Have you had your titillation today?

Looking through the viewing statistics it will come as no surprise that clips with erotic content like the trailers for "Sex and Zen 3D" and "Snowblade" are often the most-viewed items here at ScreenAnarchy.

Then again... with porn now so readily available to anyone with a connection to the Internet, it maybe is a bit surprising that so many people still turn up in droves for trailers and teasers which may show a bit of skin.
I mean, it's not like there is a shortage of naked women on the global web. Although there is always room for more it seems: (link) check out this guy trying to go to Cannes just to photograph some naked starlets....

So instead of my usual list I'll just share a few musings here with regard to why I think titillation will never grow too old or disappear.
And as a nice extra, try and identify all the films I cribbed the screenshots from!


1: The naked human body can be quite beautiful

Nudity is a strong recurring theme in all arts, and for good reason: models tend to look good. There is nothing inherently dirty about admiring the beauty of someone's body. And nudity can be used in different ways as art: it can be a symbol of vulnerability, shame, freedom, elation or innocence even.

Of course with titillation nudity is used primarily to create sexual tension and attraction, but this doesn't take anything away from the fact that some people just look absolutely magnificent when naked.


2: Being enticed feels great

It can be something like a billboard you pass, an advert in a magazine or a glimpse in a trailer, but getting a peep at some skin actually makes you feel a bit better. Even when you're at 100% already you'll feel 101%. Apparently being titillated activates whole systems in your body, the "arousal" of which raises your blood pressure slightly and heightens your awareness.

And it can also brighten your mood and lift the cobwebs in your head. What's not to like?


3: We don't really like hardcore porn that much

This may seem like a bit of a weird point, as the porn industry is earning oodles of money. Still, while people tend to have a voyeuristic interest in watching sex, many are put off by the "blunt axe" approach often used in hardcore porn. Softcore (where sex is simulated) most of the time shows sex in a much more attractive light, with the focus being on beauty and the enjoyment of sex. Hardcore pornography often just shows the plumbing, and the actors always seem to be in some endurance test, trying to break a world-record. How much, how fast, how many, how dirty...

People interested in sex-the-fairy-tale rather than sex-the-technical-boundaries are generally not served well by hardcore porn.


4: You may have a valid excuse for watching it

Here is maybe the strongest point: many people won't admit to watching sex and nudity for the sake of watching sex and nudity, a stance hard to hold while being caught watching porn. However, there is of course no shame involved at all in watching a classic, a good foreign art-house movie, a scary horror film or a recommended comedy. Even if there is loads of sex and nudity in it.

Like the famous lifestyle articles in the Playboy, having a readily available excuse for watching something is always appreciated. And that's why there are so many erotic thrillers and raunchy comedies.


And there you have it. Titillation is generally loved because sex and nudity interests us and watching it is actually healthy (or so I will staunchly keep on believing), while porn is often just too damn gross and embarrassing.

Thankfully there are loads of films that are good, interesting or classic which are not afraid to titillate. Can you recognize the six films on this page? I'll post the answers on Sunday, unless someone guesses them all.

And with that I'll leave you for now. Time to go watch a film. Not porn! A good one...