Sin On The Silver Screen

Boniface over at Unam Sanctam had an interesting post on Hollywood actors and their reproduction of sinful activities on camera. This is something I've always kind of wondered about. I have a lot of vices associated with the media that I find entertaining. I like horror movies, for example. Lots of sin in those and usually in graphic fashion.

Especially interesting was his treatment of blasphemy and sex. And I should also mention that he uses Catholic actors as his examples.

The saddest thing is that, from a strictly thematic viewpoint, sexuality and blasphemy never add to the plot of a film (unless the film itself is about blasphemy or sexuality, in which case it should have never been made). Think about it - was it necessary in order to move the plot of Braveheart along to see Mel Gibson nude with another woman? It the storyline of Back to the Future benefitted or deepend by having Marty say "GD"? How does it add to the themes of revenge and justice in the The Count of Monte Cristo to see a half-clothed Jim Caviezel two times simulating sex with another woman? In all of these cases, the films would have lost nothing by simply omitting these scenes; in fact, they would have gained much. Depicting sins like this add nothing to the plot and only make the film more difficult to watch for Christians who are embarassed and scandalized by this behavior.

Make sure you check out the whole thing.