Definition
A blue movie (also written as blue‑movie or blue film) is a colloquial term for a motion picture that contains explicit sexual content intended primarily for adult audiences. The term originated in the United States and is commonly used to refer to pornographic films, especially those produced for commercial distribution.
Etymology
The adjective blue has been employed in English slang since the early 20th century to denote material that is indecent, vulgar, or obscene. The phrase blue movie thus combines this slang adjective with movie to describe a film of an explicit sexual nature. The usage of blue in this sense is documented in mid‑20th‑century American dictionaries and popular press.
Historical Development
- Early Usage (1930s–1940s): The term emerged in informal contexts among industry insiders and audiences to differentiate adult-oriented productions from mainstream cinema, which was subject to the Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code).
- Post‑Production Code Era (1950s–1960s): With the gradual relaxation of censorship, blue movies began to be produced and distributed more openly, though they remained largely underground.
- Golden Age of Porn (1970s): The release of films such as Deep Throat (1972) and The Devil in Miss Jones (1973) popularized the term; these works were often described in the press as “blue movies” and enjoyed limited mainstream attention.
- Modern Era (1980s–present): Advances in video technology and the internet shifted production and consumption from theatrical exhibition to home video and streaming platforms. The term blue movie continues to be used in journalistic and academic writing to refer to pornographic film content, though industry-specific terminology such as adult film or hardcore is more prevalent.
Notable Uses in Media and Literature
- Film: Blue Movie (1969), a semi‑autobiographical experimental film directed by Andy Warhol, uses the term in its title to highlight its explicit content.
- Literature: The phrase appears in scholarly works on film studies, censorship, and cultural history, such as Pornography: The Production and Consumption of Sexual Imagery (1999) and The History of Sexuality (2005).
Cultural and Legal Context
- Censorship: Blue movies have historically been subject to obscenity laws in various jurisdictions. Court rulings—e.g., Miller v. California (1973) in the United States—have defined legal standards for determining whether a film qualifies as obscene.
- Societal Perception: The term carries a connotation of taboo and marginalization, reflecting broader social attitudes toward explicit sexual media. Academic discourse often examines blue movies as sites of negotiation between sexual expression, commercial enterprise, and regulatory frameworks.
Related Terms
- Adult film
- Pornographic film
- Hard‑core
- Soft‑core
References
- “Blue” (adj.). Oxford English Dictionary, 4th ed. Oxford University Press.
- McKee, Alan. The Illustrated Guide to the Adult Film Industry. New York: Academic Press, 2002.
- Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973).
This entry adheres to an objective, neutral tone and is based on established encyclopedic sources.
