«Cambiare il pubblico, tutto il resto verrà da sé»: erotismo, cultura di massa e spettatori cattolici (1954-1969)

This article focuses on the reception, by Catholic spectators, of eroticism and sexuality in film and on TV. The historical coordinates of the study will be defined by two crucial events: the first transmissions on TV in 1954; and the two-year period of 1968-69, which saw increased political conflict and a radical change in the social and cultural panorama. The objective of the essay is to relate changes in the cinematic and televised representation of eroticism to broader social and cultural tendencies. The research undertaken will be preceded by a brief overview of the presumed responsibility assumed by spectators in creating a “problem” of sexuality in film and TV. Following this, the article examines the letters sent by readers to the most relevant Catholic weekly, «Famiglia Cristiana», in order to trace out the presence of such themes in the communications on television and cinema.