Dirty Pictures

R

2000

1 hr. 35 min.

Drama

List

40%

5 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Art director Dennis Barrie (James Woods) faces obscenity charges for displaying photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe at the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center.

Read More

Read Less

Prime Video

Watch Dirty Pictures with a subscription on Prime Video.

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

Post a rating

Frank Pierson

Director

James Woods

Dennis Barrie

Craig T. Nelson

Sheriff Simon Leis

Diana Scarwid

Dianne

Leon Pownall

Prouty

David Huband

Sirkin

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

3%

17%

The Mod Squad

63%

74%

Acts of Worship

85%

81%

Erin Brockovich

68%

48%

Timecode

67%

55%

A Map of the World

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Michael Szymanski

International Press Academy

Rated: 0/5

Oct 7, 2005

Full Review

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

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
Screenwriter: Ilene Chaiken
Production Co: MGM Television, The Manheim Company
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Aug 1, 2006

Most Popular at Home Now