Saturday, June 09, 2007

Substituting Aberrant Sexuality for Unmet Community

In the past I've done a few posts on what film has to say about community. Watching the film Notes on A Scandal what strikes me is that the two main characters Barbara Covett (Judi Dench) and Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) both long for deep community & affection.

These desires are generally accepted as healthy and good. Yet, both women demonstrate a desire for something good, except they go about getting what they want in ways the are illegal and secretive. In the end they are left feeling more empty in their journey, despite the temporary "gold-star" days that they have.

The MPAA taught me a new word when it rated this film R for "language and some aberrant sexual content." Aberrant is defined as: "straying from the right or normal way."

I wonder if most aberrant sexuality, (even in the form of grotesque torture, as discussed earlier in the week) is just an unfortunate way people find themselves replacing a lack of community & affection.

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6 comments:

Kimberly Ann said...

When we started watching this movie I never would have suspected how Judi D.'s character would have been so distrubed from her lonliness. She did an awesome job protraying this sad character.

Erin Marie said...

i saw this movie a few weeks ago and thought of you. i was like 'this is a movie ryan would rent." very odd movie.

Anonymous said...

Using no critical analysis whatsoever, I was on the edge of my seat during that film. I loved how screwy the Judi Dench character was!

Michael Parsons said...

I always wondered why Dench's charater was portrayed as a villian over the Blanchett's paedophile. Oh wait I forgot. Gays are always worse the child abusers.

Great post!

Kim said...
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Kim said...

This movie is bizarre and unorthodox. It's definitely intended for mature viewers. generic viagra