If you have read The Color Purple, you know there were sex between Shug Avery and Celie. Now in the 1985, the movie only touched on the issue, reducing their affair as a simple kiss.
Steven Spielberg talks about his decision to soften the lesbian scenes:
"There were certain things in the [lesbian] relationship between Shug Avery and Celie that were very finely detailed in Alice's book, that I didn't feel we could get a [PG-13] rating," Spielberg tells EW's Anthony Breznican. "And I was shy about it. In that sense, perhaps I was the wrong director to acquit some of the more sexually honest encounters between Shug and Celie, because I did soften those. I basically took something that was extremely erotic and very intentional, and I reduced it to a simple kiss. I got a lot of criticism for that."This is interesting, but I would want the movie to stick as close to the book as possible. So I would disagree with Steven. I think we could appreciate the intimate scenes between Shug and Miss Celie.
Asked if he'd do it differently now, Spielberg says, "I wouldn't, no. That kiss is consistent with the tonality, from beginning to end, of The Color Purple that I adapted."
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8 comments:
He did it for the money.
A PG-13 rating guarantees a larger audience, while an R rating does not. So, in the end it's about $$$$$$$,
I agree with Spielberg. If that was his vision for the film then so be it, it is still wonderful. The book will always be there, I like it when adaptations change things a little. Otherwise I might as well read the book.
I like Stephen's version. "Explicit sex" (in any variety) was not the tone of mid 1980's films, as it is nowadays. I think the core message of TCP remained in tact & didn't need the booty-booty between the Celie & Shug.
Perhaps George Lucas can help you out with a Special Edition of TCP, 'cause I hear he's done wonders for other films crying out for the same.
It was 19?? and people are dumb.
Another issue is the fact that the movie's primary audience was going to be black. Black folks could barely handle them kissing each other once, let alone having to see them....KISSS each other. It would have, sadly, really changed the path of the film and there would have been even more controversy around it. Heck, they took just as much if not more out of Fried Green Tomatoes didn't they?
Do you think it would have become the classic it is Vik, if it had the full on sex scenes in it? I wonder how a more accurate version would play now?
Consider, in 1985, something as simple as a Lesbian sex scene could have tanked that movie. That's all it would have been known for. Overshadowed all the awesome performances, dialogue, etc.
Today... the sex scene could probably work. I say probably... because the movie going public only wants to see lipstic lesbians have sex.
@Mechadude- I remember first seeing the movie in the theater with my WHOLE family. Mom, Sister, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins. We all went to see it together. If they'd done more than just kiss, many in my family probably would have walked out. I didn't know what was going on at the time and none of my family would explain to me why those two ladies was kissin'. I read the book a lot later in life and had a fun time telling my Mom the EXTENT of the real relationship between Shug and Celie in the book. Not to mention the giraffes and elephants and stuff.
I totally agree with Wilson. This was 1985 NOT 2005. The entire black audience would have had a massive coronary if they went full on lesbo. I remember when I was little and one of my older brothers took me to see set it off. When Queen Latisha kissed her girlfriend the audience (mainly black) did a collective "Ewwwwwwwwwww!"
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