If there’s something more difficult than feigning chemistry on-screen, it’s shooting a s*x scene. When actors get intimate with each other on the set of a production, it’s more often than not, a rather uncomfortable experience, shot under tremendous pressure. But the people involved in the scene aren’t the only ones breaking a sweat out of discomfiture; it must be a nightmare for the director to witness it too.
Many renowned filmmakers have voiced their displeasure when it comes to shooting s*x scenes. Even directors like Quentin Tarantino, whose films are the epitome of stylized violence, prefer to not get enmeshed in intimate scenes. And James Gunn, for the most part, shares similar views on the subject. That is until he watched A History of Violence.
James Gunn on Shooting S*x Scenes
Being a Marvel alum and presently the co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn has dealt with the fictitious world of superheroes and caped crusaders at large. But he’s still made it a point to include some level of intimacy in his projects; characters from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Peacemaker, and The Suicide Squad, all seem to have experienced post-coital bliss at some point in the films. So it’s clear that Gunn isn’t one to shy away from s*xual chemistry in his movies. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a fan of shooting such scenes.
In a new interview with GQ, wherein the comic book connoisseur ranks and dissects his top 5 comic book films, Gunn, 56, reveals how he’s “not a big s*x scene guy.” In comparison to action sequences, which he finds much easier to “take apart,” nude and intimate scenes are way more difficult to navigate; and most of the time, the GoTG director is just waiting for such scenes to come to an end.
Not to mention, it appears to be a futile endeavor at best, at least to a director who’s more preoccupied with aspects like how to give the superhero a tragic past or when the hero clashes with the antagonist or better yet, when the savior ends up turning into a villain. Getting laid is probably the last thing Superman would be worried about with the world to save from malicious adversaries and whatnot.
After watching A History of Violence, however, Gunn found himself altering his perspective regarding s*x scenes.
How A History of Violence Changed James Gunn’s Perception of Intimate Scenes
A History of Violence is a thriller infused with action and drama, helmed by Canadian director David Cronenberg. Starring Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, and Maria Bello, the film is an adaptation of the 1997 graphic novel of the same name which was written by John Wagner and illustrated by Vince Locke. The movie explores the theme of violence as a carnal desire, imbued deep in one’s subconscious, portraying how the capacity for violence is everpresent in people regardless of how sane or “normal” they are.
Talking about how the movie granted him a different outlook concerning s*x scenes, Gunn says –
“Of all the wonderful things, there’s a wonderful s*x scene in the movie between Viggo [Mortensen] and his wife on the steps when she discovers, like starting to discover who he really is. I’m not a big s*x scene guy, I don’t take s*x scenes apart in the same way I take action scenes apart, but I somehow really remember that scene because it was so raw and so passionate and so real.”
“And, usually, s*x scenes just seem like – I’m actually usually just waiting for them to be done, or they seem like, unnecessary or exploited. So, this wasn’t like that at all, this was a real part of the story.”
A History of Violence can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: GQ | YouTube
