Something Beautiful

While Monique Parent is taking some time to compose her next post, Mark Weiler contributes his thoughts on working in the softcore erotic genre....

“Turning something beautiful into something dirty”


I accepted work in this genre because I thought I was contributing to the well being of the World. I really did. “How to Love One Another 101.” On paper, the scripts read like romance novels or a made-for-Lifetime movie.

A happy couple goes on a venture where they happen upon other happy couples… A misunderstanding, much like any from “Three’s Company,” occurs…. perhaps over drinks… and a mistake is made. Infidelity. The couple is now faced with conflict. Promises are made. Re- commitment to the relationship is established. And romance fills the air once again.


No killing. No shooting. No bombs or guns. Just love, romance, passion, sex and infidelity. Things everyone everywhere can relate to. Topics, which fill up the schedules of all major networks.

I did a film that begins with myself and my newlywed bride in the throws of passion. We stop and look each other in eyes. She says, “Thank you for being the man of my dreams.” And I say, “Thank you for being my wife.” We kiss.

The movie gets released as “Deviant Whores.”

There was nothing deviant in the movie, no whores, and no infidelity. It’s a movie about a newlywed couple. And it’s filled with sex.

SEX.The one thing everyone wants. The only reason all of us are here. The underlying motivation for nearly all mainstream topic. When unattractive, desperate or awkward people have sex, it’s called “comedy.” When sad people have sex, it’s called “drama.” When attractive, confident people have sex, it’s called “pornography.”

Pornography is defined as “The presentation of sexually explicit behavior intended to arouse sexual excitement.”

Well, I don’t know about you, but every time Monica Bellucci is on screen, I get a little sexually excited. I’ve heard that Brad Pitt has the appeal to most women. Does that make them porn stars? Is “American Pie” actually a porno? What about “Original Sin” with Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas? Or “Brown Bunny” where Chloe Sevigny gets an extreme close up while having her lips wrapped around Vincent Gallo’s member.

It seems to me that it’s all in the marketing. Marc Bienstock, of MRG, can release a film called “Kinky Sex House” (even thought there’s really nothing kinky about it), and everyone knows they are going to see some titty. Bienstock need not spend another penny on promotions or advertising, because he knows, everyone’s willing to pay to see a little titty. Vincent Gallo releases “Brown Bunny” as an independent art film and it can be called “The most daring, controversial film of the year!”

I call it a mediocre blow-job.

They had to pay Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas a lot of money to pretend to fuck in “Original Sin.” But swap out the names, and I’ve seen hotter love scenes in most cheap Skin-a-max films.
I guess what troubles me the most is that people buy into it. It’s just sex… the most natural, compelling, desire on the planet… the reason we are all here… whether it’s Barbara Streisand, Pam Anderson, Jenna Jameson, James Gandolfini, Ben Stiller, Ron Jeremy or you! It’s just sex.

Whether Miramax spends $20million to show it to you on the big screen, or Hollywood publicists advertise it on the cover the Enquirer as scandal, or Mark Bienstock sells it to you for $12.99 in the business suite of the Hilton at 3AM, and titles it, “Naked Temptations,” it’s all just the same. It’s just sex… and it’s beautiful.


SEX.


Mark Weiler is repped by Ben Scanlin at Imagination 9 and is also available for hire as an actor.

Monique Parent is represented by Peter Scott at Torque Entertainment and is available for hire as an actor as well as for consultant work.