Pornography has long had a fascinating yet controversial place in our society. It has been vilified, yet consumed on a massive scale, and played no small part in defining our modern culture. While the societal and moral implications of pornography will undoubtedly be debated for many years to come, what is certain is that porn videos continue to be a highly popular form of entertainment for many individuals and couples around the world. In this article we look at the development of porn videos, from the early “stag films” of the Silent Era, to the internet-fueled explosion of explicit content in the 21st century.
History of Porn Videos
Pornography is an ancient and widespread phenomenon. Its most basic definition is explicit material designed to arouse sexual desire, and it has been around in some form or another for centuries, though its modern iteration is a relatively recent development. The period of the Silent Era and the early days of “talkies” saw the emergence of “stag films,” which were private showings of pornographic material. These films soon began to become commercially viable and, in the 1930s, influential producers such as Adolfo Bioy began to appear on the scene. It was during this period that our modern conception of the porn film was born.
The ‘Golden Age’ of Porn Videos
The emergence of porn videos in the second half of the Twentieth Century was met with both shock and excitement. In 1972, porn entered the mainstream with the release of Deep Throat, and the industry was energized. Suddenly, porn films were showing up in the mainstream film theaters of cities across the country, and the “Golden Age” of the pornography industry had begun. The adult filmmaking industry was now a well-oiled machine, with major players such as Gerard Damiano, Bob Guccione, and Peter de Rome churning out films on a regular basis.
In the late 1970s, VHS cassette tapes started to replace 16mm film as the primary medium for porn releases, and the industry began to grow even further. Ideas were exchanged and explored more freely than ever before, with the rise of adult video stores across the United States and Europe being indicative of the success of porn videos as an entertainment medium.
The Internet and Porn Videos
The internet changed the adult entertainment landscape drastically. Suddenly, accessing explicit content was easier and more anonymous than ever before, and the industry went through a massive boom as a result. VHS tapes were replaced by streaming sites, and today’s porn videos come in a range of styles, from traditional plot-based stories to highly scripted “gonzo” videos. Porn also became more accessible to niche audiences through sites such as Xtube and Pornhub, and these sites now have a larger share of the adult entertainment market than traditional outlets. The internet revolutionized the porn industry and allowed it to reach new audiences.
Diversity in Porn Videos
Porn has come a long way from its days as a niche, “dirty” genre. In today’s industry, diversity is the name of the game, and different genres, fetishes and orientations are represented. Practices which were once considered taboo – such as anal sex, BDSM and group sex – are no longer seen as “shocking”, and they are accepted and celebrated by many members of the industry. Porn films also now embrace a range of different body types, genders, sexualities and ethnicities. Variety, it seems, is now the new norm.
Conclusion
Porn videos have been an integral part of the adult entertainment landscape for the last century, and their evolution has brought us to the point at which we are now. As technological advances have made explicit content more accessible to wider audiences, we have seen a shift in the industry toward celebration of variation and expansion of social boundaries. And although debate about its social implications will continue, there is no denying that porn videos are here to stay.
