Porn vs Erotica

Several years ago this movie came into a colleague's in-tray. She was on the film classification panel.



The beauty of the cinematography and the skill of the storyline was undeniable. But there was something not quite 'right' from a readily identifiable classification perspective.



The film, 9 1/2 Weeks was presented to a Sexology Society Association meeting for evaluation.



The response from the clinicians?



"like Deep Throat so many years earlier - it will be good for business"...*smiles*... and it was!

The film was available to 'regular' audiences in 'regular' cinemas.. dubbed soft porn by some, erotica by others, Director Adrian Lyne (He directed Flashdance previously) made the best possible use of lighting and the NYC setting to produce a film that was ambiguous in intent. It straddled the genres.



It also introduced D/s and BDSM concepts to many and opened the doors to discussion in the mainstream community.

*smiles*.. the film also opened up the sensual and sexual possibilities of food! *w*

















Perhaps the saddest aspect is the lack of real relationship beyond the lust and experimentation. This in itself left the impression that D/s was merely humiliation and BDSM 'games'.



For those in the long-term D/s community it did a disservice, leaving the impression that love had no place in D/s and that invariably, someone was going to get hurt - and not in a 'good' way. Nevertheless - i love the movie even though in my opinion, the ending sucks. For for me, the film even as disjointed as it is from the censor's cuts offers a visual feast of light, texture and sensuality.

Comments

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Another one of those movies where all I can really say is... gotta love cable. I was not old enough to see this movie when I did. But to be honest, had I been 18, I'm still not sure that would have been old enough. It spoke to me from early on, the passionate angsty part of me that's so close to the surface as a teenager. Thanks for reminding me of it.

Monday May 7, 2007 - 09:36pm (PDT) Remove Comment

• ~lea
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i think i've heard of this movie, but i've never seen it...now i think i shall put it on my list of ones...thanks for the previews and your thoughts...*smiles to a beautiful evening..

Monday May 7, 2007 - 11:32pm (PDT) Remove Comment

• Scare…
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Great film, ahead of it's time, widely misunderstood, and well made. Too bad we can't say the same about the sequels. I remember watching this movie several times with a significant other at the time, but for some reason we could never quite make it through the whole film. I wonder why?

As for the ending? Well the entire film is supposed to show what a realtionship is like when you base it on lust and take love out of it entirely - empty. Completely barren.

Give me lust, but you damn well better give me love as well!

Tuesday May 8, 2007 - 05:27pm (EST) Remove Comment

• Surge…
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....a great movie but i definitely agree that love is a must and yes it definitely was missing....the movie still rocks though :-)

Tuesday May 8, 2007 - 04:59am (CDT) Remove Comment

• Aragorn
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I also enjoyed this film. It did show how barren and short-lived (albeit very enjoyable) lust can be. In some ways it is a cautionary tale of the eventual outcome of intensity without love. Well chosen.

Tuesday May 8, 2007 - 08:13pm (EST) Remove Comment

• [dele…

Smiles...a powerful movie indeed, it left a lasting impression on me. And while i agree it is barren of love, i think that was the intent. Its focus was on the psychological/physical obsession that drew these two together...not the intimacy of love. A movie well worth seeing again....smiles!! Thank you!

Tuesday May 8, 2007 - 06:48am (PDT)