Comments on: The Details of Desire http://punkassblog.com/2008/07/30/the-details-of-desire/ Sun, 20 Nov 2011 04:59:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Lisa Kansas http://punkassblog.com/2008/07/30/the-details-of-desire/comment-page-1/#comment-72033 Lisa Kansas Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:17:03 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2008/07/30/the-details-of-desire/#comment-72033 Zing, I think so too--I think that's exactly another facet of the same situation. Zing, I think so too–I think that’s exactly another facet of the same situation.

]]> By: ks http://punkassblog.com/2008/07/30/the-details-of-desire/comment-page-1/#comment-72008 ks Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:54:27 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2008/07/30/the-details-of-desire/#comment-72008 No, you're not alone. I feel pretty much the same way about it myself. Although I can't get Mr. S to agree to a naked picture, unfortunately. I guess it's only fair, though, as I won't agree to one myself (not because I don't trust him, but because I don't like the way I look naked--he's pretty hot, though, in that skinny but well put together nerd kind of way). No, you’re not alone. I feel pretty much the same way about it myself.

Although I can’t get Mr. S to agree to a naked picture, unfortunately. I guess it’s only fair, though, as I won’t agree to one myself (not because I don’t trust him, but because I don’t like the way I look naked–he’s pretty hot, though, in that skinny but well put together nerd kind of way).

]]> By: zingerella http://punkassblog.com/2008/07/30/the-details-of-desire/comment-page-1/#comment-72002 zingerella Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:47:38 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2008/07/30/the-details-of-desire/#comment-72002 This is tangential, but I think related, in that it's about how very little of our popular imagery panders to the female gaze—and I think that's part of what made Bowflex Boy such a phenomenon. Several months ago, I wound up on an impromptu movie date with a friend. We arrived at a local artsy second-run, foreign-film cinema and decided to see the next thing playing, which happened to be the Bollywood historical epic <a href="http://www.jodhaaakbar.com/" rel="nofollow">Jodhaa Akbar</a> [WARNING: link plays stirring music!]. Now, the movie is full of pretty. Lots of pretty. And it features a very sexy sword-wielding female protagonist, so I was happy. (It's also very long. Be warned. Do not get the large iced tea before you head into the theatre.) One scene in particular stood out: a scene in which Aishwara Bachchan's character is peeking out at her her <a href="http://www.jodhaaakbar.com/poster/5.html" rel="nofollow">new husband,</a> played by Hrithik Roshan, as he, unaware of her gaze and shirtless practises his sword forms, and the camera pans lingeringly over his incredible body. And the audience in Toronto tittered, because it was so very over the top. But you know, the depiction of Roshan was no more over the top than that given to many women's bodies in many films I've seen. We're not accustomed to cameras lingering on apparently unconscious, unaware masculine forms in the same way, highlighting the beauty and sensuality of the body unashamedly. The director let us see through the female character's eyes, in that moment, flipping the gaze from the male gaze to which we're all so accustomed, and it made people uncomfortable. I think this is another piece of the same thing—the absence of appeals to the female gaze in popular culture. It was really interesting to me that the audience's response was to laugh—it was that unfamiliar and therefore discomfiting. I'm inclined to think this is another piece of what you're talking about, Lisa This is tangential, but I think related, in that it’s about how very little of our popular imagery panders to the female gaze—and I think that’s part of what made Bowflex Boy such a phenomenon.

Several months ago, I wound up on an impromptu movie date with a friend. We arrived at a local artsy second-run, foreign-film cinema and decided to see the next thing playing, which happened to be the Bollywood historical epic Jodhaa Akbar [WARNING: link plays stirring music!].

Now, the movie is full of pretty. Lots of pretty. And it features a very sexy sword-wielding female protagonist, so I was happy. (It’s also very long. Be warned. Do not get the large iced tea before you head into the theatre.) One scene in particular stood out: a scene in which Aishwara Bachchan’s character is peeking out at her her new husband, played by Hrithik Roshan, as he, unaware of her gaze and shirtless practises his sword forms, and the camera pans lingeringly over his incredible body.

And the audience in Toronto tittered, because it was so very over the top.

But you know, the depiction of Roshan was no more over the top than that given to many women’s bodies in many films I’ve seen. We’re not accustomed to cameras lingering on apparently unconscious, unaware masculine forms in the same way, highlighting the beauty and sensuality of the body unashamedly. The director let us see through the female character’s eyes, in that moment, flipping the gaze from the male gaze to which we’re all so accustomed, and it made people uncomfortable.

I think this is another piece of the same thing—the absence of appeals to the female gaze in popular culture. It was really interesting to me that the audience’s response was to laugh—it was that unfamiliar and therefore discomfiting.

I’m inclined to think this is another piece of what you’re talking about, Lisa

]]> By: Antigone http://punkassblog.com/2008/07/30/the-details-of-desire/comment-page-1/#comment-71958 Antigone Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:38:12 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2008/07/30/the-details-of-desire/#comment-71958 Yeah, the most erotic picture I have is of my (decidedly not perfect, but sexy) Hubby. He's stretched out on the bed, sleeping, with a little bit of morning wood. It's a nice picture. I think a big problem with pornography is that it doesn't look like anyone wants to LAUGH, like it's this deadly serious thing. If sex didn't include giggles sometimes, I'd rarely have sex. Yeah, the most erotic picture I have is of my (decidedly not perfect, but sexy) Hubby. He’s stretched out on the bed, sleeping, with a little bit of morning wood. It’s a nice picture.

I think a big problem with pornography is that it doesn’t look like anyone wants to LAUGH, like it’s this deadly serious thing. If sex didn’t include giggles sometimes, I’d rarely have sex.

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