(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.
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