Experts Warn Pornography Has Shaped Generation Of Young Men’s Views On Filmmaking

PHILADELPHIA—Following a study of how ubiquitous access to explicit content had altered the attitudes of movie audiences, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania warned Wednesday that pornography had dramatically shaped an entire generation of young men’s perspectives on cinema. “Nearly all male viewers under 25 appeared to have unrealistic expectations for films, believing every scene should feature someone opening a door and walking into a room where either an unsuspecting woman is showering, a bored mom sits alone on a couch, a stepsibling is caught masturbating, or a VIP orgy is taking place,” said Professor Rebecca Carmine-Brown, who conducted surveys that found pornography had influenced young men’s perceptions of filmmaking to the extent that they thought plot conceits such as a scantily clad woman getting stuck headfirst in a washing machine were a reasonable first-act call to adventure. “The reality, of course, is far different. In most movies, when characters finish having sex, they go on to engage in other, nonsexual behaviors. Meanwhile, our research found male college students were dissatisfied by cinematography that did not include high angles to focus on cleavage or continuous violations of the 180-degree rule to show the actors’ bodies from every possible vantage point. Such standards could make it extremely difficult for these youths to ever develop a healthy, lifelong enjoyment of film.” In a poll of young men exiting movie theaters, 95% expressed either disappointment or confusion with any film that did not end with an ejaculation followed by an all-naked cast saying the name of the production company into the camera.