Finally, there's the element of information: what are people doing, and how, and why. This covers nonfiction works such as Alfred Kinsey's Sexual Behavior in the Human Male and how-to books like The Joy of Sex. It also covers the naturalistic handling of sex in fictional works such as Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris (1972) in which Marlon Brando's three-day erotic escapade with Maria Schneider is the necessary means of developing the characters. (In fictional works, vicariousness and utility are judged subjectively--the effect depends on our finding the couple involved romantic or erotic. Information, on the other hand, is judged objectively--is this couple likely to do the things they're shown doing for the reasons given or suggested.)
There's a certain amount of overlap in these categories: e.g., vicarious projection may be a prerequisite for getting the utility out of porno. For this reason it requires an enormous amount of discipline to make sure that explicit sex intended to be naturalistic is generating information. In Last Tango Bertolucci and his actors don't put the sex up there for us to project ourselves into, as is the case with a "great lovers" type movie, or to get us off, as in porno. We're always conscious that the sex acts express Brando's character's impotence and rage after his unfaithful wife's suicide. It would thus be an eccentric reaction to wish you could take the place of Brando or Schneider in Last Tango; after three days Schneider's Jeanne is herself done with Brando's Paul. By contrast, Charade can't be said to have worked its charm on you if you don't make this projection to some extent.
In Mysterious Skin these categories are constantly spilling over into each other, or perhaps it's more accurate to say that Araki never distinguishes them in the first place. However grateful you may be to Araki for extending the range of sexual depiction in American movies, he lacks artistic control of the material he has burst onto the screen. Thus, although Neil's adventures are presented as information--i.e., the kind of trouble he, with his specific personality, family background, experience, and opportunities seeks out--all of them function as porno, including those with the coach. That could perhaps be explained as Neil's sex-intoxicated point-of-view, but it's equally true of the way Araki shoots Brian's molestation by the coach, and a violent encounter that brings Neil up short as well. In addition, probably any gay man could tell you that one of Neil's johns lands solidly in the vicariousness zone, to such an extent you don't feel you're getting any information--he's so hot he doesn't look like he'd have to pay for sex on his home turf. It's thus fair to say that although the movie depicts child abuse as deplorable, and inevitably exploitive even in Neil's case, it will readily appeal to pedophiles because Araki indiscriminately drizzles honey on sex scenes.
![Splendor (1999) [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZHGHVFJHL._SL120_.jpg)
![Nowhere [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51TDG6W3NJL._SL120_.jpg)
![Mad Love (1935) [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/419XP67DBFL._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments
1 - Temple Stark
Alan did you try and e-mail me? Eric?
2 - claire
I found this film ridiculous. Never has the subject of sexual abuse been tackled in such a ridiculous manner. The heavy and disturbing abuse scenes were obviously put in to try and shadow the dreadful acting (minus Neil he took a good shot at it) I was nauseated throughout and felt that the film totally depended on shock value.
3 - Alan Dale
Hey Claire,
Thanks for the comment. The abuse scenes were odd to me b/c their purpose escaped Araki's control. They seemed dreamily erotic, which might make sense for Neil but not Brian. The addition of the recovered-memory detective story turned it all to cheese.
4 - B79
Apparently you don't realize how this works. I was abused from age 4-6 by my neighbor and had 20 years of repressed memory... saw 7 psychologists and I thought all my problems were becasue of my parent's divorce when I was 8. Even the short memories I did have pointed to but never showed proof that anything happened. I lied to myself without realizing I was lying, that the abuse ever happened. But looking back now, I know it did. I was laying on a bed with a camera ponted at me... I was told my the man that if I said anything that my parents wouldn't want me... these things I occasionally remembered in the 20 years but discarded them as just memories with no meaning. Repressed memory DOES HAPPEN. I thought I had a happy childhood. In my teens I was depressed everyday but didn't know why.
As for the movie... that's what happens in real life. I'm sorry that you can't handle the scenes but that's real life. You know that a child might go through when he/she says they were abused and how they can be affected... but do you REALLY know what they went through? These scenes hint to it. A child that young can not mentally process that event... not enough life experience so the mind pushes it away as a defense mechanism. Please be more open-minded about this movie. I basically lived this movie because there was the man's son (my age) with me too.
These "graphic" scenes which really are just implied scenes puts you in the place of the child. If you can't handle it, think of how the child must have felt.
5 - anne
I absolutely agree with the last posting stated. I wrote a paper on this for a graduate level class on the effects of trauma on children--it was assigned by the professor. You don't seem to understand trauma at a basic level and it shows in your review. As for the uneasiness, again, as stated above, these are events that happen to real people. As a society we must come to understand our fellow people's experiences.
6 - Peter
I was abused, and the film is so resonant, I'm still off balance a few days after viewing it twice. The writing of the view is thorough, exceptionally well written, and engaging for as long as it is, but as someone just overwhelmed with watching the movie, I have to tell you memories do get pushed away due to childhood trauma. I was sexually abused, but for many years didn't label it molestation because I was just like Neil, craving male physical contact, and still cannot remember the first incident that led to a year long inappropriate sexual relationship at age 5-6 with my babysitter. The AIDS safe sex stuff bangs you over the head, but I'm fascinated with how many reviews and comments find the mutual seduction either implausible or titillating. Trust me, it's real.
7 - alan
there's a mistake in the title; it should say "unfuckingbelievable".