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From today’s London Daily Telegraph, a story by Elizabeth Day: Films containing explicit sex or nudity do much worse at the box office, earning nearly 40 per cent less on average than more wholesome movies.
An analysis of 1120 cinematic releases over the past four years has shown that films without sex scenes, such as Disney’s Finding Nemo or Toy Story 2, earned an average of $41.1 million (all figures in U.S. currency), while films with sex have grossed 38 per cent less with an average of $16.7 million.
In 2003, the final year of the study, the gap was even wider, with films without sex earning more than double those with explicit scenes. The survey also showed that an increasing number of films carry a moral message, with 63 per cent of the top-grossing films since 2001 portraying edifying storylines that follow uplifting and redemptive plots.
In contrast, films with an “immoral or negative content” such as Hannibal, or the bawdy American Pie teen-trilogy, experience far lower box office returns.
The findings, taken from an analysis of box office earnings in the US, were compiled for the Christian Film and Television Commission, a viewers’ campaign group, and published in its monthly magazine Movieguide.
The figures show that in 2003, for example, 78 films with no sex averaged $37.6 million; 95 films with implied sex averaged $32.1 million; 71 films with briefly depicted sex averaged $25 million and 35 films with extensive, excessive or graphic sex averaged only $17.1 million.
Films from 2003 that did not depict nudity also fared better, garnering an average of $34.6 million at the box office compared with the $11.8 million raised by films which did include nude scenes. Similar patterns also emerged for the box office returns for the previous three years. Dr Ted Baehr, the chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission, said: “This is a worldwide phenomenon. We found that international figures followed the same logic, that the good guys finish first.”
Although some of the disparity can be explained by the ratings given to films, there is considerable overlap. Even family films that imply sex are trounced by their no-sex rivals at the box office.
But surely films with more sex are restricted more and so do not start from the same playing field as family oriented and kid movies. Parents take kids to kid movies so the film gets two tix for price of one.
I didn’t see any indication that these factors were controlled for. And anyway, I like sexy movies.
Simon,
One supposes that there are, as Twain wrote, “Lies, damn lies, and statistics.” Since posting the story (which I’d considered taking down, throughout much of the day since its posting), I’ve been thinking that the item has very little value, or merit. What point is the Christian Film and Television Commission trying to make (and just what the hell am I doing posting an item which references the Christian Film and Television Commission)?
I shouldn’t have posted this item in the first place. Oh woe is me.
P.S. I like sexy movies, too.