Less than two months before the worldwide release of the movie "Fifty Shades of Grey," its promotion continues to be beset with controversy. A sexy movie poster advertising the show had to be taken down from a cinema in the United Kingdom after the public complained of its content being too naughty.
A half-naked Dakota Johnson, who plays lead female character Anastasia Steele, was the object of offense by the people in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. According to a report by the Welwyn Hatfield Times, the poster showed Johnson blindfolded and seemingly in the throes of passion. It was seen hanging outside the Garden City Cinema and was even outfitted with the Welwyn Hatfield Council logo. The poster was part of the cinema's plan to market ticket sales of the movie.
After receiving the complaints about its offensive nature, the cinema administration took down the poster. The company also issued a public apology through one of its representatives, reported Ace Showbiz. "We are very sorry if we caused offense to anyone," said the spokesman. He added, "The film is set to be a blockbuster and is already selling well with us, even though it doesn't open until Valentine's Day 2015. The poster reflects the erotic nature of the film and was not explicit, but we understand if some people have taken offense."
After five weeks of display, the cinema replaced the poster with an advertisement of "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies", which was a huge hit among moviegoers during the Christmas season.
This was not the first time the movie was called out for its kinky content. International Business Times reported in July that many civic groups have protested the release of the movie after its first official trailer came out. Melissa Henson from the Parents Television Council noted, "The fact that they're romanticizing sexual violence in this way is also very troubling." At that time, both the films' director and distributor refrained from issuing a statement.
While the poster may pose a problem for the production team, considering it is an erotic movie, Cinema Blend was quick to suggest that such issues could be turned to the movie's advantage. The website cited getting "a bit symbolic and clever" in coming up with movie posters instead of putting out sex and nudity since most who are familiar with the book by E.L. James already know what it's about. It might be also better for the film, who has gotten a lot of negative feedback prior from release, to be more subtle and inventive when marketing the controversial movie.
