Pornography in mainstream movies

Filmmakers include pornography in their movies on a regular basis. Pornographic material has been finding its way into mainstream movies for decades. Moreover, this does not only happen in R rated movies. For instance, in the following sample of movies from the 20th century a character is shown holding or flipping through a pornographic magazine: American Pie (1999), Trainspotting (1996), Home Alone (1990, PG), Splash (1984, PG), The Shining (1980) and On her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). In Stripes (1981) the cover of a pornographic magazine fills the screen. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Jack Nicholson carries around a pornographic deck of cards. In other movies men watch pornographic movies, like in The Pelican Brief (1993, PG-13) and Lethal Weapon (1987).

In the 21st century the normalization of the consumption of pornography has made these types of inclusions more common. Pornographic material appears in the following sample of feature films from this century: Snatched (2017), Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016), The Theory of Everything (2014, PG-13), This is the End (2013), Friday the 13th (2009), Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (2008), Transformers (2007) and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003).

The inclusion of pornographic material in feature films is one of the dozens of things I have been researching for my book on the sexualization of women in media and violence against women. The lists above are mere samples of the more exhaustive lists I provide in my book.

© 2018 Alline Cormier