The Malaysia Film Censorship Board announced it is banning “50 Shades of Grey,” which debuts next week, because the bondage, dominance and sadomasochism (BDSM) sex depicted in the film is not “natural” and flick is more like “pornography than a movie,” according to The Star newspaper. Islam is the state religion in parts of Malaysia..”50 Shades,” starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, is said to show about 20 minutes of sex scenes or one-fifth of the film’s length in which Johnson is whipped, blindfolded and chained to a bed (among other delights). It has earned an R-rating in the United States and an “18 certificate” in the UK.The chairman of Malaysia’s Film Censorship Board explained:
“The board made a decision in view of the film containing scenes that are not of natural sexual content. The content is more sadistic, featuring scenes of a woman being tied to a bed and whipped.”
Malaysia has flogged women for engaging in extra-marital sex or drinking beer as recently as 2009 and 2010.For her part, the film’s director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, told the UK’s Guardian Weekend magazine recently:
“The film is hardcore in places, there’s dominance in places – but at no point did I feel like it had crossed a boundary. I didn’t want it to be graphically explicit, and I know that’s going to be disappointing to some people … I don’t think it goes into the realm of porn.. … It was always going to be R-rated … You can’t show full frontal… a certain amount of thrusts.”
I, for one, am waiting on bated breath for February 13 to find out for myself.Related Articles:“50 Shades” Star Jamie Dornan “Had a Long Shower” After Visiting a Sex Dungeon “50 Shades” Star Jamie Dornan Suggests Women Who Are Into BDSM “May Well Be Repressed”
