LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 12: Dakota Johnson attends the UK Premiere of 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' at Odeon Leicester Square on February 12, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images) (Photo: )
As the "Fifty Shades of Grey" chatter revs up heading into its opening weekend, you basically have to go out of your way if you want to avoid reviews, think-pieces, panels and features about the much-anticipated film. One prominent discussion to emerge in the lead-up to the release concerns whether the BDSM saga is a tale of abuse or empowerment.
Dakota Johnson, for one, defended the story in a new interview with Digital Spy. The 25-year-old actress portrays the virginal Anastasia Steele, who's seduced by the fetishistic billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan).
"I know that a lot of people, before seeing the movie, were thinking that it's promoting abuse and violence, but I think it's actually doing the opposite," Johnson said. "It was really important for [director Sam Taylor-Johnson] and I to maintain the level of integrity in Anastasia throughout the entire film because I really don't think that she's a weak, submissive victim. I think she's a strong woman who is fearlessly exploring herself emotionally and sexually."
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Taylor-Johnson made similar remarks at Thursday's premiere in London, where protesters brandished signs with such comments as "Christian Grey is a rapist."
“It’s very important to understand that we did empower this character and that everything she does in her sexual exploration is done willingly and consensually,” the director told The Independent. "The moment a line is crossed, there’s a very powerful 'no,' so I think actually we're delivering a very different message to what those people are expecting. They should wait and see. I wanted to give her a strength, to take her right through to the end and give her the final word. [Being a woman] helped when I shot the more intimate scenes, as Dakota and I had built up a powerful trust."
Watch more of Johnson's interview:
1. It's based on a book that you might well have heard of
Simultaneously the fastest-selling book in UK history, while also being almost universally panned by critics for its seemingly terrible writing (apart from in the graphic, S&M-laden sex scenes, of course, which occur with staggering frequency, almost at the drop of a hat).
2. Jamie Dornan is in it (in case that escaped your attention)
It's not all about Jamie Dornan, though, with Dakota Johnson playing the leading lady Anastasia Steele, who begins her 'Fifty Shades' journey as an awkward outsider and ends it a sex kitten. Spoiler. Alert. While our first taste of Dakota as Anastasia made her appear quite team, we got our first taste of the kinky side of her character when she appeared in a music video for The Weeknd wearing lingerie, rope and... well, that was about it actually.
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4. It hits UK cinemas on 13 February
As we're sure you might have noticed, that means it's out right in time for Valentine's Day, if you want to treat the one you love to an eye-opening cinematic experience. Whatever happened to a box of Milk Tray and some petrol station flowers, eh?
5. Other actors also make an appearance...
Because two hours of non-stop handcuffing and cries of "oh my!" do not a film make, other stars have been drafted in to help carry the so-called "plot". Eloise Mumford takes on the role of Anastasia's best friend, Kate, while José, who fans of the book will remember as another of her love interests, is played by Victor Rasuk.
And not just any sex, either - in the first full trailer alone we see Anastasia blindfolded, tied to a bed and tickled with a riding crop. 'Snow White And The Seven Dwarves' this ain't. The film's sexual content has even earned it an '18' rating from the BBFC, which basically means it's adults-only, and therefore probably not for the faint-hearted.
True, when we think "jellyfish", the first thing we think of isn't exactly "erotica", but director Sam Taylor-Johnson has admitted that if she'd had her way there would have been a sex scene involving jellyfish, as part of one of Anastasia's dream sequences. However, this ended up not going ahead. She told The Guardian: "there was a scene when we go into Anastasia's world and her head, and we just had these jellyfish on the screen. It was beautiful, very impressionistic. Everyone went, 'What the f**k are those jellyfish doing there?'"
10. Nor are there any tampons
We were actually quite relieved to learn that one notorious moment from the 'Fifty Shades' novel - where Christian tugs on Anastasia's "blue string" before they get down to it - was not transferred to the big screen.
11. What it lacks in tampons it makes up for in great music...
The 'Fifty Shades' soundtrack boasts some of the biggest names in music, including Ellie Goulding, Sia, The Rolling Stones and Jessie Ware. Beyoncé also recorded her debut solo single 'Crazy In Love' especially for the film, 10 years after its initial release.
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13. 'Fifty Shades' taught Jamie Dornan some new skills
To prepare for the part of Christian Grey, Jamie Dornan says he visted sex dungeons to chat to real-life dominants about how he could portray the role as accurately as possible. He also became something of an expert at knot-tieing, which should come in handy if he ever fancies a change of career and decides to lead a troop of Cub Scouts.
14. There's even Oscar buzz!
True, in the eyes of a lot of people 'Fifty Shades' is among the worst books ever written, but that doesn't mean the film adaptation needs to follow suit. In fact, screenwriter Kelly Marcel has even suggested that Jamie could bag an Academy Award for his portrayal of Christian Grey. Admittedly this might seem like an impossibility - but in a world where Rita Ora is literally performing at the Oscars, can you really write anything off anymore?
15. Will 'Fifty Shades Darker' And 'Fifty Shades Freed' Be Getting The Film Treatment?
The short answer is "no", but presumably if the first film is a hit with critics and audiences (hey, hey, hey - we said "if"!), then the following two installments could be next.
