50 shades of sexploitation

The C.A.C.T.U.S club hit a new low this week, getting drawn into the media frenzy that is 50 Shades of Grey… My expectations of the film were low, which helped because it certainly lived down to them**. I only managed to stay awake because I was worried that I might miss something exciting… I wouldn’t have.

** I came close to giving this week’s Blog the title “Fifty shades of beige” but realising that the mere mention of s.e.x sells any old rubbish I took the commercial decision and have sold the very soul of The BlackLOG – don’t worry normal service will be resumed shortly and The BlackLOG will return to its normal beige consistency. After all there is only so much excitement one can take.

The 99.9% female audience turned the atmosphere into a kindergarten, with a loud squeaky buzz of excitement filling the auditorium before the film started. I have to admit that some of the film was funny, although not always intentionally so, because the film script is as badly written as the book it is based upon (Oh damn, further shame. It looks like I’ve accidently admitted to having read the first book of the series). Sadly, the unintentional humour only serves to disguise the main problem with the story. It is basically a tale about grooming because of all the gifts Christian gives to Anastasia: an Apple Mac, a brand new car (albeit complete rubbish compared to the cars that Mr Grey swans around in). Then there is Mr Grey's jealousy over any men in Anastasia’s life and going loopy because she had not told him she was visiting her mum. If this had been set in Rotherham it would have been headline news for sure.

The showing that the C.A.C.T.U.S club attended was almost full (Mrs B had a ticket but didn’t make it home from work in time – lucky thing).  The film was being shown in most of the other screens, which I’m guessing were full too – just for the promise of some mild titillation (As Madonna put it “Sex scenes written by someone who has no idea about sex”). The supposedly hard core counting scene is a good example – Sesame Street does counting much more entertainingly with The Count. Anyone else seen the film? What is your view?

It is really sad that the previous week’s C.A.C.T.U.S outing  to see Selma (The Martin Luther King film) a powerful story about securing equal voting rights – was being shown on only one screen and that was practically empty….If only MLK had thought to drop into the local Selma hardware store to pick up rope, cable ties, duct tape and then groomed his followers, Selma might have done much better at the Box office. I guess MLK had more important matters on his mind than cinema receipts 50 years later.

The week’s C.A.C.T.U.S attendees (10th Feb) The fifth film for 2015 – Selma
Niel
Marb

The week’s C.A.C.T.U.S attendees (17th Feb) The sixth film for 2015 – 50 Shades of Grey
Niel
Al
Mark
Lisa

C.A.C.T.U.S running totals
Niel (6)
Penny (4)
Marb (4)
Natalie (2)
Al (3)
Mrs B (2)
Mark (1)
Lisa (1)

Instagram
Bit of excitement for me when BBCspringwatch liked one of my Instagram posts





Photo Finish
Pictures February 2014 – All taken with the Panasonic FZ150 (can’t remember why I didn’t use either of The Beasts) so a bit fuzzier than normal.

Anna Calvi at the Troxy

"Sing to me"

"One Breath"

"Love Won't Be Leaving"

"No more words"

"Morning Light"

Del Amitri – Hammersmith Apollo

"Be my downfall"

"Behind the fool"

"Nothing ever happens"

"Kiss this thing goodbye"

"Drunk in a band"