LuckyWillAwkward sex scenes portrayed in film..
October 18th 2006 07:39
Sometimes, this intimate act between 2 or more people (and not necessarily heterosexual) can be a little awkward and doesn't always play out like we envisioned in our fantasies. This can be due to yourself not performing or likewise not reaching a state of pre-cigarette bliss or to the other person who didn't satisfy you. As hard as it is to bring up, (no pun intended) it's even harder to comunicate these sexual problems. Before sounding like one of the spam e-mails asking you to sign up to a "wonder drug", I'll get right into it.
Here are my top 4 awkward sex scenes portrayed in film which may just resemble your own predicaments, before or after, or even during.
Brokeback Mountain - the intial tryst between actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger is free of caring or sensitivity and rather forceful. More of a physical act of manifest uncontrollable passion than bridging the developing feelings between the two characters, it's climax is unsentimental and fairly removed of sensitivity. One could easily argue it's f*cking rather than sex or love-making. This is a type of 'heat of the moment' sex scene whereby the feelings of each aren't at all expressed through the sex scenes and really serve to eliminate the awkward tension felt by both.
Taxi Driver - Robert De Niro concedes to doing push ups to improve the look of his gut before taking all of his clothes off for an "encounter". I'm pretty sure it's from Taxi Driver, but if not, let me know. This awkward moment of spontaniety not fitting in with our usual lives of having to live with our naled body ourselves beautifully illustrates the anxiety of the situation being realised and previously unprepared for.
A History of Violence - The sex scene involving Maria Bello and Viggo Mortenson is one of the most complex and awkward events post-coital. Wanting this sexual release to find what you used to have (I guess many ex's have similar feelings) even through things are irrevocably changed. I won't spoil the film and elaborate more but it's truly a difficult and uncomfortable experience that just happens to be on the staircase also.
The Cooler - Inadequacies are always awkward whether from the female or the male but none so much as to the 'wedding tackle' or 'love bat'. This discrimination is wonderfully handled in what could have been a exhale-stopping performance as Maria Bello once again has to endure an awkward sex scene. But she does this particular one with poise and grace, offering, "I love your cock", implictly denying the small stature of William H Macy after a sex scene.
So there we have but a few awkward sex scenes in cinema that can easily represent daily lives, that sometimes are just as uncomfortable to sit through. Again, no pun intended.
Image taken from:
foodandfilms.com
and artechock.de
Here are my top 4 awkward sex scenes portrayed in film which may just resemble your own predicaments, before or after, or even during.
Brokeback Mountain - the intial tryst between actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger is free of caring or sensitivity and rather forceful. More of a physical act of manifest uncontrollable passion than bridging the developing feelings between the two characters, it's climax is unsentimental and fairly removed of sensitivity. One could easily argue it's f*cking rather than sex or love-making. This is a type of 'heat of the moment' sex scene whereby the feelings of each aren't at all expressed through the sex scenes and really serve to eliminate the awkward tension felt by both.
Taxi Driver - Robert De Niro concedes to doing push ups to improve the look of his gut before taking all of his clothes off for an "encounter". I'm pretty sure it's from Taxi Driver, but if not, let me know. This awkward moment of spontaniety not fitting in with our usual lives of having to live with our naled body ourselves beautifully illustrates the anxiety of the situation being realised and previously unprepared for.
A History of Violence - The sex scene involving Maria Bello and Viggo Mortenson is one of the most complex and awkward events post-coital. Wanting this sexual release to find what you used to have (I guess many ex's have similar feelings) even through things are irrevocably changed. I won't spoil the film and elaborate more but it's truly a difficult and uncomfortable experience that just happens to be on the staircase also.
The Cooler - Inadequacies are always awkward whether from the female or the male but none so much as to the 'wedding tackle' or 'love bat'. This discrimination is wonderfully handled in what could have been a exhale-stopping performance as Maria Bello once again has to endure an awkward sex scene. But she does this particular one with poise and grace, offering, "I love your cock", implictly denying the small stature of William H Macy after a sex scene.
So there we have but a few awkward sex scenes in cinema that can easily represent daily lives, that sometimes are just as uncomfortable to sit through. Again, no pun intended.
What are some of your favourite awkward sex scenes in film?
Or, do you have a similar experience to the ones above that mimic the on-screen versions?
Or, do you have a similar experience to the ones above that mimic the on-screen versions?
Image taken from:
foodandfilms.com
and artechock.de
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Comment by Shani
Comment by Stanley
i actually don't see the need for sex scenes in the majority of hollywood films. so overdone and unrealistic. the worst ones from recent memory were in miami vice. i guess that suited the whole shite theme that michael mann was going for in that film.
Comment by Justin
I also thought it was very intense and complex. It was all-of-a-sudden and politically different from how the viewer is supposed to understand the interpersonal relations of love characters. Can't say I found it "hot" though! Ang Lee did a great job with it. Handling the scene (and also the film) with a type of objectivity yet enough sensitivity for the viewer to understand the characters as unordinary with their unresolvable tension towards each other and the rest of society, while not portaraying them as cowards, beasts or reckless.
Comment by Justin
Hah, not a fan of "Miami Vice" I take it? I think it's true Hollywood films invest in sex scenes for two reasons - a) to illustrate and gratify the feelings of two people for the viewer to predicatably understand, "oh, they must love each other"; b) for sensationalistic reasons to "heat up" the storyline.
Mann was going for each equally in "Miami Vice", which is probably why you didn't like it. Firstly to show "oh, they must have feelings for each other", and "ooh, this movie is saucy!", to an extent which really undermines the characters, from being ruthless people to now people with actual feelings in a tough world. I liked the film (as seen in the score I gave it when I reviewed it) but still had a problem with character development.
Comment by Cibbuano
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So was the first sex scene in The White Masai...
How about when Joe Pesci pushes Sharon Stone's head towards his crotch in Casino?
Comment by DuskDevi
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Don't really want to admit this but I was curious...I mean, how bad could it have been?
The Bennifer sex scene in 'Gigli'...it was not just awkward, it was BAD.
That "turkey..." line...O Lord...someone got paid to write it.
And the sex scene in 'Damage' when Juliette Binoche's head is used as a hammer...
And any pre bloat James Spader movie.
Neo and Trinity getting their 'trix on in '...Reloaded'...the spinal plugholes, all that translucent flesh...yuchhhhh
Although it wasn't erotic it was still a provocative scene in 'History of Violence'. It had nothing to do with love and passion, not even lust...Wasn't pretty. Wasn't supposed to be.
Also, why do moviemakers insist on showing couples making love on stairs (above scene exempted..that wasn't making love) and on the beach and in pools? Stairs hurt, sand is a bitch and pool water... um..dehydrates...
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
The urgent, clumsy sex between Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche in Damage
and in an abstract kinda way ... Marcello Mastrioanni trying and failing to get some sexual action and being chastised and harrassed for his own sexism and chauvinism in Fellini's City of Women
Comment by Justin
Didn't see "The White Masai", and forget Casino - I remember Sharon's character was fairly abused for the most part.
Hey DuskDevi,
I refrained from seeing Gigli due to the condemnation it got. Plus Ben Affleck I find is irritating and J-Lo at that point stumbled into trying to do pop-culture films for attention..
Yeah, James Spader pre-"Boston Legal" was fairly mysoginistic, e.g. "Wolf", "Secretary", etc.
I think the location (for sex/love scenes) is seen as arbitary for most film-makers, who give it little thought. It's a huge gap in my opinion as it reveals (or doesn't) about the characters inclinations and their relationship. So to 'un-problematise' the situation they choose nice scenery or incidental shots to illustrate the act rather than the situation irrespective of it's associational meaning or context. Some do it satisfactorily, but it's still fairly under-developed.
Hey Bryn,
I'll have to see "Damage" to comment on it.
Interesting thoughts on "City of Women" though.
Comment by postmoderncritic
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Uh, unlubricated rough anal sex sounds very painful to me... I was quite turned off by the BBM scene, although I was expecting quite the opposite.
It wasn't a sex scene, but the undesirable friction between the acting styles of Natalie Portman and Hayden Chirstensen in the Star Wars movies made me feel very awkward for sitting through their scenes (not sure if that's the type of awkward experience you were going for).
Comment by Justin
In reality as you just exemplified it does sound quite painful.
And yeah, the scenes supposedly iluustrating the Padme/Anakin love scenes in "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith", are just awful. Though it does somewhat account for why Darth Vader does decide to be hellbent on enslaving the universe to tyranny. ..Aside from his mentor wanting to kill him, his girlfriend dieing, etc.
Comment by Whatever
WHATEVER
Reality Bites, between Winona Ryder and Ben Stiller. Looked like it would have been pretty sloppy.
Who could forget, American Pie, god awful. I suppose that was deliberate though hey.
Comment by postmoderncritic
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Comment by postmoderncritic
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I finally saw Taxi Driver a few weeks ago, and I don't remember such a sequence...
Btw, Jake's last name is spelled Gyllenhaal... not very forgiving on the eye, is it?
Comment by Justin
Even the emotional not physical intimacy between Winona and Ben looked contrived. One of the few performances where Ben isn't playing a comedic role we've come to know him for and suffice to say just doesn't look right.
Yeah, American Pie, most if not all of them were awkward.
Comment by Justin
Aah, no doubt it's harder to tell if foreign films portrayl of sex scenes is meant to be deliberately awkward or not.
Yeah, in regards to Taxi Driver I wasn't 100% on it. I'm sure it was an early film of De Niro's but couldn't put my finger on exactly which one..
Thanks for the correction, I've changed it. Unforgiving on the eye indeed - it sounds like some kind of pacific islander balm for reducing pain and/or swelling.
Comment by postmoderncritic
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I think the sex scenes in YTMT were meant to show just how inexperienced and out of their depth the two guys are, at least where the main female character is concerned.
LOL, sounds like you've been to the Pacific islands? The name means 'golden hall' in Swedish. Now if only it weren't phonetically disorienting...
Comment by Justin
Aah ok, I concede I haven't seen YTMT but heard of it randomly in a few places. Coincidingly this is another interesting point - why isn't inexperience an issue in films regarding sex. Only in teen comedies is it represented. In the books Ian Fleming penned of James Bond he's not so suave and even suffers 'erectile disfunction', err, can't get it up, particuarly in Casino Royale. Possibly it's an oversight with Hollywood rather than the greater industry. Some french films handle sex so much more realistic and substantianly.
Hah, nah, just was being imaginatively creative, haven't been to the Pacific islands. Golden hall sounds splendid albeit with the sexual connotations.
Comment by postmoderncritic
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