Pornographic film
Introduction


**Pornographic films** (**pornos**), **erotic films**, **adult films**, **sex films**, **18\+ films**, or also known as **blue films** (in [British English](/wiki/British_English "British English") and other English\-speaking countries, as well in other languages such as Hebrew), are films that represent [sexually](/wiki/Human_sexual_activity "Human sexual activity") [explicit](/wiki/WIKT:Explicit "Explicit") subject matter in order to [arouse](/wiki/Sexual_arousal "Sexual arousal"), fascinate, or [satisfy](/wiki/Orgasm "Orgasm") the viewer. [Pornographic](/wiki/Pornography "Pornography") films represent [sexual fantasies](/wiki/Sexual_fantasies "Sexual fantasies") and usually include erotically stimulating material such as [nudity](/wiki/Nudity_in_film "Nudity in film") ([softcore](/wiki/Softcore_pornography "Softcore pornography")) and [sexual intercourse](/wiki/Sexual_intercourse "Sexual intercourse") ([hardcore](/wiki/Hardcore_pornography "Hardcore pornography")). A distinction is sometimes made between "erotic" and "pornographic" films on the basis that the latter category contains more explicit [sexuality](/wiki/Sex_in_film "Sex in film"), and focuses more on arousal than storytelling; the distinction is highly subjective.

Pornographic films are produced and distributed on a variety of media, depending on the demand and technology available, including traditional [footage](/wiki/Film_stock "Film stock") in various formats, [home video](/wiki/Home_video "Home video"), [DVDs](/wiki/DVD "DVD"), mobile devices, [Internet download](/wiki/Internet_pornography "Internet pornography"), [cable TV](/wiki/Cable_TV "Cable TV"), in addition to other media. Pornography is often sold or rented on DVD; shown through Internet streaming, specialty channels and [pay\-per\-view](/wiki/Pay-per-view "Pay-per-view") on cable and satellite; and viewed in rapidly disappearing [adult theaters](/wiki/Adult_theater "Adult theater"). Often due to broadcast or print censorship commissions; general public opinion; [public decency](/wiki/Public_decency "Public decency") laws; or religious pressure groups; overly sexualised content is generally not permitted to be shown in [mainstream media](/wiki/Mainstream_media "Mainstream media"), or on [free\-to\-air](/wiki/Free-to-air "Free-to-air") television.

Films with [risqué](/wiki/wikt:Risqu%C3%A9 "Risqué") content have been produced since the invention of motion picture in the 1880s. Production of such films was profitable, and a number of producers began to specialize in their production. Various groups within society considered such depictions [immoral](/wiki/Immoral "Immoral"), labeled them "pornographic", and attempted to have them suppressed under other [obscenity laws](/wiki/Obscenity_laws "Obscenity laws"), with varying degrees of success. Such films continued to be produced, and could only be distributed by [underground channels](/wiki/Underground_press "Underground press"). Because the viewing of such films carried a [social stigma](/wiki/Social_stigma "Social stigma"), they were viewed at [brothels](/wiki/Brothel "Brothel"), adult movie theaters, [stag parties](/wiki/Stag_party "Stag party"), home, private clubs, and night cinemas.

In the 1970s, during the [Golden Age of Porn](/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Porn "Golden Age of Porn"), pornographic films were semi\-legitimized, to the point where actors not known for appearances in such productions would be cast members (though rarely participating in the explicit scenes);Two examples are [Cameron Mitchell](/wiki/Cameron_Mitchell_%28actor%29 "Cameron Mitchell (actor)") in *Dixie Ray, Hollywood Star* and comedian [Richard Belzer](/wiki/Richard_Belzer "Richard Belzer") in *Cafe Flesh*. by the 1980s, pornography on home video achieved wider distribution. The rise of the Internet in the late 1990s and early 2000s changed the way pornographic films were distributed, complicating [censorship](/wiki/Censorship "Censorship") regimes around the world and legal prosecutions of "obscenity".


Why can't overly sexualised content be shown in mainstream media or on free-to-air TV?