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Smutty Little Movies: The Creation and Regulation of Adult Video
In the late 1970s, the adult film industry began the transition from celluloid to home video. Smutty Little Movies traces this change and examines the cultural and legal efforts to regulate, contain, limit, or eradicate pornography. Drawing on a wide variety of materials, Smutty Little Movies de-centers the film text in favor of industry histories and contexts. In so doing, the book argues that the struggles to contain and regulate pleasure represent a primary starting point for situating adult video’s place in a larger history, not just of pornography, but of media history as a whole.
348 pages, Paperback
Published August 23, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 2, 2016
A fascinating and comprehensive (as much as possible, anyway) look into a part of history that is shrouded in mystery and shame. Alilunas and his few intrepid peers are on the very cutting edge of a field that is as fascinating as it is controversial.
I'll admit that even I was skeptical when I first heard of Alilunas and his studies back when he was teaching at the University of Michigan. Pornography as a field of academic study? Was he for real? Could pornography really be studied? How could anyone view this as necessary or even important?
This book, just like his lectures at U of M ,answer all of these questions with a resounding yes. The integral connection between pornography, video technology, and the very concept of watching films at home is not only fascinating but immediately relevant to everyday life. The adult entertainment pioneers of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's very literally changed the entire film industry. There is a direct line between Alilunas's "smutty little movies" and the video streaming services that we all use on our phones, televisions, and computers every day.
This book also provides a very good overview on the changing concepts of "obscenity", "legitimacy", and "decency" throughout the mid-to-late 20th century. Who can watch pornography? When and why can they watch it? What counts as pornography? Does pornography have social or economic value? When is it protected by the first amendment? Alilunas shows just how fluid a lot of these ideas were and indeed still are.
To be clear, Smutty Little Movies is an academic work published by and for other academics. It reads much more like a history textbook than a pop science read-it-at-the-beach-type book. There are very literally hundreds upon thousands of footnotes and citations. Alilunas loves citations! That being said, for people interested in the topic or who are used to reading history texts, this is a real page-turner. While maintaining an air of a strict professional, Alilunas's personality still manages to shine through in his writing style.
Overall, this book is highly recommended for history buffs, film historians, or people interested in learning more about an aspect of society that is simultaneously ubiquitous and hidden from view. While pornography studies may not yet have the recognized legitimacy it deserves, I believe that will one day, and that history will smile Dr. Alilunas and his Smutty little Movies.
I'll admit that even I was skeptical when I first heard of Alilunas and his studies back when he was teaching at the University of Michigan. Pornography as a field of academic study? Was he for real? Could pornography really be studied? How could anyone view this as necessary or even important?
This book, just like his lectures at U of M ,answer all of these questions with a resounding yes. The integral connection between pornography, video technology, and the very concept of watching films at home is not only fascinating but immediately relevant to everyday life. The adult entertainment pioneers of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's very literally changed the entire film industry. There is a direct line between Alilunas's "smutty little movies" and the video streaming services that we all use on our phones, televisions, and computers every day.
This book also provides a very good overview on the changing concepts of "obscenity", "legitimacy", and "decency" throughout the mid-to-late 20th century. Who can watch pornography? When and why can they watch it? What counts as pornography? Does pornography have social or economic value? When is it protected by the first amendment? Alilunas shows just how fluid a lot of these ideas were and indeed still are.
To be clear, Smutty Little Movies is an academic work published by and for other academics. It reads much more like a history textbook than a pop science read-it-at-the-beach-type book. There are very literally hundreds upon thousands of footnotes and citations. Alilunas loves citations! That being said, for people interested in the topic or who are used to reading history texts, this is a real page-turner. While maintaining an air of a strict professional, Alilunas's personality still manages to shine through in his writing style.
Overall, this book is highly recommended for history buffs, film historians, or people interested in learning more about an aspect of society that is simultaneously ubiquitous and hidden from view. While pornography studies may not yet have the recognized legitimacy it deserves, I believe that will one day, and that history will smile Dr. Alilunas and his Smutty little Movies.
September 17, 2023
Very competent academic review, which also means dull.
February 1, 2024
Mr. Alilunas is a shoddy writer and scholar. Masking addiction behind academia is sub-par. I have read better from him. This is definitely not his best.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews