Entertainment_amp_Arts_Latest_News_amp_Updates_BBC_News.txt
'Extremely problematic' How cult 'art house erotica' film Emmanuelle became a global hit and dated badly.txt
'Extremely problematic': How cult 'art house erotica' film Emmanuelle became a global hit - and luvas poker versatiledated badlySkip to contentAdvertisementBritish Broadcasting CorporationRegisterSign InHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListTo the Ends of The Earth EarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersAdvertisement'Extremely problematic': How cult 'art house erotica' film Emmanuelle became a global hit - and dated badly26 September 2024ShareSaveEmma JonesShareSaveAlamy(Credit: Alamy)To mark the 50th anniversary of the erotic French film that made soft porn mainstream cinema, it's had a 21st Century reboot – but will it match the success of the original?A new version of Emmanuelle, this time in English and starring France's Noémie Merlant, has just been released in France. This Emmanuelle, directed by Audrey Diwan, a Venice Film Festival Golden Lion winner for her powerful abortion drama Happening, explores female sexuality, 2024-style.If Emmanuelle's sexual adventures need re-telling, that might be because the 1974 original seems so dated now. Directed by Frenchman Just Jaeckin and starring Dutch actor Sylvia Kristel as Emmanuelle, the film (based on a 1967 novel of the same name) follows the 19-year-old wife of a French diplomat on a visit to Thailand. All the residents, whether Thai or expat, seem ready for sex at any time. Shot in soft, dream-like focus, Emmanuelle has encounters with men and women in a variety of locations, including joining the mile-high club, although not all these experiences are consensual. She is raped in an opium den but then swiftly goes on to have sex with a man who has "won" her during a fight. "I can't say it's a brilliant film, really," Sylvia Kristel would say of it, in an interview with The Telegraph in 2007.Many critics at the time agreed with her, but the movie was a box-office sensation, selling nearly nine million tickets in France alone, although it was initially banned until a new government was elected in 1974. It was a hit, too, in the US, much of Europe, and in Japan. Several sequels and spin-offs followed in the 1970s, and Kristel starred in a few of them. "The film," she said, "became like a monument in Paris. The Japanese [tourists] were stuffed in the bus and then they were taken to the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and Emmanuelle." One cinema, the Triomphe on the Champs-élysées, would show the film continuously until 1986.AlamyEmmanuelle was a box-office sensation when it was released in 1974, selling nearly nine million tickets in France (Credit: Alamy)AdvertisementWhy a soft porn movie would become another French landmark is down to timing, according to Eve Jackson, culture editor and presenter of Arts 24 on the news channel France 24. "It was the first film of its kind in French, and one of the first French films to become a global phenomenon," she tells the BBC. "It also came at a time when the themes of the era were 'free love' and sexual liberation. The contraceptive pill was widely available, and a year later abortion was made legal in France. "Last Tango in Paris, which also has explicit sex scenes, had been a hit in France two years before, but then I believe double the amount of people went to see Emmanuelle during its first week. It broke taboos, showing masturbation, having multiple sexual partners, having sex with anonymous people, but at the same time was mainstream because the size of the audiences showed there was desire for this kind of film. It opened a conversation of how sexuality could be shown in cinema. It's far from being a masterpiece, but it became a cult hit and the film poster itself was iconic. It could be seen all over Paris in the 1970s."In the US, Emmanuelle was marketed as a "classier" kind of porn film to watch – as art house erotica – with the tagline "X was never like this" separating it from other adult films with an X-rating. It was also perceived by some fans, particularly in Japan, as a feminist movie, according to Kristel: "They thought Emmanuelle was dominant, just because of this one scene where she climbs on top of her husband. That was the moment when all the Japanese women stood up and applauded."Sexual consent is such a hot topic in France right now, not just because of the #MeToo movement – so Emmanuelle seems wrong on so many levels – Eve JacksonMany would agree now, though, that the film has not stood the test of time, from its depiction of Thai people as anonymous servants, fighters and rapists, to the issue of sexual consent. Jackson describes the original movie as "extremely problematic"."The character is a sexual object, most of her partners are dominant older men who are orchestrating her pleasure for themselves," she says. "There are moments, not just for Emmanuelle, where the consent isn't obvious. Near the end of the film, there's a horrific group rape scene."Why remake Emmanuelle?"Sexual consent is such a hot topic in France right now, not just because of the #MeToo movement," continues Jackson. "We have the Gisèle Pelicot rape trial going on, making worldwide headlines. So Emmanuelle seems wrong on so many levels. Back in 1974, she may have been seen as a trailblazer for an era of free love and sexual adventure, and given France a reputation for it, but the film wasn't feminist. It was written and directed by men."Over time, the Emmanuelle phenomenon faded even in France, and few younger people saw the original: at the world premiere of the new film, Noémie Merlant confessed that she hadn't seen the 1974 version before she took on the role.AlamyIn the US, Emmanuelle was marketed as a 'classier' kind of porn film to watch, as art house erotica, with the tagline 'X was never like this' (Credit: Alamy)But there's still been intense interest that a French female director would turn her gaze on the subject matter, even if Audrey Diwan's version had a poor critical reaction at its world premiere at the San Sebastian Film Festival last week. Merlant's Emmanuelle is in her 30s, and takes a trip to Hong Kong to inspect a luxury hotel, where Naomi Watts plays the manager. During the visit, Emmanuelle rediscovers her own desire and pleasure in life, through encounters with a Wuthering Heights-reading escort (Chacha Huang) as well as an engineer played by The White Lotus's Will Sharpe.More like this:? Babygirl: Nicole Kidman gives 'bravest performance' in erotic drama? The warped horror that's 2024's most divisive film? Queer review: Craig is 'heartbreaking' in explicit dramaContemporary audiences, who have matured with erotica so mainstream that it's not considered outrageous (even Fifty Shades of Grey is nearly 15 years old) and who can access porn on their mobile phones, present a different directorial challenge to those of 1974, and Diwan suggested in a recent interview with Variety that implying rather than showing sexual tension was important to her."Back in the 70s, the desire was to show more, which is what made the first film so successful," she said. "Except, I felt what stayed hidden was more interesting. I thought to push that tension by asking the viewer to engage actively with the film and to collaborate with the story."AlamyIn the 2024 remake, Noémie Merlant's Emmanuelle takes a trip to Hong Kong to inspect a luxury hotel, where she rediscovers her own desire (Credit: Alamy)According to some reviewers, it hasn't worked. Variety writes: "Saying something freshly substantive about female desire while honouring the film's defining spirit of vapid, diaphanous horniness is a tricky, potentially unworkable brief: Audrey Diwan's inert, frequently frigid new film opts to do neither."In France, reviews have been mixed. "The staging is brilliant, polished, and deliberately cold," writes French daily Le Figaro. "It shines but remains cold… Obviously, the goal was to transform Emmanuelle into a feminist icon. Funny idea." But the French Huffington Post is more positive about the film's objectives, writing: "Emmanuelle is no longer the target of all desires, the hypersexualised woman-object. She is an active subject. The object of her own desire precisely."There's also been disappointment that the new film isn't in French, when the last one succeeded globally in that language. But Eve Jackson still believes French viewers will be watching it "out of interest"."It's got an internationally well-known cast, Audrey Diwan is a respected film-maker, and I think everyone is curious to know, 'can this female director supplant the male gaze on this iconic female character Emmanuelle?'" she says. "I'm not sure. I still think because it's an erotic film and it's got that iconic title, that in France, the name alone has 50 years of history as an erotic sex symbol – for men."Emmanuelle (2024) is on release now in France. It will be released globally at a later date.--If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can't-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.For more Culture stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.Cult FilmsFilm historyFranceWatchWhy do French men pee on the street?Every year, Paris tries new, 'revolutionary' methods to stop men from peeing outside. Why?5 May 2023TravelWall Street awaits key labor market data - 4 Sep 2025Jim Thorne from Wellington-Altus Private Wealth says markets will look at the quality of this months data.6 hrs agoOpening BellInvestors reassured about inflation impact - 10 Sep 2025Greg Halter says inflation, combined with employment data, may lead the Fed to cut interest rates next week.9 hrs agoOpening BellWhy we need to wake up to what's making us sickTim reveals the shocking impact ultra-processed foods have on our healthcare system and overall health.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorMeet the micro-organisms living inside youGet a comprehensive understanding of the gut microbiome, the many species, and the vital roles they play.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorWhy we need to learn to love our bugsTim explains how modern habits have cut the diversity of bugs in our diet and offers five tips to fix it.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorWhy many health foods are not what they seemWhy labels like 'high protein' and 'low fat' and other 'health halos' can be misleading.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorUnderstand the makeup of ultra-processed foodsUnderstand industrially manufactured 'food' and the impact they have on our bodies.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorWhy you need to explore the wonderful chemicals in plantsAim to consume 30 plants a week, each with a different set of chemicals that will benefit your microbiome.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorTangy natural probiotics to add to your dietLearn about food fermentation and why it plays a crucial role in supporting a healthy gut microbiome.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorIs it worth paying extra for organic produce?Tim dives into when it's worth getting organic, and when it probably isn't.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorHow to make sustainable eating resolutionsTake this opportunity to make a plan for your healthy eating future, with a healthy mindset.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorThe science behind the fasting fadWhat happens to our microbes when we fast, and how when we eat can be optimised for our health.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Tim SpectorWhy sustainable productivity will drive successSteven shares his three 'M' goal-setting framework to help you be more productive for the long-term.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Steven BartlettHow to hire the best people for your teamAre they a bar raiser, bar maintainer or bar lowerer? Learn how to build a team that can get behind your mission.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Steven BartlettWhat is your business culture and why is it so important?Explore how you can use your mission to set the right culture for your business.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Steven BartlettWhy you must share your idea and get honest feedbackLearn Steven's three crucial steps for validating your business proposal and why impartial feedback is vital.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Steven BartlettHow to know yourself, grow yourself, and take controlFind out how to counteract limiting beliefs you hold about yourself and build new ones that serve you better.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Steven BartlettHow to get the money you need to start a businessLearn how to start a business with nothing in the bank and how to get funding if you need it to get started.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Steven BartlettWhy you should start a business and why to start it nowSteven explains the common obstacles to starting a business and why now is the time to start yours.10 hrs agoBBC Maestro - Steven BartlettADVERTISEMENTHow Much Does A New Garden Fence Cost In 2025? (View)A well-chosen garden fence can transform your outdoor area, providing privacy, security, and aesthetic appeal. This guide explores various garden fence...Garden Fence | Paid ContentPaid ContentOff-duty pilot pleads guilty to trying to crash Alaska Airlines jetThe off-duty pilot was sitting in the cockpit of the Alaska Airlines flight when he tried to crash the jet.Payout for bar manager told she looked 'very Aryan'Ahmed Magdy Soliman also told Sky Sinclair that she seemed to like white people better.Tesla proposes $1tn award for Elon Musk if he hits ambitious targetsThe car firm boss's enormous pay package depends on him hitting sky-high targets.Lawyer of jailed Teesside teen Bella Culley criticises embassyBella Culley is in prison in Georgia waiting to see if enough money can be raised for her release.First female officer of senior regiment dies in Surrey crashElizabeth Godwin took part in duties including Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and the King's coronation.More from the BBC13 hrs agoChildren feared among three dead in Channel crossing attemptCalais authorities say the three who died were likely crushed to the bottom of the boat.13 hrs ago14 hrs agoProtests hit France as new PM takes officeA grassroots movement is encouraging people to protest against the political class and proposed budget cuts.14 hrs ago1 day agoMacron names ally Sébastien Lecornu as new French PMIt comes after a vote of confidence ousted Fran?ois Bayrou after nine months in power.1 day ago1 day agoMacron under pressure to name new PM as France simmers ahead of protestsFran?ois Bayrou has handed in his resignation, leaving France without a prime minister on the eve of nationwide protests.1 day ago2 days agoFrance in fresh political crisis after MPs oust prime ministerThe French government loses a vote of confidence and PM Fran?ois Bayrou will resign on Tuesday.2 days agoBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherBBC ShopBritBoxBBC in other languagesFollow BBC on:Terms of UseAbout the BBCPrivacy PolicyCookiesAccessibility HelpContact the BBCAdvertise with usDo not share or sell my infoBBC.com Help & FAQsContent IndexCopyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
