Mastering Fifty Shades
Surprisingly, we CAn leArn A few things from the ‘erotiC’ film trilogy. (Yes, reAlly.)
The Fifty Shades movies — based on the bestselling E.L. James novels — have earned over $1 billion so far at the box office with their titillating promise of S&Mtinged erotica.
The final one, Fifty Shades Freed, is the weakest, but will no doubt still make money from female audiences looking for Galentine’s Day amusement. What have we learned from this trilogy? Other than some flogging techniques, a few surprisingly important lessons:
AUDIENCES WERE HERE FOR THIS
It feels like beating the same old drum to say women buy movie tickets and studios would be wise to cater to them, but here we are. When Fifty Shades of Grey came out in February 2015, it made $85 million in its opening weekend, more than double that of the heavily marketed, more dudecentric action flick Kingsman: The Secret Service. Fifty Shades pulled in $571 million worldwide — on a $40-million budget.
Of course, it had a built-in audience. British author James’s painful prose didn’t hinder her first novel from becoming a megahit. The media dubbed it “mommy porn,” underestimating the broad appeal of its tale of a virginal university student who falls hard for a studly but personality-free Seattle billionaire with certain predilections.
AUTHORS SHOULDN’T NECESSARILY ADAPT THEIR OWN WORK
Fifty Shades of Grey the movie was remarkable simply because it was so much better than the book. Director Sam TaylorJohnson and screenwriter Kelly Marcel transformed it into something more tongue-in-cheek.
But production was a constant battle between the director and James. Taylor-Johnson called making it “incredibly painful,” because they never seemed to see eye to eye.
It was the biggest U.S. opening for a female director — since surpassed by Wonder Woman — yet Taylor-Johnson wasn’t asked to return for the second or third instalments. Instead, James’s husband, Niall Leonard, adapted the sequels while James Foley directed.
The second and third movies take themselves much more seriously. Maybe there’s more sex — one of the sticking points between James and TaylorJohnson, who opted for more subtle sensuality — but there are also more eye-rolling plot twists. Fifty Shades Darker still made plenty of money — $381 million worldwide — but not as much as the first. The third earned $137 million worldwide during its opening weekend.
DAKOTA JOHNSON CAN ACT
Nepotism is an epidemic in Hollywood, which means there are loads of people who aren’t entirely qualified for high-profile gigs, but beat out more talented commoners anyway.
When Johnson was cast in Fifty Shades of Grey, she hadn’t done much outside of bit parts and a failed sitcom, although she had a pedigree: She’s the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. It seemed a gamble to cast her in such a prominent role, but she’s one of the trilogy’s greatest assets, bringing a down-to-earth vibe to her scenes despite whatever outlandish things are unfolding around her.
That was a herculean task, considering how bad the dialogue could be, and Dornan couldn’t quite muster it. Although he’s been terrific in other roles, especially in The Fall, he never managed to elevate his character beyond slightly stalkerish, entirely wooden eye candy.
THERE’S NO BAD TIME TO RELEASE A MOVIE
The early part of the year is a wasteland at the theatres. The summer months offer a plethora of action blockbusters and, between Halloween and Christmas, we’re bombarded by awards hopefuls. But January and February promise little more than the dregs that didn’t make the cut the previous year.
That’s pretty short-sighted considering people need entertainment all year long, and the success of Fifty Shades speaks to that. The movies were all wisely pegged to Valentine’s Day, making them perfect for a date night for kink-curious couples or groups of unattached women looking for some steamy amusement.