In this day and age the term í¢â‚¬Ëœtabooí¢â‚¬â„¢ is losing its bite. No more so than in the arena of sex. Recent films have pushed the envelope so much there is very little left to push. í¢â‚¬ËœReal sexí¢â‚¬â„¢ has even begun creeping into mainstream films. And while this does not mean real sex is occurring in your latest summer blockbuster or romantic comedy, it does mean that sex scenes have found their way into films outside the adult film industry. Whilst this is mainly occurring in í¢â‚¬Ëœnon-mainstreamí¢â‚¬â„¢ experimental, art house, and foreign films, these films themselves are beginning to cross the boundary into the mainstream, appearing at regarded film festivals, reviewed by top critics and even available at your local Blockbuster. Yet, what are the film-makers trying to say with this new approach to sex on the screen? Do they have a point or it just porn?

Three relatively recent cases in point are Vincent Galloí¢â‚¬â„¢s The Brown Bunny, John Cameron Mitchellí¢â‚¬â„¢s, Shortbus, and the controversial French thriller, Baise Moi. These films all enjoyed a theatrical release without an R18 blue movieí¢â‚¬â„¢ rating (the BBFCí¢â‚¬â„¢s classification for pornographic material) They are, of course, dynamically different from porn in that the sex is not, necessarily, the main selling point, instead trying to offer something more alongside the skin: real stories, with real people engaging in real acts. But does it work?

The Brown Bunny from actor/director Vincent Gallo features a man musing over his lost love and ends in what has been reported as a real, live fellatio between himself and Chloe Sevigny. Does this scene serve much purpose other than showing some real sex? Well it all depends on what you take from the movie. It certainly doesní¢â‚¬â„¢t propel the narrative in any way or make the film particularly better or worse, leaving many to claim it another shallow attempt by Gallo to try and create í¢â‚¬Ëœart.í¢â‚¬â„¢

Shortbus features the exploits of a young therapist, who is taken to the New York sex club of the same name, and finds her world opened up both sexually and personally. This film succeeds in providing a refreshing and upbeat attitude towards sex, but with simulated sex having sufficed for so many years, was the í¢â‚¬Ëœreal sexí¢â‚¬â„¢ depicted needed at all? Is it just í¢â‚¬Ëœmainstreamí¢â‚¬â„¢ directors playing at porn? Distinctive to Shortbus though, is that the director is at least trying to tell a story through real characters engaging in real sex, and the successes of this approach set it apart from films such as Brown Bunny.

French thriller Baise Moi, directed by and starring two porn actresses, follows their violent revenge on the men who treat them like dirt. Real sex, including rape and fellatio are featured prominently, alongside some very extreme violence. The film seems to contain little more content than sex, violence and mayhem, only without the porno label, though there remains a valid point to be argued in that the makers are trying to make a point through the graphic and violent sex. Do we need to see real penetration when a character is being raped? Is it right to shy away from the reality of sexual violence? Suggestion has worked as an effective tool in film for years, but if films like Shortbus can use real sex, are any apprehensions towards a violent thriller like Baise Moi only a matter of taste? Whatever the answer, Baise Moi comes off more exploitative than daring.

Perhaps the most controversial and effective moment of real sex in recent cinema was the brief shot of fellatio witnessed by Meg Ryan in Jane Campioní¢â‚¬â„¢s erotic thriller In the Cut. Although only a few seconds long, this moment was a big step for on screen sex in its very presence in a film released by a major studio and shown at hundreds of multiplexes worldwide. The scene challenges the í¢â‚¬Ëœsafetyí¢â‚¬â„¢ of mainstream cinema without compromising the integrity of the story and the eroticism it is trying to illicit. This recent trend has sparked debates surrounding whether having sex on film should remain within the adult industry or whether it has a place within the mainstream arena? Whatever the case, it is an area of cinema that is being explored by a rapidly growing number of filmmakers; 9 Songs, The Idiots, Romance and Battle In Heaven are all but a few films using real sex within their narratives.

Sex within cinema will continue to provoke controversy and polarize views for many years to come. But perhaps the most pressing debate should be whether the power of suggestion continues to suffice in a society where í¢â‚¬Ëœtabooí¢â‚¬â„¢ is no longer a prohibited area and the demand for realism is high. With the growing number of films pushing the boundaries of sex, it will be for the individual viewer to decide whether it is right or wrong for them.

Andrew Skeates.