Al Pacino shares thoughts on "borderline porn" sex scenes

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Al Pacino on "borderline porn" sex scenesFrank Micelotta - Getty Images

Al Pacino has shared his thoughts on filming graphic sex scenes, which he likened to "borderline porn".

The legendary actor is well known for his action roles in iconic movies such as Scarface and The Godfather trilogy.

However, whilst starring in the 1989 thriller Sea of Love, Pacino had to step outside his comfort zone to shoot a sex scene with co-star Ellen Barkin.

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Frank Micelotta - Getty Images

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Reflecting on the experience, the star admitted he wasn't a fan of filming the intimate scenes, and suggested that most actors probably feel the same way.

"I'm not usually one to perform graphic lovemaking scenes," he wrote in his memoir Sonny Boy (via Entertainment Weekly). "And I don't think many other actors like to do them either. It can become sort of borderline porn."

Pacino went on to explain how his role in Sea of Love was different to the other passionate parts he had played.

ellen barkin al pacino sea of love
Universal

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"Though I had played romantic leads in other movies," he said. "[Sea of Love] became renowned for a long, slow sex scene where Ellen Barkin holds me against a wall and gives me a bit of a pat-down before our two characters start going at it."

Crediting the director Harold Becker, Pacino did note that "the scene was brilliantly choreographed". However, he fondly remembered the subtle romance of old movies, which he feels "no longer" exist.

He added: "I realise it is futile for me to complain that we're no longer in an age of movies like A Place in the Sun, where Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift could have an entire audience swooning in their seats without ever showing their naked bodies."

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