Pushing limits

So far in this class I have kept an open mind and have thoroughly enjoyed watching these films. I have to admit, Flaming Creatures was the most difficult film I have ever watched, because of its graphic and violent aspects. However, the rape scene was not even as terrible for me as the appearance of male sex organs on the screen. I suppose because I am a woman, female nudity does not affect me as much as male nudity, at least not anymore, now that I have seen more films with female nudity over the years. Male nudity is not something I am accustomed to, and the camera dwelling on a penis being shaken by a hand, to refer to just one of the scenes, was almost too much for me. I am very innocent, and I don't really get a kick out of male nudity. The rape scene eventually appeared fake to me, as I saw the actors merely moving in the same position, and not really penetrating the girl. Of course her being nude and wrongfully touched affected me, but the way it was portrayed was obviously not very realistic, so it lost its potency and 'shock value' quickly. Dr. Langston suggested that we look past the graphic aspects of the film, and I must say this is the first time that it has been hard to let go of my first impressions of the movie. I am still figuring out how a scene with the camera zooming in on a penis is not pornography; when Dr. Langston said that the film was not pornographic that surprised me. I always thought that anything which focused on nudity in a crude way ( or in a way other than to glorify the beauty of it, such as in Italian sculptures ) was pornographic. But I am now setting aside my previous conceptions of what is and what is not pornographic. I am willing to look deeper within the film, and I hope we delve deep so I can say that I know of a concrete purpose for this film which I appreciate.