Unnecessary sex scenes ruin family viewing
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Handmaiden
RussMeyer1 — 9 years ago(November 12, 2016 11:26 PM)
I can't watch such a movie with my children because I feel uncomfortable. The story was dfine, the camera was great, the director was killing it, my boys could really enjoy this flick.
Spoilers ahead, read at your peril.
This movie is about lesbian love and con artists. Sex scenes are totally unnecessary.
If I want to watch porn, there are zillions of sites for it or I could download an XXX-rated torrent within minutes. So why push this annoying soft-porn into our nostrils in an otherwise decent movie? I don't get it. It ruins family viewing. -
deadpopstar — 9 years ago(November 20, 2016 01:59 PM)
Unnecessary? Sex is one of the main themes of the story/film. Not just the literal sex scenes that showed the nudity, but the explicit stories read, all of it was totally necessary to the characters and plot. I don't know how the movie could even be the same movie/story without the scenes and explicit dialogue. And as other posters have said there are Endless films out there of the same high quality, that are family friendly.
Also Wook is a director that with all his films, be it sex/extreme violence/ect., he doesn't hold back; that's a main reason his films are so amazing. But he is not just "throwing in" nudity or violence to sell his movies. Unlike Many movies out there; I notice moreso in American films a director Will unnecessarily throw in pointless sex scenes/gore. These are often hinted in the trailers, or internet buzz to sell a movie that may or may not be good. I notice in foreign films, French often, but many other countries as well. Though I have seen foreign films that are also guilty of pointless things to just sell; I just don't see it on such a high level as US movies. This film, for example, in my Opinion is Wook's most "erotic" film. But it (like all his work) has so many layers, rich story, characters that you actually Care about. It isn't a weak ploy to sell, and truly is erotic because the story demands it. And sure as a straight male, of Course I enjoy seeing the female body, but the OP is correct about there being millions and millions of hours of Porn out there if that's all you care to see. But how much porn is shot at a high quality?, none realy. Not on this level, Wook's films all are pure eye candy, where you can pause the movie at about Any point, and it looks like a beautiful photograph. All scenes, not just the sex ones, lush shots of landscape, even just people's faces; looks like high end photography. And this is what separates his films from porn for example. Also he IS a "shock" director in a sense, who presents storys with shocking twists and without the shocking Visuals it wouldn't be the same. His violence is Very realistic, making the film more horrific, it isn't done for cheap reasons. And as gory as many of his film's scenes get; they still are beautiful and present the viewer with a horrific juxtaposition of a beautiful shot of something that may be disgusting. That itself is another reason why I feel he's a genius filmmaker. But with this film the nude scenes sometimes present that similar juxtaposition. Others are just visually stunning; a good example is the closing shot; the nudity looks great of course, but Everything in that shot does!! The entire lush room, the curtains and all details, his use of colors; it is Not just the nude bodies. So this film is a Perfect example of an "erotic-themed" movie. (which isn't just all about the sexual/erotic themes.) I have seen many other films that are erotic themed, or jus plain erotic. Some are amazing and not "cheap," others are Total trash art, which the Only purpose is to make money off people who just want to see soft core porn, Disguised as high art. I felt the much hyped, erotic American film "Fifty Shades Of Grey," was like that. Sure it looked prety good visually (doesn't Touch this film or many others..), but it Was soft core porn, pretentiously raking in the money. It in my Opinion wasn't even sexy (as erotic films are Supposed to be), the plot was so flimsy, it didn't realy get deep with the "bondage/S and M" as it Could have (think of how disturbing, beautiful, multi-layered it would have been if Wook directed/adapted the novel it was based on!!), and I cared nothing about the one dimensional characters. And if you like that film, that's ok and your opinion. But films like this are how True erotica films should be done, and "The Handmaiden" wasn't even an erotica film; it just had deep themes of it. F.S.O.Grey was just a sloppy way to make money. There are So Many REAL erotic/erotic-themed movies from all over the world.
The French film "Blue Is The Warmest Color" is a (great, imo) film I see many people comparing "The Handmaiden" to. But both, other than some same Themes, I feel they tell two very different stories. But it Is a great example of a sexual film done Correctly, though it was not just all about the sex..without spoiling for anyone, I'll just say it had very depressing themes. It had Many different emotions, that the audience actually Cares about. Another recent good example is another French film, "Love." Another beautifully shot film, that wasn't Just about the sex/nudity. I feel Wook's latest here, is another to add to that list of erotic-themed films done Correctly. Watching them just made me think "now This is how 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' should have been!!" Why do I Rarely see many films out of the U.S. that are "Marketed" as erotica or erotica themed done correctly? It's a shame..and also when the foreign films that do it right, are imported to America, they most Always market it as Total e -
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Niceguy — 9 years ago(December 11, 2016 09:31 PM)
then you name specific porn videos for their production value, showing you know them well, all this in addition your rather telling user name. You just lost all credibility. And why you would be watching The Handmaiden with your kids anyway is kind of in question.
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RussMeyer1 — 9 years ago(December 11, 2016 10:32 PM)
WTF are you talking about? Read the original post. Do I say I hate porn? No. Do I say this movie would still be enjoyable without all that soft-porn? Yes. Do you comprehend what you are reading? Obviously no.
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cslaraia4 — 9 years ago(December 20, 2016 01:16 AM)
I can sort of see what you're saying. on one hand this isn't really a movie for kids anyway. but it could be accessible for teens and relatives if it weren't for the full on sex. most movies just allude to what's happening and cut away. so it really isn't something you can watch with family even if you're all adults. I'm an adult and I would love to show this to my parents as a great movie but I would feel uncomfortable watching this with them because the sex scenes go on for too long. it was part of these characters falling for each other and the sex is not totally unnecessary, but there were parts that went on for a really long time.
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nihilistic_tyranny — 9 years ago(January 05, 2017 08:39 PM)
I kind of doubt anyone who isn't already old enough to put the sex scenes into context would enjoy the works of Chan-Wook Park, at least not this one. I grew up watching Hitchcock, lots of old classics, some more easily digestible art-house films.but this would have just confused me in my per-pubescent years.
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law!