Pornographic movies in Hong Kong usually concentrate on the description on characters’ bodies in a sexist perspective, as well as their struggles occurred in making choices between love and appetite. Apart from The Wild Goose Chase series in the early 90s, category III pornographic movies focusing on describing men’s behavior of visiting prostitutes has been rarely found. Due West: Our Sex Journey is an eye-catching one which focuses on the men’s behavior of visiting prostitute, with some elements of comedy added, and arising audience’ awareness on values on sex issues at the same time.
The movie opens with the main character, Frankie’s experience of first exploring “sex” during his early teenage, describing his curiosity and doubts towards sex at that time. He was extremely curious about sex but he feels very shy in front of girls at the same time. In addition with some comedic shots, such issues make the movie successful in creating sympathetic responses among audience. After he starts working in society, he first meets some male colleagues who are enthusiastic in visiting prostitutes and he is invited to join them. Frankie resists at the very beginning. Afterwards, due to lack of sex life between his girlfriend and him, Frankie finds himself unsatisfied in terms of sex, and finally joins his friends and colleagues to visit prostitutes in Mainland. Such description actually shows the stereotyping of men in some ways. As Dyer suggests, ‘Stereotypes proclaim, “This is what everyone – you, me and us thinks members of such-and-such a social group are like”.’ (Dyer, 2000) The process of describing “Frankie from resisting colleagues’ temptations, to joining them eventually” actually creates a sense to audience that, “If you are a man, no matter how good you are, you will eventually succumb to the attraction of women and sex.” It is a stereotyping of men as “enthusiastic in sex life”. Some women’s perception of “men see sex more important than love” is reflected here to a certain extent.
However, in the second part, Frankie’s contradiction inside his heart is reflected. Frankie seems welcome to the prostitute on the surface, but he actually feels sorry and reluctant to them in heart. It can be reflected from his shyness when receiving “sex service” from the prostitute in the hotel room. The shots showing Frankie’s dream of having sex with his girlfriend actually shows Frankie’s struggle in heart, which is the struggle between his sense of apology towards his girlfriend and his desire for sex. On one hand he is sexually satisfied, on the other hand he feels sorry spiritually. It realistically describes some men’s feeling after visiting prostitutes, which could create audience’s awareness towards values of sex and love, especially letting men think about how they should make choices between love and sex. In my opinion, this movie is educational in some ways as it could reflect the negative effect of men focusing on sex, and guiding them to create a more positive value towards love relations between two sexes.
References:
Dyers, R., “The Role of Stereotypes”, Media Studies: A Reader. Washington Square, N.Y.: New York University Press. 2000. 245-251. Print.
By Man Ho Fai, Ronald
First of all, thank you for posting the first review! The article is precise and concise, which focus on the functions and qualities of stereotypical images of men in sexual activities. You have made some sharp observations on a few major scenes and examined the types of conventional love/sexual relationship. In general, it reflects the role of media in reflecting and reinforcing some commonly held beliefs.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I am more interested in the metaphorical relationship between Hong Kong and Mainland depicted in the film. Frankie represents the young, middle-class, educated male in Hong Kong (a group that is getting more “integrated” with our Motherland). On the other hand, the film doesn’t condemn the outsiders (i.e., the female prostitutes in Mainland) as “bad”, some of them are even described as good and kind-hearted. You might uncover the interaction between gender, culture and power in this dimension too!