I initially planned to write an Antichrist-inspired list of most misogynistic movies ever made. But after some minor research, I decided that as a man, even one who has studied feminist film theory, I’m not the best judge of what titles to choose. Besides, I figure there are already enough places on the web where we can debate whether or not Neil LaBute and Lars von Trier are misogynistic filmmakers or if they are in fact the opposite.
I could have instead attempted a list of movies that are misandric, but I don’t think hatred towards men is equally as off-putting to male viewers as misogyny is to women. So, here’s something slightly similar, also inspired by Antichrist (particularly a disturbing genital-mutilation scene in the film), because there’s certainly nothing more difficult for men to watch than scenes in which male sex organs are harmed.
Of course, cinema has been hurting guys’ balls for laughs throughout the existence of motion pictures. And plenty of action and horror flicks depict castration by shotgun, knife, van door and other means on a regular basis. Therefore, I’ve gone specifically with these six sex scenes, since they add to the pain by first teasing pleasure. But no, masochistic delight is nowhere to be found in any of these hard-to-watch movie moments. …Read more
The Vicious Kind, a love triangle drama starring Adam Scott and Brittany Snow, directed by Lee Toland Krieger and executive produced by Neil LaBute, is described in the always remarkable Sundance catalogue as “a glimpse into the soul of a damaged man whose obstinate defense mechanisms are laid bare by his fractured relationships.” We subjected Krieger to the 4 Questions We Ask Everyone, and he divulged about his unusual choice of film stock and taking cues from Cassavetes, and twice implied seething hatred for Paris Hilton.
Has the PG-13 rating become something of a teaser for R-rated content? I’ve had this suspicion for some time now, but I feel it’s confirmed with the new trailer for the Prom Night remake. The horror flick is another PG-13 redo of an R-rated movie, another example of the contrast between the marketing allowances of now and then. But wait, is it just me, or does the Prom Night trailer feature subject matter that is still inappropriate for kids aged 13 to 16 (and younger, since the rating requires no ID)? Maybe there’s none of the soft-core nudity of the original, but there’s still that idea that prom is time for getting it on in a hotel room. Sure, the idea is nothing new to most kids, but that doesn’t mean it has to be encouraged — even if a slasher film like this can be interpreted as a punishment to those sex-having teens.
Regardless, though, of whether or not this movie features anything graphically or thematically inappropriate (disclaimer: I am no puritan nor censor; I saw the original Prom Nightwhen I was some single-digit age, and I came out just fine), the point is that it’s something of a lie to act as though kids under 17 are not going to be attracted to those graphics and themes that are being hinted at. Even if the kids don’t end up seeking out the real-deal, they’re likely to imagine their own interpretations of what falls between the lines. Plus, isn’t it possible that a movie can communicate or stimulate a falsely tame image of sex and violence by presenting tamed-down sexual and violent material?
We’ve had a bit of trouble getting this episode to go through the iTunes feed, so we hope this re-post will fix the problem. The original post, with episode description and embedded player, is here.
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