ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: ENT3-SCREEN SEX
TAPE_NUMBER: EN9940
IN_TIME: 11:30:26
LENGTH: 06:28
SOURCES: APTN/WARNER BROS/TRIMARK PICTURES/SONY PICTURES/MGM DISTRIBUTION
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SCRIPT: xfa Is it Porn - or is it Art? French film test moral boundaries
Story: Screen Sex
Location: Various
Date: Recent
Whether it be the humble screen kiss, Rock Hudson and Doris Day's twin beds or Celia Johnson's oh so brief but no less sexually charged 'Brief Encounter', sex has been a staple of cinema virtually since the medium's birth. In whatever form it comes - romantic love, obsession, flirting or teasing - seduction followed by the prospect of consummation has comprised one of the cinema's most enduring scenarios.
Whilst Hollywood has traditionally opted for the safe option of fantasy over fact, French director CATHERINE BREILLAT sensationally takes cinematic sex to a new dimension, provoking the UK censors and sensationally blurring the line between porn and art as graphic scenes of supposed real sex dominate the film.
Marie is a schoolteacher whose boyfriend Paul refuses, after three months of passion, to have sex with her. She embarks on a series of sexual encounters; with Paolo, a hunky widower (in real life the Italian porn star ROCCO SIFFREDI) ,with the headmaster of her school who introduces her to bondage and then with a man she picks up on the street who rapes her. We see sex in close-up; a condom being placed on an erect penis and several close-ups of genitalia.
Its a far cry from the soft-focus, idealised Hollywood sex. Its real and as such is brutal, animalistic and disturbing.The UK censors have passed it , because they say, it is 'philosophical' but not pornographic. It is about sexual relationships - not an aid to sexual gratification as denotes porn. Directed by a woman, the film is ultimately an examination of the nature of female sexuality.
The film has re-awakened the whole 'porn/art' controversy. It's a debate which came to prominence with the release of the much anticipated 'Eyes Wide Shut' directed by Kubrick. Film execs and critics alike were nearly apoplectic over rumours that Kidman and Cruise engaged in 'real sex' such was Kubrick's desire for cinema verite. However, the final cut proved somewhat limp. And rumours of Hollywood stars engaging in near porn-like activities proved to be just that - mere rumours.
Europe does not however share the same bashfulness. Films like 'Mifune' and the Italian film 'Guardami' directed by DAVIDE FERRARDO about a porn star's fight against cancer do not share the Hollywood code of conduct. For Italian porn king Rocco Siffredi, who makes his mainstream cinematic debut in 'Romance', the ongoing controversy between art and porn is immaterial when acting a scene. During the 'act' , it comes down to one thing.
'In our business, I don't want to mention if your dick is bigger than the other, you do better. But somehow it's true' he says. For Hollywood stars, acting a sex scene can prove the most difficult experience when making a film. Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise vehemently denied thay had to take lessons from a 'sex coach' to make their love scenes more realistic. For RENE RUSSO, who had to roll around on more than one occasion with PIERCE BROSNAN in the thoroughly Hollywood remake of 'The Thomas Crown Affair', the main challenge of her love scenes lay in not compromising her looks . 'I'm so critical of my body' she says.
No such luxury for their European counterparts where more basic concerns dominate. The main question hovering over 'Romance' remains - did Paulo and Marie (ROCCO and actress CAROLINE DUCEY) really go all the way. Ducey accepted the part of Marie knowing that 'going all the way' was written into her contract , although also knowing that director Catherine could not force her to do so. Siffredi has repeated in interviews that he did go all the way. 'I saw through the camera what the audience sees 'says Catherine. 'and I was 90 percent sure that he did'. But Caroline insisted he did not. Whatever the truth, the 22 year old actress remains disturbed by her experience making the film. But for director Catherine 'Acting is like prostitution, no matter what they are acting - but it is prostitution for the sake of art'.
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SHOTLIST: MONTAGE OF SCREEN KISSES; CLIP TRAILER "ROMANCE"; SOT CATHERINE BREILLAT, DIRECTOR, "ROMANCE"; PULL BACK BILLBOARD FOR "EYES WIDE SHUT"; ZOOM POSTER; CLIP "EYES WIDE SHUT"; SOT MAXIM YAKOBOWSKI, PORN EXPERT, TIME OUT CRITIC (ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AMERICA AND EUROPE IN TERMS OF SCREEN SEX); FILM CLIP "MIFUNE"; FILM CLIP "GUARDAMI"; SOT DAVIDE FERRARDO, DIRECTOR "GUARDAMI"; FILE FEMALE PORN STAR AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL POSING FOR PRESS; MS PORN STARS POSING FOR PRESS; CU ROCCO, PORN ACTOR; SOT ROCCO; VS PORN ACTRESSES POSING FOR PRESS; SOT MAXIM YAKOBOWSKI; CLIP "EYES WIDE SHUT"; SOT NICOLE KIDMAN; CLIP "THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR"; SOT RENE RUSSO; FILE SARAH JESSICA PARKER; SOT SARAH JESSICA PARKER; CLIP "THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR"; SOT MAXIM YAKOBOWSKI (ON WHETHER BIG STARS WILL EVER PERFORM SEX ACTS ON SCREEN); CLIP "ROMANCE"?