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Harry Potter Is Neutering America

At the box office, the chaste rule, writer says

By Sarah Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 16, 2009 8:06 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Remember the old teen sex comedies, where hormones ruled and no one talked about their feelings? Hollywood doesn't, ST VanAirsdale writes in Esquire. Today's sexless blockbusters—think the Harry Potter flicks and Twilight—reflect how "our PG-13 imperative has scrubbed mass culture of its libido." The new leading men's "heroic priorities must supersede their biological urges." And their leading ladies love them for it.

That creates a mood of sexual tension without the sex. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, hormones hit Hogwarts, but making out is as far things go. And Twilight author Stephenie Meyer wrote the book on "that teasing chastity, dragging teen horror's beloved sex-equals-death paradigm into the true-love-waits era," VanAirsdale writes. Even the Transformers franchise is in on the no-sex game. "At least we'll have the monsters on The Hills to keep it real for us," VanAirsdale concludes.

In this image released by Paramount Pictures, Megan Fox, left, and Shia LaBeouf are shown in a scene from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
In this image released by Paramount Pictures, Megan Fox, left, and Shia LaBeouf are shown in a scene from "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."   (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Jaimie Trueblood)
In this image released by Warner Bros., Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley, left, and Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter are shown in a scene from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
In this image released by Warner Bros., Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley, left, and Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter are shown in a scene from "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."   (AP Photo/Warner Bros.)
From left, actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint attend the premiere of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in New York on July 9, 2009.
From left, actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint attend the premiere of "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" in New York on July 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)
Robert Pattinson, left, and Kristen Stewart accept the award for best kiss for Twilight at the MTV Movie Awards on May 31, 2009, in Universal City, Calif.
Robert Pattinson, left, and Kristen Stewart accept the award for best kiss for "Twilight" at the MTV Movie Awards on May 31, 2009, in Universal City, Calif.   (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 21 comments
devfran
Nov 20, 2009 5:10 AM CST
The movie is supposed to stay true to the book--and it does. The characters' 6th year at Hogwarts is filled with the beginnings of love and lust, and the movie reflects this without going overboard. It's hard to criticize the movie when it's just based off the book. Never does the book succumb to overly "sexing up" the characters, but there are feelings that the characters experience.
atallison
Jul 17, 2009 5:31 AM CDT
Really? We're worried that there's not enough sex in our movies for teens.
riffran
Jul 17, 2009 2:46 AM CDT
so the problem is that they DON'T have sex and show off the anatomy...egads how horrible..

It's Harry Potter vs. Twilight
Wall Street Journal

 
entertainment • Harry Potter • sex • Transformers • teen sex • movies • Esquire • teenager • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince • Twilight • Stephenie Meyer

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