ pleasure, increasing aggression levels and possibly leading to sexual harassment or even assault of women depicted on film.
Concerns once existed that pornography viewing would lead to an increase in sexual crimes; however, more recent research has disproved this notion. While people who view pornography may show patterns similar to substance abusers’ brain activity patterns and suffer higher rates of social anxiety and depression; those with porn addictions also tend to struggle distinguishing real from fantasy images which makes developing healthy relationships much harder.