Fifty Shades of Blur

                                                     (photo: Focus Films)

Always, after the exposure to debates, research and brainstorming in the graduate school, it is always a relief to head to the cool environs of a cinema. Viewing films could release stressful stuff in the body as the mind goes to a certain place of make-believe.

I forgot it was Valentine’s Day. It is probably because I’m not linked romantically to someone or the mind was already set that this day is just an economic strategy to boost sales of different products. But then, it may sound sour-graping yet honestly it’s not.

It was when I reached the cinema when I noticed couples with flowers and chocolates (give her a plant, for a crying out loud!) taking pictures in the booth provided by the cinema. They were happy, the couples, I could see.

“Fifty Shades of Grey” was showing. There was a commotion in the publishing world when the book sold 100 million. I saw the trilogy in National Bookstore but dismissed the thing as something like a fad. The literati raised its eyebrows on the prose of the E.L. James. True to its MTRCB rating (R-18), the ticket women asked for ID’s from young-looking moviegoers. There was nothing else to view except for an animation flick which I already forgot so I shelled an amount for the film version.

Most of the moviegoers had partners or a group of girls interested in the film or was able to read the book. I shushed three women who were giggling even during the trailers ( Cinderella at that!).

When the movie started to roll, I was able to notice the production design which was superbly arranged and the things that the viewer could see reek money. Yet I got bothered with the storytelling.

Most wide readers understand that a book must be written to sell. And for it to be able to hit the bestseller list, it must create a stir or good enough to shatter a reader’s equilibrium (like what happened with Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code). “Fifty Shades of Grey” wanted to tell us that love could cut across anything like that of Stephenie Meyers’ “Twilight” trilogy in which a mortal and a vampire merged through love. Here, a woman falls in love with a sadist.

First thing to bother me is this: Why would a sado-masochist seems to understand himself like that of a psychiatrist? It has been consistently implied by those who major in Behavioral Science that healing starts when one acknowledges his ailments! Yet, fifteen women already fell prey...Of course, we could be aware of our quirks but to maintain a “play room” with whips and other sadistic toys and explain it to someone is beyond me. I understand that these people exist. I know that it’s a mental condition stemming from a childhood trauma. In the flick, it is implied that a “Mrs. Robinson” is the one who abused Grey. And he is still friends with his abuser!

And then, there’s the contract that Anastacia Steele (Dakota Johnson) has to sign. Why would a woman venture on such sick world? Is it because of the material things gifted to her? Or is she also sick - a masochist?

The movie house got silent. Some were trying to absorb the efforts made by the screenplay for us to make dominant-submissive lifestyle be instilled as a norm. Others, like me, fidget on my seat since I wanted to discuss the loopholes of the film to someone. I was afraid that the young ones would herald on the thrill of sadism. Vampires are different for we know that the elements and characters in “Twilight” were fictitious yet domestic violence and domineering husbands are real! Violence must never be attached to the handsome Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and be translated as the “added” points to a man.

Fucking in the film, not making love according to Grey, was not that sexy at all. The producers gave a disclaimer on the blurring or some parts yet it seems that the woman was made as an object. She was having a lot of nudity and Grey only showed his ass. Pubic hair and breasts were exposed from the woman, yet not even a shadow of Grey’s cock was presented. That could raise a lot of protests from the feminist groups. And of course, sadism based on studies is anti-women since most of the sadists recorded are male.

The film lasted for almost two and a half hours. And the ending made some viewers ask: That’s it? I almost screamed: It’s a trilogy, you idiots! But then, I would have fallen to the trap of insanity.

And yes, this might just be a fad. I don’t think that being mentally sick could be considered cute and that pain and dominance rule. We have tasted freedom, why should we be punished because we roll our eyes?

Fifty Shades of Grey is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside E L James, the creator of the series. The screenplay for the film is by Kelly Marcel.