Posted on 20 November 2009
Would you have liked Terminator Salvation more if Moon Bloodgood’s topless bit hadn’t been cut out? Would you have been more likely to see the movie in theaters if you knew there was a flash of boob? Probably not, according to a recent psychological study, which looked at 914 movies released between 2001 and 2005 to determine if sex indeed sells at the cinema.
The results of the study say no: “sex and nudity do not, on the average, boost box office performance, earn critical acclaim or win major awards.” Well, the research did show that the Golden Globes are more favorable to movies with sex scenes than the Oscars, which might make sense given that many foreign moviegoers (particularly those in Europe) are more accepting of nudity than American viewers, though it’s unlikely the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is thinking about sex while determining its nominees.
In contrast, the study actually showed that sex sells even less outside the U.S., which may be because a number of international markets, such as those in Asia and the Middle East, are more censoring of such content.
Filed under: Exhibition
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Posted on 05 February 2009
Johnny Depp’s “The Rum Diaries” seems to have been stuck in pre-production for ages now (since 2003 if you want to be really precise), but it may have just gotten a big push forward. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Amber Heard is in negotiations to costar with Depp in the Hunter S. Thompson adaptation.
Directed by Bruce Robinson, “Diaries” is the story of a washed-up, hard drinking journalist named Paul Kemp. Heard will play Chenault, who becomes the center of a love triangle between Kemp and his fellow journalist Sanderson, a part which has yet to be cast. She’s Sanderson’s free-spirited girlfriend, but cheats with Kemp, and tries to convince him to run away with her.
The role has reportedly been coveted by actresses from Keira Knightley to Scarlett Johansson, though the nudity required has caused a few big names to shy away from the part. But Heard (who apparently spends all of “The Informers” in her birthday suit) isn’t daunted by the nudity requirement — and I imagine a few of our readers would be willing to strip too if it meant getting to share scenes with Depp.
Heard is quickly on her way to becoming a household name — and has already had quite a week in the trades, as she was just announced as the lead in John Carpenter’s “The Ward,” and also has a cameo in Woody Harrelson’s “Zombieland.”
Readers, are you hoping Heard’s addition finally gets “The Rum Diaries” off the ground, so we can have some dramatic Depp?

Posted on 05 February 2009
Johnny Depp’s “The Rum Diaries” seems to have been stuck in pre-production for ages now (since 2003 if you want to be really precise), but it may have just gotten a big push forward. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Amber Heard is in negotiations to costar with Depp in the Hunter S. Thompson adaptation.
Directed by Bruce Robinson, “Diaries” is the story of a washed-up, hard drinking journalist named Paul Kemp. Heard will play Chenault, who becomes the center of a love triangle between Kemp and his fellow journalist Sanderson, a part which has yet to be cast. She’s Sanderson’s free-spirited girlfriend, but cheats with Kemp, and tries to convince him to run away with her.
The role has reportedly been coveted by actresses from Keira Knightley to Scarlett Johansson, though the nudity required has caused a few big names to shy away from the part. But Heard (who apparently spends all of “The Informers” in her birthday suit) isn’t daunted by the nudity requirement — and I imagine a few of our readers would be willing to strip too if it meant getting to share scenes with Depp.
Heard is quickly on her way to becoming a household name — and has already had quite a week in the trades, as she was just announced as the lead in John Carpenter’s “The Ward,” and also has a cameo in Woody Harrelson’s “Zombieland.”
Readers, are you hoping Heard’s addition finally gets “The Rum Diaries” off the ground, so we can have some dramatic Depp?
