Text
This thesis uses the methods of film analysis to explore the representation of young male sexuality in eight productions of the American Pie series (1999-2012, various directors). The main focus of this analysis is the first episode of the series, American Pie (Chris and Paul Weitz, 1999), that sets the tone for the later productions of these typical Teen Sex Quest films. In this narrative, four friends make a pact to lose their virginity by the time of their high-school prom. Current cultural theoretical discourse neglects the representation of young masculine sexuality. This thesis contributes to the closing of this gap by answering the following research questions: Which images and film techniques are used to represent male sexuality in American Pie ? What overall image of the sexually developing young American male do these images and techniques express? This analysis will show that the journey of the young men shown in the film is implicitly compared to the stages of a baseball game, thus forming a link to American popular culture. Moreover, two scenes showing the main character performing autoerotic acts stand out. These masturbation scenes demonstrate the normalization of male sexuality and are, among others, typical of the sub-genre of Gross-Out comedy (William Paul, 1994). Too, the important role of both the homosocial peer group and the relationship between father and son further establishes a connection to 1950s sex education films, which aimed at the normalization of the spectators’ sexuality. All things considered, by showing how masculinity is equated to living a heteronormal sexuality, American Pie reflects the rise of conservative values in 1990s Hollywood productions.