Monday, January 01, 2007
The Regular Guy with a Foot Fancy
It would seem that portraying someone with a foot fetish has a way to go in film, at least in major motion pictures. I put an emphasis on major motion pictures because they're like any major media: they are the last to get a new trend and the first to make the general public aware of it. T had brought up some interesting issues with his greatly appreciated feedback to my last post. He found the guy with a foot fetish in Babette's Feet to be a stereotype that reinforces a negative image of a guy with a foot fetish. I lean more towards it being harmless fun. I think the movie does convey, for the most part, a sympathetic view but, for entertainment value, I do agree that this guy does come off looking odd. I have to say, though, that admiring women's pretty feet from afar is not necessarily going to be a pretty picture. Often, in art, you're going to see people do whatever the hell they want to do, whether it's ugly or not--something to consider.
Having said all that, I understand that there is a need for bringing things out more into the open and continuing to chip away at the stigma. Thinking about this dislodged another memory of movies with some foot fancy. This may be the healthiest depiction yet--very matter-of-fact. In the 2005 film, Rumor Has It, Mark Ruffalo makes an offhand remark that Jennifer Aniston has some "hot feet." Talk about progress! Here's a truly regular guy saying he admires a woman's sexy feet. No steamy sex scene, just a little comment without a French accent or leering eyes. Interesting how it is Mark Ruffalo who gets to dine on Meg Ryan's feet in her bad girl film, In the Cut. This actor is a whole New Modern Man of Film wrapped up in one person. It's also interesting that Rumor Has It is a Rob Reiner film. Reiner is responsible of Sleepless in Seattle, among other films, that try to tap into the zeitgeist. I'm not saying that Rob Reiner is particularly hip to what's going on but he tries. It is hilarious to imagine him seeing his sweet Girl-Next-Door leading lady from Sleepless having her toes munched on in In The Cut. In fact, I can't help but think Rob Reiner is simply making a direct reference to that film when he has Ruffalo say that Jen has "hot feet."
Labels: feet, film, foot fetish, movies, pop culture, sex
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To me, its all normal/regular. For us to deem certain acts in a sub-culture already percieved as 'weird' is laughable. Take the guy who sucks the girl's toes on the bus in "Road Trip" for ex., yes it portrays us as lecherously sneaky, but in reality that is the film's writer/director Todd Phillips, making fun of that stereotype. "Cant I find a guy that's normal!!" is also a line I'm sure he tossed in there to heighten the joke. IMO I think smelling a chick's shoe in a movie would also be seen as "weird" by others, which is dumb since the act of sniffing panties in some movies and shows is 'just' funny [panty raiiiid!]. FFG, you're on point about chipping away at the stigmas, sometimes I feel though that there are those who are still inhibited in one way or another and need to realize that the same way we go about admiring feet [no matter how "perverted" it may seem], others go about other body parts with the same fervid passion, whether it be in a shy awkward manner or with the utmost confidence. We shouldn't turn this into a cycle of "this is perverted", "that isnt", when that would be justifying the outside criticisms. I also think there are those cases where its women that momentarily prefer things just "nice" and non-lecherous [not necessarilly foot fetish related], like FFG you consider that dude saying "hot feet" is progress, I agree in a sense but think its just an average remark that is only going to lead to those lecherous, lust filled moments later on [in the movie & real life]. Great job in finding more movies BTW, the scenes you mentioned sound nice. So come on people, even J. Lo had a line based around a quip about sitting on a dude's face in "Maid in Manhattan", how is anything foot related supposed to seem 'nasty' or 'perverted' next to that gem. In fact, that line alone should exempt all men from being called perverts ever again, just my take :D.
# posted by 
: 12:28 AM
: 12:28 AM
All you guys are great and thanks, Jay, for such a thoughtful post. I am so grateful for all of the feedback I get. I think there were times I felt a little alone on this whole foot fetish subject and my aim as been to show how it is already "out there" more than we all might realize.
I was focusing in on T's comments that he'd like to see more of a "regular guy" approach and I think his comments and my responses are the first steps in figuring things out. I think we'd all like to see an admiration of feet firmly in place in the culture with an admiration, for instance, of a nice ass, even lovely eyes. Now, I know we haven't quite gotten there, right? If a guy expresses admiration for feet, he doesn't know for sure how the comment will be taken by his buddies or a girl he likes. So, the thing to do is just put yourself out there and take the risk.
I think any guy or girl can take that risk of expressing an interest in feet. But it's like anything else: it's up to that person to have a sense of discretion. Say, if a guy was making endless comments about tits and staring at tits, he's not going to be taken seriously. If a movie wants to depict a sex scene that is out of control, it could be anything including some wild toe sucking on a bus. That actually sounds kinda hot but also excessive.
There are definitely levels of intensity to any sex. There are all these degrees you can go and you decide how far you want to go. If we haven't even reached the point where admiring feet is taken for granted, then we have a ways to go. But I have to tell you that I do hear a lot of positive comments. Girls, for instance, admire each other's feet. I think it's still hit or miss for guys.
I'll have to add Road Trip to the list! And I'll have to rent it!! I think I might go ahead and run this as a post too.
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I was focusing in on T's comments that he'd like to see more of a "regular guy" approach and I think his comments and my responses are the first steps in figuring things out. I think we'd all like to see an admiration of feet firmly in place in the culture with an admiration, for instance, of a nice ass, even lovely eyes. Now, I know we haven't quite gotten there, right? If a guy expresses admiration for feet, he doesn't know for sure how the comment will be taken by his buddies or a girl he likes. So, the thing to do is just put yourself out there and take the risk.
I think any guy or girl can take that risk of expressing an interest in feet. But it's like anything else: it's up to that person to have a sense of discretion. Say, if a guy was making endless comments about tits and staring at tits, he's not going to be taken seriously. If a movie wants to depict a sex scene that is out of control, it could be anything including some wild toe sucking on a bus. That actually sounds kinda hot but also excessive.
There are definitely levels of intensity to any sex. There are all these degrees you can go and you decide how far you want to go. If we haven't even reached the point where admiring feet is taken for granted, then we have a ways to go. But I have to tell you that I do hear a lot of positive comments. Girls, for instance, admire each other's feet. I think it's still hit or miss for guys.
I'll have to add Road Trip to the list! And I'll have to rent it!! I think I might go ahead and run this as a post too.
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