What Can I Do With a Male Nude was produced in response to the passage of the Video Recordings Act in the UK in 1984. The Act (better known as ‘The Video Nasties’ Bill) tightened up censorship on commercially produced videotapes, which were becoming increasingly popular at that time.

Enacted (at least in theory) to control violence and horror in videos, the Act also tightened up regulations in relation to the portrayal of sex and nudity. In other words, it was a reflection of the usual British prudishness around that time.

Director Ron Peck uses this movie to explore the increasingly complex issues around the simple act of photographing a male nude.The camera remains pointed at the male nude in question, whilst the dialogue is the voice of the photographer, pondering the issues.

He begins by worrying about the legality of being in the same room as a naked man. Having re-assured himself that the doors are locked, the blinds are drawn and there’s no one else in the building he becomes a little more relaxed – and switches the lights on!

For a further twenty minutes, as his model strikes various poses, he ponders other issues around the portrayal of a nude man. Is it pornography? Is is exploitation? Would it be alright if he photographed him in a ‘Classical’ pose? Or maybe a Biblical one? “There are new Dark Ages just around the corner,” he tells himself.

And so his deliberations continue until his model gets dressed – in a policeman’s uniform – and arrests him!

What can i do with a male nude (part 1) by t89