How important is sex in your horror films?

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

This is pretty much what I took your post to mean Vipp, except I class Exploitation as a multi-tiered genre entity which whilst encompassing some horror, is more style driven and includes all manner of genre films. Genre is subjective though of course.

Exploitation is a completely different scenario as sex and nudity was a very big factor in films of this type - often being the core theme, but exploitation as a genre is pretty much dead nowadays and these pseudo 'grindhouse' exploitation films hardly cut it when compared to the grimy oddball sleaze-fests of yesteryear. They go all out to 'force' the exploitation aesthetic, which in turn leads them to fail as you can't truly reproduce a product of a different time and mentality.

As I mentioned before, my feelings are that nudity in general horror especially nowadays is just a needless device that pushes the envelope to reel in the teen audience and entices them go and see the latest bland piece of shit from Platinum Dunes et al, just because some bimbo who can't act gets topless. This is why it is certainly not a necessity for me.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Vipp

Again thank you all for making this debate fun and also respectful.

It's an interesting topic Vipp, with no real black and white perspective.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Vipp

Now you're starting to sound like the wife.... I can't let her win this argument! HAHA!

I want to watch horror movies and sometimes they have nudity or sex but i don't buy the films for those scenes even if they don't bother me too much.

Again thank you all for making this debate fun and also respectful.

I don't think anyone buys horror films for nudity or sex.

I buy them to be entertained, thrilled, chilled and yes, even titillated, as these are all elements of horror cinema, perhaps not at the same time, but all still essential in the genre we know and love.

But never for sex and nudity. There's the whole of cyberspace for that.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I don't think anyone buys horror films for nudity or sex.

I buy them to be entertained, thrilled, chilled and yes, even titillated, as these are all elements of horror cinema, perhaps not at the same time, but all still essential in the genre we know and love.

But never for sex and nudity. There's the whole of cyberspace for that.

Agreed 100%...

...So therefore you're saying it's not a necessity then!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Agreed 100%...

...So therefore you're saying it's not a necessity then!

You're misinterpreting me and you know it.

The titillation part usually requires sex or nudity....or goats MTDS.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

You're misinterpreting me and you know it.

[Bringer Of Funerals]

To me it normally ruins a film, mainly because these sex scenes just come out of nowhere and serve no purpose to the story.

[JoshuaKaitlyn]

Although I voted 'Not Important' nudity was one of the main reasons I originally got into the films of Jean Rollin and Jess Franco and started collecting 'Redemption' VHS tapes, (none of which sadly I now own). But as I've gotten older not so important now.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Bringer Of Funerals

To me it normally ruins a film, mainly because these sex scenes just come out of nowhere and serve no purpose to the story.

I disagree. Often they are the catalyst for the next murder. For example, girl goes skinny dipping then you know the killer is about to strike.

Even Hitchcock made viewers believe they'd seen Janet Leigh naked in the shower at the time Norman Bates offed her.

[Jinx_Barkman]

Sex is a primal instinct. With that being said I agree with many of the sentiments shared in this thread. The way most films use it is completely distracting and gratuitous. There are exceptions as Dem has pointed out but most of the time it just feels like they're reaching for an easy way out. I suppose I would be 1 but I'm sort of neutral as I don't think it affects the entire film negatively, even when it's over the top. Also, it appeals to the inner, pubescent boy in me. (female nudity that is)