As a gentleman of refined tastes, who appreciates the fine arts on their own merits, I've never really identified with the coarse sensibilities that inspire the kind of attention that individuals such as Mr. Skin and his ilk give to female nudity in cinema.
Recently, I've been studying the films of Sam Peckinpah. I watched The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs1 and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. I was, for some reason, surprised to find nudity in all three. It wasn't gratuitous. It wasn't inappropriate in any way. I just didn't expect it and it caused surprised at each screening.
As a result of this, I developed a list of things that Sam Peckinpah, as evidenced in his work, likes:
- Justice
- Heroic Criminals
- Slow Motion Violence
- Mexico
- Boobies
But then, I watched Ride the High Country and The Getaway. There was no nudity in either of those films.
I was surprised to find myself genuinely disappointed at this.
So, what now have I become? I'm like a Peckinpah character whose circumstances have caused him to change into a different kind of man.
Now, if only I had a gun and an insatiable lust for justice (and not boobies), some things could get done around here.
1I would like to point out, that I strongly disagree with Ebert's take on Straw Dogs. It is a brilliant and often misunderstood film.
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