logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
15m 8s

Where’s all the sex gone in movies?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Challengers. Poor Things. Saltburn. Three Hollywood movies released in the last six months which haven't held back on sex. However, the stats tell us movies in America are actually getting less steamy…

A study from The Economist suggests that sexual content in movies has dropped by 40% since 2000. BBC Culture reporter, Annabel Rackham, explains what’s behind this Hollywood trend.

Intimacy co-ordinators are a more regular sight on sets these days, helping people in front of the camera and behind it to navigate their way through a sensitive scene. Alicia Rodis, an intimacy co-ordinator who’s worked on Watchmen, And Just Like That and The Deuce, explains what the job entails.

Plus, BBC Asian Network’s Haroon Rashid describes how sex and romance is treated in Bollywood. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Emily Horler, Baldeep Chahal and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

Up next
Today
Rare earths - The most important minerals you probably haven’t heard of
Rare earth minerals are vital to modern human life - but you probably haven’t heard of them. They’re in our phones, computers and cars. These minerals aren’t actually that rare, but they’re difficult to extract - and this process can be pretty damaging to the environment. Mining ... Show More
11m 48s
Yesterday
‘I replaced my therapist with an AI chatbot’
From drafting emails to planning trips, AI has become like a personal assistant for lots of people around the world. Now, the technology is playing a new role: therapist. Rather than waiting for an appointment or paying to see a professional, thousands of people are turning to AI ... Show More
14m 31s
Jul 7
Meet Velvet Sundown - the band that doesn’t really exist
The Velvet Sundown have become a viral hit. The band have over a million streams on Spotify and are generating much discussion across the music community. Except the band and its members don’t actually exist. After weeks of speculation about whether they were real or not, the ban ... Show More
11m 14s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2024
33. Sex Scenes
Behind these steamy sequences, there are body doubles, pubic wigs, legal documents, and dedicated choreographers who make sure everyone is comfortable. Zachary Crockett fast-forwards straight to the good parts.  SOURCES:Alicia Rodis, intimacy coordinator.Matthew Swanlund, founder ... Show More
18m 49s
May 2022
Film Week
Lights, camera, action! The team dives into the world of film directing & editing. One team member currently works as an intimacy coordinator on film sets to make sure sex and nudity scenes remain fictional. Could you walk away from a multimillion-dollar job? A “Fast & Furious” f ... Show More
1h 6m
Feb 2021
Intimacy on screen
Whether it’s a stroke of a cheek or a sex scene, filming intimate content for movies and TV is a delicate business. When badly handled, it can even cause the actors harm. Kim Chakanetsa talks to an Indian movie director and to a pioneering intimacy coordinator about ensuring acto ... Show More
27m 25s
Aug 2022
Zero Dollars is No Money
Fran & Rose have been nonstop consuming media, so they made a special episode completely dedicated to yesterday’s — literally — pop culture: the culmination of this season of FBoy Island (with spoilers!), Harley Quinn's return, West World's decline, new movies They/Them, Not Okay ... Show More
1h 2m
Dec 2023
TDZ's Top 5 Of 2023: #4 Pop Culture Horniness (8.22.23)
In episode 1535, Jack and Miles are joined by filmmaker, director, TV Writer, and host of Celebrity Book Club, Chelsea Devantez, to discuss… The Evolution of Movie Sex Scenes, Pop Culture Horniness and more! EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL AND NO ONE IS HORNY Sontag on fascist art (from 19 ... Show More
1h 5m
Apr 2023
The disabled woman who hired a sex worker
Aged 43, Melanie had never had sex. After a suggestion from her support worker, all this changed. She went online and found Chayse, a sex worker who was able to sensitively meet her needs. In an extended interview, Melanie and Chayse reveal how they went from spending an hour tog ... Show More
30m 28s
Jun 2023
Pornographie : le péril jeune ?
Retour sur un chiffre qui a causé beaucoup de stupéfaction et d’émoi : 1 ado français sur 3 regarde du porno sur Internet au moins une fois par mois. Une pratique de plus en plus massive, qui commence de plus en plus jeune, un phénomène de société qui pose beaucoup de questions.  ... Show More
1h 7m
Apr 2021
No Country for Any Men
“Promising Young Woman” is one of this year’s major Oscar contenders. It’s a dark revenge fantasy that asks a sweeping moral question: What if there are no good men? Wesley and Jenna go deep into the film and consider what it gets right — and wrong — about sexual assault and just ... Show More
36m 58s
Jun 2022
1989: sex, lies and videotape: Rob Lowe and James Spader (Erotic 80s Part 12)
American independent film is launched into the mainstream by Steven Soderbergh’s sex, lies and videotape, starring James Spader as an impotent man who gets off on filming women talking about sex. Videotape also plays a role in a Spader film released almost simultaneously, Bad Inf ... Show More
1h 43m
Oct 2023
Quels sont les secrets des scènes de sexe au cinéma ?
"Maintenant Vous Savez" c'est également deux autres podcasts qui décryptent la culture avec "Maintenant Vous Savez - Culture" et la santé avec "Maintenant Vous Savez - Santé". Quatre fois par semaine, nous vous proposons de découvrir les meilleurs épisodes. Même si certaines d’en ... Show More
4m 35s