Naughty Books
A colourful look at steamy books post-Christian Grey.
E.L. James launched an explosion of erotica for women when her trilogy of raunchy romance novels launched in 2011 with Fifty Shades of Grey. What began as Twilight fan fiction, quickly became a phenomenon, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide. In less than a year, the film rights were acquired for a purported five million dollars, subjecting cinemagoers to Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed in record time. In the wake of such success, other women began writing and self-publishing their own salacious stories, bypassing traditional literary agents. Naughty Books follows three female novelists who capitalised on the movement, self-publishing their tantric tales to five-figure success.
Chronicling the rapid changes in their professional and personal lives, Naughty Books documents each woman’s story and a movement across America to reclaim female sexuality. As Grey’s starved readers turned to “read-alike” and “if you loved” lists eager for more bawdy books, authors Kristen Proby, CJ Roberts and Kelly Maine found themselves at the top of a soon-to-be saturated market. With the advent of Amazon’s one-click purchase and the discreet nature of the ebook, guilty-pleasure binge reading reached new heights.
Director/producer Austen Rachlis crafts a serious, insightful look into the culture of erotica for women, by women. Respectfully and playfully approaching her subjects, Rachlis provides context for the uninitiated. What emerges from the engaging interviews, is an underlying desire to be seen and accepted. The addition of tastefully animated sequences brings narrated selections to life, elevating what some have coined ‘mommy porn’ into an artful expression. By capturing a fad, the film also deals in the nature of success, the negative aspects of hitting it big and the pressure to stay there. Who could have guessed that one fictional billionaire bad-boy would become such an aphrodisiac, bringing the red room to the bedroom and empowering a group of savvy women into self-made millionaires.
CHAD KENNERK
Featuring Kristen Proby, CJ Roberts, Kelli Maine, Laurelin Paige, Glorya Hidalgo, Jamie Blair, Alexandra Alter, Gail Dines, Jane Dystel.
Dir Austin Rachlis, Pro Kate Buhrmaster and Austin Rachlis, Ph Nausheen Dadabhoy, Ed Candice Nachman, Music Catherine Joy.
1091 Pictures.
82 mins. USA. 2020. Rel: 4 October 2020. Available on Prime Video, iTunes, Apple TV and other VOD platforms. No Cert.
