Sex and the Silver Screen

Star Review

Charting the history of the relationship between filmmakers and censors, this six part series, narrated by Rachel Welch, features scenes from more than 120 infamous and controversial movies as well as interviews with many stars and directors. Taking in the early peepshows of ‘Arab Dancers’ and ‘German Musclemen’, and ‘naughty subjects of a piquant nature’ shown in sidestreet nickolodeons (including a vintage glory hole scene with a goat), it looks at the representation and supression of sexuality in mainstream movies throughout the 20th century. From Theda Bara and Mae West, scandals involving ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle and Clara Bow, through to Fritz the Cat, Nixon’s ‘Stop the Smut’ campaign (‘American morality is not to be trifled with’ said he), Blue Velvet and Basic Instinct, it outlines the many and various campaigns to ‘rescue motion pictures from the devil’, including the censor’s own goals (‘sin could be shown but must always be punished’ gave filmmakers an unexpected green light for all sorts of lascivious behaviour). An early censor talks of movies providing ‘a trip to hell for only a nickel’. Buy this and get the season ticket instead.

Graeme Hobbs on 5th September 2007

View all 230 of Graeme Hobbs’s reviews

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Film Description

Aka Sex, Censorship and the Silver Screen. Charting the history of the relationship between filmmakers and censors, this fascinating six part series, presented by Rachel Welch, features scenes from more than 120 infamous and controversial movies as well as interviews with many stars and directors. It's an essential, authoritative documentary on the treatment and censorship of sex in the cinema.

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While the presence of Raquel Welsh, giving a suitably husky commentary to this history of sex and censorship in the movies suggests something more inclined to titillat... more >

While the presence of Raquel Welsh, giving a suitably husky commentary to this history of sex and censorship in the movies suggests something more inclined to titillation than scholarship, this fascinating series manages to convey a fair degree of information along with the expected (and welcome) eroticism. Every era of the cinema is covered, with some choice examples of the stars and scenes that made self-styled moral guardians hot under the collar. The hilarious restrictions that censors tried to place on freedom of expression in the cinema will have both creased with laughter and shaking your head at their naivety and crassness. < less

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DVD Extras

• Lights, Camera... A Century of Questions Interactive Film Quiz
• Thomas Edison's Massage Parlour
• Sally Rand's Fan Dance
• How to Undress in Front of Your Husband
• Dating Do's And Dont's
• Elysia
• Pin-Up Queen Bettie Page
• Coming Attractions.

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