ABOVE: Watch the trailer for Fifty Shades of Grey.
TORONTO — An anti-pornography group is speaking out about the R rating given to the Fifty Shades of Grey movie in the U.S.
Morality in Media, which describes itself as “the leading national organization opposing pornography and indecency,” believes the big screen adaptation of E.L. James’ erotic novel should be classified as pornography.
“The MPAA rating … mask the true themes of humiliation, manipulation, abuse, and degradation of women,” read a statement from Morality in Media executive director Dawn Hawkins.
The R rating, she added, “severely undermines the violent themes in the film and does not adequately inform parents and patrons of the film’s content.”
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ruled the film is restricted to persons 17 years of age or older, unless accompanied by an adult, due to “strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behaviour and graphic nudity, and for language.”
Morality in Media wants the MPAA to be more clear.
“What the term ‘unusual’ does not account for is the coercion, sexual violence, female inequality, and BDSM themes from which the entire Fifty Shades plot is based,” Hawkins said.
“Such a vague evaluation puts viewers at risk, sending the message that humiliation is pleasurable and that torture should be sexually gratifying.”
Morality in Media believes the MPAA should have rated the movie NC-17, which means no one under 18 is allowed to see it.
“We’d like to change the MPAA rating for Fifty Shades of Grey to read: ‘Promotes torture as sexually gratifying, graphic nudity, encourages stalking and abuse of power, promotes female inequality, glamorizes and legitimizes violence against women.’
The rating does not apply in Canada, where films classifications vary from province to province — and tolerance for scenes of sexuality is generally higher.
In Ontario, for example, ratings include 14A (persons under 14 must be accompanied by an adult), 18A (persons under 18 must be accompanied by an adult) and R (persons must be 18 and up).
British Columbia, where Fifty Shades was filmed, has similar ratings.
In Quebec, ratings include 13+ (persons under 13 must be accompanied by an adult), 16+ (persons must be 16 and up) and 18+ (persons must be 18 and up).
It is not yet known what rating the movie, which opens Feb. 13, will get in Canada.
Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan has refuted claims that the movie glorifies violence against women.
“It’s very hard to argue that when it is all consensual,” he told The Observer. “Half the book is about making contracts. Permission and agreement that this be done.
“There’s no rape, no forced sexual situations.”
Dornan also revealed fans of the erotic novel will not get to see all of Grey’s anatomy.
“There were contracts in place that said viewers wouldn’t be seeing my, um… my todger,” he explained.
“You want to appeal to as wide an audience as possible without grossing them out. You don’t want to make something gratuitous, and ugly, and graphic.”
While Dornan’s penis won’t pop up on screen, Fifty Shades will still sizzle.
“I’m aware of what we shot, and it wasn’t as if we shot a film without any action,” said Dornan.
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