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Dirty Pictures

Play trailer Poster for Dirty Pictures R 2000 1h 35m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Art director Dennis Barrie (James Woods) faces obscenity charges for displaying photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe at the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center.
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Dirty Pictures

Critics Reviews

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Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Aug 12, 2005 Full Review David Poland Hot Button Rated: 4/5 Jul 26, 2002 Full Review Brian Webster Apollo Guide Rated: 69/100 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Arthur Lazere culturevulture.net a credible and dramatic statement despite the weakness in the screenplay Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Incredible film, James Woods fights for artistic expression in Cincinnati as an art director. The tense drama of society embattled over still photographs is amazing. Much like the Inquisition of old, Cincinatti behaves as a bunch of morons upset over pictures depicting nudity. Just outstanding as James Woods and his family endure hardship over his stand to allow photo exibit pictures to be public. Not surprising is the public outcry, Republican (Newt Gingrich) denunciations in Congress... you name it. This is a fascinating portrayal of the modern day public going ape over nudity. A Cincinnati museum director * goes on trial in 1990 for exhibiting sadomasochistic photographs taken by Robert Mapplethorpe. [* NOTE: As his marriage begins to disintegrate and the prospect of a jail sentence looms before him, the Director finds himself torn between his devotion to his family and his determination to defend the doctrines of the First Amendment. Director Barrie ultimately is found not guilty. Via an epilogue we learn his marriage eventually ended in divorce and, despite his legal victory, his experience and the wide publicity it received consequently impacted on other museum curators and boards who opted to avoid presenting potentially controversial exhibits in their venues for fear of a similar backlash.] And we think we are better today than in Michaelangelo's day? At least we don't burn people, literally, at the stake today. Or do we? Directed by Frank Pierson Produced by Michael Manheim Written by Ilene Chaiken Starring James Woods (director Barrie) Craig T. Nelson Diana Scarwid Music by Mark Snow Cinematography Hiro Narita Editing by Peter Zinner Distributed by MGM Television Release date(s) May 20, 2000 (USA) Running time 104 minutes Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member James Woods, a favorite of mine, brilliantly introduces you to a subject as important as the defense of freedom of speech: standing by your principles! Inspired in a case from real life, this movie pinpoints at the convenient paradigm in which art (and freedom of speech for the matter) are such, as long as the beholder agrees with it. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member An interesting true story on the right to freedom of speech. Has the feel of a documentary and thus is fairly dry, but is very informative and thought-provoking and fairly well acted. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member A movie about freedom of expression of artistic view and sharing it with others. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Que buen debate el que genera esta peli y el estilo de documental es muy bien logrado Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Intercut with interviews of people who were actually close to the case, Dirty Pictures is a cut above your typical biopics. Pretty darn good, and for the record, those pictures were pretty damn dirty. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Dirty Pictures

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Movie Info

Synopsis Art director Dennis Barrie (James Woods) faces obscenity charges for displaying photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe at the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center.
Director
Frank Pierson
Producer
Michael Manheim
Screenwriter
Ilene Chaiken
Production Co
MGM Television, The Manheim Company
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 1, 2006
Runtime
1h 35m
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