I’d like, if I may, to use this space to discuss the beauty of the human body and its use in art, including films. Now I don’t mean it’s beautiful in that naked people are sexy. In fact, this has nothing to do with sex. Instead, it’s celebrating the human condition. While watching (and then reviewing) Portrait of a Lady on Fire, we encounter several scenes where there is clear nudity. Heck, even in Titanic there’s the infamous nude scene and in many other movies there are instances of nude (or mostly-nude) scenes.
Now, I’m not here to get all preachy. I’m not here to tell you whether or not god is real or how we came to be. What I want to say is simply that we (i.e. Humans) are beautiful. We are truly remarkable works of nature. We grow hair, we talk, we can mimic other, and we can reproduce. There is a stigma around nudity and it’s something that we don’t think about. Again not preaching anything but every depiction of Adam and Eve has them covering up their “private” parts with something.
When it comes to film, and indeed art as a whole, nudity is something that seems to, unfortunately, be clamored over for the sake of profit (at least in modern times). Think of al those High School coming of age stories like American Pie. Why are they well known? Boobs. Yes they have comedic elements but the primary draw is scantily clad women. And, by the way, I’m not shaming you if that’s why you watch it. Just know that the human body can be used in a beautiful way that isn’t sexualized.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a wonderful example of this. We see the nudity as an expression of openness, of the vulnerability of being in this new setting. Yes, at times it is sexualized, but only, as I recall, during one scene. And even then, sex can be beautiful. It’s the ultimate level of intimacy and one of the things that is unique among humans. Sex for us is not just about making a baby. It is for a pleasure with someone who, in theory, we care deeply about. And even if we are having a one night stand, it’s because we crave the attention of human contact.
The human body can be used as a ploy for the audience. Heck, go to the world’s #1 porn site (you know which one it is) and you’ll see all the ways that the human body can be used and sexualized. But then look at art. Of course during these times museums aren’t open, but try to find art. Look at the meaning behind the piece and investigate why that woman has her breasts out, why the man isn’t wearing anything. There are so many other reasons to celebrate the human body aside from sexualizing it. Yes, from time to time it’s nice to look and experience the body in an intimate fashion. But at the end of the day it’s a truly beautiful thing to be human, to know humans, and to experience the human condition, even if it means not wearing pants.
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