Being male, you can probably guess
that the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy hasn't popped up on the 'Recommendation'
section of my Amazon account. On the other hand, for many women, all three
books were purchased well before websites managed to calculate previous searches and
estimate future purchases.
The reason I haven't read the books
is because I'm not interested. It's that simply. I haven't got a problem with
the salacious content or the hype that surrounds them. But, what I have a
serious issue with is the upcoming movie, which today saw its cast announced.
My issue is with the affect the film
will have on readers, past and present.
The beauty of the books is the unique
fantasy for each reader. Mr Grey (Christian, I've since been informed) is a
different individual for every person who meets him in their mind; his features
are built on experiences and preferences - from his facial structure to the
sound of his voice. And that is what a real fantasy is - a dream, an ideal. It is why the book got
the juices flowing for so many women - excuse the pun.
A lot of people who read it said to
me: "that would make a great film".
No it will not. It's a fantasy.
Once again Hollywood is not allowing
people to think for themselves. Film production companies are using a fat ladle
to scoop up a big pile of pop culture and spoon-feed it to the masses. Do not
think for yourself! Do not have an imagination - a thrill, a Mr Grey. Hollywood
will provide that.
The books - 50 Shades of Grey, 50
Shades Darker and 50 Shades Freed, were the top selling books of 2012
respectively. The first edition sold over 10 million copies - five times that
of the Hunger Games, which was the fourth bestselling book of the year.
 |
| Charlie Hunnam - cast to play Christian Grey |
Your version of the novel, the
imagery so personally to you, is about to be wiped from your imagination and
replaced with a 'real' Mr grey and censored antics. When the film is released,
the recently announced Charlie Hunnam will defeat your real desired fling - an even
more ominous prospect for those who are yet to read the novels.
Arguably the same could be said for
Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Shakespeare and any other classic turned
Hollywood success. It is however hard to argue that any novel has ever had a
reaction with its audience like the Fifty Shades trilogy.
I'm not trying to be a saviour of art
and I'm certainly not against blockbuster hits. But, although I'm still a Fifty
Shades virgin, I do know that you wouldn't Photoshop the Mona Lisa.
Protect your own imagination.
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