‘The Last Photograph’ Director Zack Snyder Calls for NC-17 Hit to Revive Eroticism in Film

Zack Snyder has always been vocal about his views on the film industry’s missteps, and his latest press tour has provided ample opportunity for him to express those opinions. With ‘The Last Photograph’ making its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival, Snyder has been addressing various topics, from his reputation to his creative future.

A significant portion of the discussion has focused on Snyder’s rebuttal to long-standing criticisms of his work, including claims that his films exhibit fascist undertones and excessively portray violence against women. He has directly addressed these critiques, defending films like ‘Watchmen,’ ‘300,’ ‘Sucker Punch,’ and ‘Rebel Moon’ by asserting that the violence depicted treats all characters equally, rather than singling anyone out.

However, in a recent Variety interview, Snyder shifted the focus to a different issue: the absence of sex and eroticism in modern cinema. He remarked that “sex in movies is weirdly gone,” expressing confusion over why eroticism seems to have been eliminated from contemporary filmmaking.

Snyder didn’t just identify the issue; he proposed a specific solution, stating, “We need an NC-17 movie that’s a hit.” He envisioned a scenario in which a big-budget erotic thriller, released in IMAX and rated NC-17, could help dismantle the stigma associated with that rating. He believes that a commercially successful film of this nature could “lift the stigma” that has deterred studios from producing adult content for years.

The NC-17 rating has struggled with a negative reputation since its inception, primarily because major theater chains and retailers have historically restricted the distribution of films that carry it. This stigma has led studios to shy away from greenlighting projects that might fall into NC-17 territory, effectively discouraging the type of adult-oriented content Snyder advocates.

Snyder’s remarks come at a pivotal time in his career, especially considering his track record of pushing boundaries with sexuality and violence in his films. From the stylized eroticism in ‘Watchmen’ to the hyper-stylized violence in ‘300,’ Snyder has earned a reputation as a filmmaker willing to explore content that makes some audiences uncomfortable, even as his latest film, ‘The Last Photograph,’ has faced largely negative reviews from TIFF.

This willingness to embrace controversy was evident in other parts of the same Variety conversation, where Snyder defended ‘300’ against claims of glorifying hyper-masculine, authoritarian aesthetics by labeling it one of the gayest movies ever made. Regardless of whether audiences agree with his perspective on the current state of eroticism in cinema, Snyder’s comments reflect a broader trend of him positioning himself as a director unafraid to voice what he believes Hollywood is hesitant to acknowledge.

Given the attention Snyder’s comments have already garnered, it’s clear that many people have strong opinions on whether an NC-17 erotic thriller could indeed become the kind of hit that transforms the industry’s approach to adult content.

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