J.M. Hall's Blog
August 30, 2015
Feds Bust RentBoy.com
After taking a hiatus from blogging, a recent news story finally caught my eye.
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security raided the New York offices of RentBoy.com, which bills itself as the "world's largest male escort website." Chief executive officer Jeffrey Hunt and 6 of his employees were charged with prostitution and money laundering, in one of the largest sex-worker stings in recent memory.
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RentBoy.com is currently shut down, and Hunt and his employees were in court on August 25 where they were formally charged. Additional details about RentBoy.com's finances have been made public as well; it's said that between 2010 and 2015, the website grossed more than $10 million.
My question is this: What in the world possessed the Department of Homeland Security and the NYPD to conduct a joint sting?
The internet is rife with conspiracy theories. One of the more entertaining theories is that after the hack of AshleyMadison.com, a website dedicated to fostering extramarital affairs, RentBoy.com was raided as some sort of preventative retaliation (i.e., raid them before RentBoy.com gets hacked and reveals more elected officials as customers).
Of course, none of us know the authorities' true motivations for raiding RentBoy.com. However the bust has certainly provoked debate about whether prostitution should be legalized or remain a criminal activity.
The arguments in favor of legalization are many: that prostitution is a victim-less crime between two consenting adults; that shutting down websites eliminates safe havens for sex workers to conduct business on their own accord; and that there is even a tinge of homophobia associated with such raids, reminiscent of the gay bar raids of decades past.
Others take a more alarmist note, insisting that there is no such thing as "sex work" at all, and that anyone selling sex is disadvantaged at best, a victim of sex trafficking or other such coercion at worst.
Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between these two extremes?
Exploitation and abuse happens in every industry. Investment bankers commit suicide after losing clients' money. Migrant workers pick fruit on U.S. farms, facing physical abuse, poor wages and overall neglect along the way. A recent New York Times story even found abuse among nail salons, a frightening reminder that low prices always come with a (human) cost.
Yet there is no movement to shut down banks, farms or nail salons, is there? Are we as a nation still so uncomfortable with the idea of sex work that raiding websites, strip clubs, S&M dungeons and other such establishments is acceptable? Of course the answer is "yes," but these raids fail in one crucial regard...
They don't make sex workers any safer.
Each time you shut down a place of business, chances are the escorts, dancers and dominatrixes will have to retreat further into the dark, to say nothing of going to the authorities should they ever be victimized on the job.
Prostitution isn't going away anytime soon. As the saying goes, it's the world's oldest profession. And in today's digital interconnected world, one could argue that sex work is easier to get into than ever before. Gone are the days were streetwalkers were the dominant "face" of the industry. Today's sex worker is far more likely to have a steady stable of clients of his/her own, and uses the internet to organize and schedule such appointments.
While some might hail the raid of RentBoy.com as a so-called victory in the battle against sexual exploitation, in reality all the Department of Homeland Security and the NYPD achieved is pushing sex workers further into obscurity. Who knows if RentBoy.com will return, or if it will fade into memory.
That said, it was a safe platform for sex workers to conduct their day-to-day business. One can only hope that they find comparable accommodations elsewhere.
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security raided the New York offices of RentBoy.com, which bills itself as the "world's largest male escort website." Chief executive officer Jeffrey Hunt and 6 of his employees were charged with prostitution and money laundering, in one of the largest sex-worker stings in recent memory.
width="400" height="400"/>RentBoy.com is currently shut down, and Hunt and his employees were in court on August 25 where they were formally charged. Additional details about RentBoy.com's finances have been made public as well; it's said that between 2010 and 2015, the website grossed more than $10 million.
My question is this: What in the world possessed the Department of Homeland Security and the NYPD to conduct a joint sting?
The internet is rife with conspiracy theories. One of the more entertaining theories is that after the hack of AshleyMadison.com, a website dedicated to fostering extramarital affairs, RentBoy.com was raided as some sort of preventative retaliation (i.e., raid them before RentBoy.com gets hacked and reveals more elected officials as customers).
Of course, none of us know the authorities' true motivations for raiding RentBoy.com. However the bust has certainly provoked debate about whether prostitution should be legalized or remain a criminal activity.
The arguments in favor of legalization are many: that prostitution is a victim-less crime between two consenting adults; that shutting down websites eliminates safe havens for sex workers to conduct business on their own accord; and that there is even a tinge of homophobia associated with such raids, reminiscent of the gay bar raids of decades past.
Others take a more alarmist note, insisting that there is no such thing as "sex work" at all, and that anyone selling sex is disadvantaged at best, a victim of sex trafficking or other such coercion at worst.
Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between these two extremes?
Exploitation and abuse happens in every industry. Investment bankers commit suicide after losing clients' money. Migrant workers pick fruit on U.S. farms, facing physical abuse, poor wages and overall neglect along the way. A recent New York Times story even found abuse among nail salons, a frightening reminder that low prices always come with a (human) cost.
Yet there is no movement to shut down banks, farms or nail salons, is there? Are we as a nation still so uncomfortable with the idea of sex work that raiding websites, strip clubs, S&M dungeons and other such establishments is acceptable? Of course the answer is "yes," but these raids fail in one crucial regard...
They don't make sex workers any safer.
Each time you shut down a place of business, chances are the escorts, dancers and dominatrixes will have to retreat further into the dark, to say nothing of going to the authorities should they ever be victimized on the job.
Prostitution isn't going away anytime soon. As the saying goes, it's the world's oldest profession. And in today's digital interconnected world, one could argue that sex work is easier to get into than ever before. Gone are the days were streetwalkers were the dominant "face" of the industry. Today's sex worker is far more likely to have a steady stable of clients of his/her own, and uses the internet to organize and schedule such appointments.
While some might hail the raid of RentBoy.com as a so-called victory in the battle against sexual exploitation, in reality all the Department of Homeland Security and the NYPD achieved is pushing sex workers further into obscurity. Who knows if RentBoy.com will return, or if it will fade into memory.
That said, it was a safe platform for sex workers to conduct their day-to-day business. One can only hope that they find comparable accommodations elsewhere.
February 25, 2015
The Phenomenon of Fifty Shades
Trite as it may sound, FIFTY SHADES OF GREY is truly a global phenomenon. The three-part series is said to have sold close to 100 million copies worldwide, and introduced the idea of BDSM to the masses.
I say "the idea" of BDSM because I feel what was represented in the novels wasn't truly BDSM, but I digress. What is about these novels that captivated millions of readers around the world -- and led the movie version to gross more than $400 million in two weeks alone?
In my opinion, E.L. James, the London-based television executive that penned the trilogy on her morning commute, succeeded for one simple reason: she wrote the book she wanted to read and didn't care about anyone else along the way.
The book's setup is fairly traditional: young, naive girl meets older, handsome man with a dark past and vast wealth at his disposal. They meet, fall in love, get torn apart... and end up happily ever after.
Save for a few handcuffs, riding crops and butt-plugs along the way, it's almost kind of sweet.
I admit I saw the film adaptation of FIFTY SHADES on Friday, February 13th and walked away far more impressed than I thought I would be. Let's be clear, folks: this isn't WAR & PEACE we're dealing with. The sex scenes are what we paid for and, for the most part, they delivered.
So, what comes next for the world of film and literature? Expect more erotic novels, more film adaptions, and the general consensus that sex sells, particularly in vehicles aimed at women.
Of course, it would be nice if a novel or film came along that took a sincere look at how men approach sex...
But that's a different story.
February 8, 2015
Harvard Bans Sex Between Professors & Undergrads
Is consenting sex between students and professors fundamentally wrong? Harvard University thinks so. And this past week, the famed university banned sex between students and professors for good.
One might think that there was already a policy in place that banned professors from having sex with their students -- and indeed there was. However, this latest rule change bans sex between all students and all professors across the board.
While most of the sentiment around this new policy has been positive, there have been a few grumbling voices of dissent. For instance, aren't college students and professors both legal adults? Shouldn't we trust their judgment rather than enacting more policies that are turning our universities into so-called nanny states?
For the record, I think that professors sleeping with their students is a bad idea. It's bad judgment that can come back to haunt both parties involved should the relationship end badly. But banning relationships between all professors and students completely? I'm not so sure...
What would be the harm in a professor who teaches English Comp to a bunch of freshmen embarking on a relationship with a second-semester senior? Or a biology professor hooking up with an art major?
My own prediction is as follows: While this policy will get good PR and enable Harvard to pat themselves on the back for a job well done, sexual trysts between students and professors will likely continue.
After all, there will always be some undergrads that prefer an older partner than wading through the often less-than-appealing options at the dorm or the frathouse.
One might think that there was already a policy in place that banned professors from having sex with their students -- and indeed there was. However, this latest rule change bans sex between all students and all professors across the board.
While most of the sentiment around this new policy has been positive, there have been a few grumbling voices of dissent. For instance, aren't college students and professors both legal adults? Shouldn't we trust their judgment rather than enacting more policies that are turning our universities into so-called nanny states?
For the record, I think that professors sleeping with their students is a bad idea. It's bad judgment that can come back to haunt both parties involved should the relationship end badly. But banning relationships between all professors and students completely? I'm not so sure...
What would be the harm in a professor who teaches English Comp to a bunch of freshmen embarking on a relationship with a second-semester senior? Or a biology professor hooking up with an art major?
My own prediction is as follows: While this policy will get good PR and enable Harvard to pat themselves on the back for a job well done, sexual trysts between students and professors will likely continue.
After all, there will always be some undergrads that prefer an older partner than wading through the often less-than-appealing options at the dorm or the frathouse.
February 5, 2015
Strip Club Adventures
Honest to God, I was there for research.
The rain fell from a cloudy Manhattan sky. Traffic crawled along 33rd Street, the horns and headlights blending into one. I made my way to Rick's Cabaret hoping I could get one of the girl's to talk -- and not take my paycheck in the process.
In many ways, strip clubs have been glamorized in the American psyche. One of the key films that brought clubs into the mainstream was SHOWGIRLS, despite awful reviews that nearly put an end to Elizabeth Berkley's career.
As I sat down to begin writing my second novel, something interesting happened: Jesse's story took a backseat, and instead I began writing a story about an online journalist whose editor sends him to a strip club to interview one of the dancers for an upcoming feature on the sex industry.
A few drinks and a fully-nude lap dance later, the dancer in the journalist end up having a one-night stand. All is well... until the journalist discovers that the dancer is actually a 17-year-old girl.
In order to make this story come to life, I needed to do a number of things. First among them was to talk to a few journalists and discover how they go about interviewing sources for stories. All right, no problem.
The second part? I needed to go a club myself and experience it firsthand if I was to have any hope of portraying it accurately in my novel, which is tentatively titled TEENAGE DREAM.
So, how was my experience? To be honest, it was far better than I expected it to be. Whoever Rick is, his cabaret is a nice operation, and to my delight one of the dancers was willing to talk to me a bit about her experience there.
"At the end of the day, it's about the money," she said to me. "I won't do this forever. But what other job can allow me to make five or six-hundred dollars a night -- at the very least?"
She did have a point. As for the downsides of the job, they were pretty self-explanatory. The stigma attached with stripping for one, as well as grabby customers and competition from the other girls.
I left the club with a better understanding of how these types of businesses function, and to be honest it was a better-run establishment than many other restaurants and bars I've been to in the past.
As for the rest of the night, and what else transpired? Well, you'll have to wait until TEENAGE DREAM is finished!
The rain fell from a cloudy Manhattan sky. Traffic crawled along 33rd Street, the horns and headlights blending into one. I made my way to Rick's Cabaret hoping I could get one of the girl's to talk -- and not take my paycheck in the process.
In many ways, strip clubs have been glamorized in the American psyche. One of the key films that brought clubs into the mainstream was SHOWGIRLS, despite awful reviews that nearly put an end to Elizabeth Berkley's career.
As I sat down to begin writing my second novel, something interesting happened: Jesse's story took a backseat, and instead I began writing a story about an online journalist whose editor sends him to a strip club to interview one of the dancers for an upcoming feature on the sex industry.
A few drinks and a fully-nude lap dance later, the dancer in the journalist end up having a one-night stand. All is well... until the journalist discovers that the dancer is actually a 17-year-old girl.
In order to make this story come to life, I needed to do a number of things. First among them was to talk to a few journalists and discover how they go about interviewing sources for stories. All right, no problem.
The second part? I needed to go a club myself and experience it firsthand if I was to have any hope of portraying it accurately in my novel, which is tentatively titled TEENAGE DREAM.
So, how was my experience? To be honest, it was far better than I expected it to be. Whoever Rick is, his cabaret is a nice operation, and to my delight one of the dancers was willing to talk to me a bit about her experience there.
"At the end of the day, it's about the money," she said to me. "I won't do this forever. But what other job can allow me to make five or six-hundred dollars a night -- at the very least?"
She did have a point. As for the downsides of the job, they were pretty self-explanatory. The stigma attached with stripping for one, as well as grabby customers and competition from the other girls.
I left the club with a better understanding of how these types of businesses function, and to be honest it was a better-run establishment than many other restaurants and bars I've been to in the past.
As for the rest of the night, and what else transpired? Well, you'll have to wait until TEENAGE DREAM is finished!
January 23, 2015
May December Romances
As a writer, I've always been fascinated by May December Romances. For those unfamiliar with the term, a May December Romance refers to a relationship in which there is a significant age gap between two people.
Traditionally, this age difference usually manifested itself in the form of an older man and a much younger woman. We see it all the time, really -- even in advertising. Take this ad for Donna Karan New York, for instance:
I never discovered quite why I was fascinated by May December Relationships in fiction (or film and television for that matter). Perhaps it's my preference for older partners in my own life. I like to put myself in a character's shoes, see if their experience matches my own in any way.
When it comes to writing about May December Romances, I've found that they simply create more opportunities for complex back stories. What led each of the people involved to seek out an older/younger partner? How do they deal with the inevitable critiques and criticisms that other people will make on their relationship?
And, most importantly, how is the sex? Is the old adage but older sex partners being better/more experienced in bed true?
For all these reasons and more, I'm a big fan of May December Romances in film, television, literature... and life.
And hopefully I'll soon have my own happy ending, too.
Traditionally, this age difference usually manifested itself in the form of an older man and a much younger woman. We see it all the time, really -- even in advertising. Take this ad for Donna Karan New York, for instance:
I never discovered quite why I was fascinated by May December Relationships in fiction (or film and television for that matter). Perhaps it's my preference for older partners in my own life. I like to put myself in a character's shoes, see if their experience matches my own in any way.
When it comes to writing about May December Romances, I've found that they simply create more opportunities for complex back stories. What led each of the people involved to seek out an older/younger partner? How do they deal with the inevitable critiques and criticisms that other people will make on their relationship?
And, most importantly, how is the sex? Is the old adage but older sex partners being better/more experienced in bed true?
For all these reasons and more, I'm a big fan of May December Romances in film, television, literature... and life.
And hopefully I'll soon have my own happy ending, too.
January 12, 2015
Why is Destiel So Popular?
Though I'm not a diehard fan of the CW horror series SUPERNATURAL, I have enjoyed an episode or two from time to time. The series, starring Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, isn't just notable for its length (10 seasons and counting) but also the nature of its rather rabid fans.
Specifically, those who enjoy slash fiction.
For the uninitiated, slash fiction involves taking two characters of the same gender and creating for them a romantic and/or sexual relationship. It's a known pheneomna in every major genre series -- beginning with STAR TREK, continuing with BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and X-FILES, until it really found its footing with SMALLVILLE and SUPERNATURAL.
The latest craze in the greater slash community is Destiel, which involves two characters from SUPERNATURAL: Dean Winchester and Castiel, a fallen angel sent to Earth.
So, why is this particular pairing so hot right now? And, more importantly, why are so many women taken with a homosexual relationship between two men?
The answers are varied. Some say it enables women to completely detach themselves from a romance and, in a way, objectify two attractive men. With no female to compare themselves to -- be it in terms of looks or personality -- women can lose themselves in the drama and be swept away.
Another explanation is much simpler: women find both men attractive and welcome the idea of reading about them have sex. Easy as that.
Whatever the case, there's no denying the fact that slash fiction has entered the mainstream, and has given way to many successful self-published authors who write exclusively in the genre. While it still remains illegal to write slash fiction of your favorite TV or film series and sell it for profit, there's nothing stopping these burgeoning writers from creating their own characters and developing their own series -- and many have been quite successful along the way.
My take? The more, the merrier. And to this day, I'm surprised that the same-sex scenes in my novel PRIVATE RELATIONS remain among the most popular with my female readership.
Surprised, but not completely taken aback. After all, in a world that's overrun with books, there always seems to be room for one more male/male romance on my readers' virtual bookshelves!
Specifically, those who enjoy slash fiction.
For the uninitiated, slash fiction involves taking two characters of the same gender and creating for them a romantic and/or sexual relationship. It's a known pheneomna in every major genre series -- beginning with STAR TREK, continuing with BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and X-FILES, until it really found its footing with SMALLVILLE and SUPERNATURAL.
The latest craze in the greater slash community is Destiel, which involves two characters from SUPERNATURAL: Dean Winchester and Castiel, a fallen angel sent to Earth.
So, why is this particular pairing so hot right now? And, more importantly, why are so many women taken with a homosexual relationship between two men?
The answers are varied. Some say it enables women to completely detach themselves from a romance and, in a way, objectify two attractive men. With no female to compare themselves to -- be it in terms of looks or personality -- women can lose themselves in the drama and be swept away.
Another explanation is much simpler: women find both men attractive and welcome the idea of reading about them have sex. Easy as that.
Whatever the case, there's no denying the fact that slash fiction has entered the mainstream, and has given way to many successful self-published authors who write exclusively in the genre. While it still remains illegal to write slash fiction of your favorite TV or film series and sell it for profit, there's nothing stopping these burgeoning writers from creating their own characters and developing their own series -- and many have been quite successful along the way.
My take? The more, the merrier. And to this day, I'm surprised that the same-sex scenes in my novel PRIVATE RELATIONS remain among the most popular with my female readership.
Surprised, but not completely taken aback. After all, in a world that's overrun with books, there always seems to be room for one more male/male romance on my readers' virtual bookshelves!
December 29, 2014
The Affair
Has Showtime's new series THE AFFAIR put the spotlight on infidelity?
Most of the time, we think of men as cheating out sheer horny-ness or the fact that they're unhappy in their marriages. Yet this has been disputed by several studies, including one by Rutgers University that found that 56% of men who cheat claim to be happy in their marriages.
Wait a minute -- come again? If more than half of the men who cheated are happy in their marriages, why are they fooling around in the first place?
Is it about sex? About finding something (or someone) new to recapture the thrill of the chase men had in their single days? Given that I've never cheated, I don't claim to have any answers. Yet as someone who has seen more than their fair share of cheating spouses out on the prowl, the subject of infidelity fascinates me.
When writing my novel PRIVATE RELATIONS, several clients of Jesse's are said to be cheating on their husbands. A separate study from Indiana University found that women do in fact cheat, albeit in smaller numbers than most men.
Often times, we haven't explored the issue of infidelity from both men and women's perspectives... until now.
The new Showtime series THE AFFAIR, which chronicles an extramarital affair between two people: Noah Solloway, a New York City school teacher and published novelist, and Alison Lockhart, a waitress.
Set on Montauk, Long Island, what makes THE AFFAIR unique is that its told from Noah and Alison's own unique perspectives, lending the series an air of authenticity you don't often find on television.
More than anything, THE AFFAIR portrays infidelity as something that's done out of pain -- whether that's the loss of Alison's young child or Noah's resentment over being financially dependent on his father-in-law. On the surface, this makes perfect sense.
What better reason to find happiness in the arms of someone else than when you're unhappy with the man or woman you married?
I've just started watching THE AFFAIR, but I'm making my way through the series rather quickly. Has anyone else watched as well? If so, leave a comment below!
Most of the time, we think of men as cheating out sheer horny-ness or the fact that they're unhappy in their marriages. Yet this has been disputed by several studies, including one by Rutgers University that found that 56% of men who cheat claim to be happy in their marriages.
Wait a minute -- come again? If more than half of the men who cheated are happy in their marriages, why are they fooling around in the first place?
Is it about sex? About finding something (or someone) new to recapture the thrill of the chase men had in their single days? Given that I've never cheated, I don't claim to have any answers. Yet as someone who has seen more than their fair share of cheating spouses out on the prowl, the subject of infidelity fascinates me.
When writing my novel PRIVATE RELATIONS, several clients of Jesse's are said to be cheating on their husbands. A separate study from Indiana University found that women do in fact cheat, albeit in smaller numbers than most men.
Often times, we haven't explored the issue of infidelity from both men and women's perspectives... until now.
The new Showtime series THE AFFAIR, which chronicles an extramarital affair between two people: Noah Solloway, a New York City school teacher and published novelist, and Alison Lockhart, a waitress.
Set on Montauk, Long Island, what makes THE AFFAIR unique is that its told from Noah and Alison's own unique perspectives, lending the series an air of authenticity you don't often find on television.
More than anything, THE AFFAIR portrays infidelity as something that's done out of pain -- whether that's the loss of Alison's young child or Noah's resentment over being financially dependent on his father-in-law. On the surface, this makes perfect sense.
What better reason to find happiness in the arms of someone else than when you're unhappy with the man or woman you married?
I've just started watching THE AFFAIR, but I'm making my way through the series rather quickly. Has anyone else watched as well? If so, leave a comment below!
A Conversation with Megan Hart
I'm pleased to share an interview I did with New York Times-bestselling author Megan Hart, who graciously featured me on her blog!
J.M. Hall Author Interview
Read more to learn about my background, why I wrote PRIVATE RELATIONS, how I go about writing, and what's next in the pipeline.
J.M. Hall Author Interview
Read more to learn about my background, why I wrote PRIVATE RELATIONS, how I go about writing, and what's next in the pipeline.
December 21, 2014
The Rise of Erotica
Erotica is hot.
It's not just the sex scenes that have people hot under the collar. Erotica as a genre is selling in greater numbers than ever before. While FIFTY SHADES OF GREY was the breakout hit, other authors such as Sylvia Day and Megan Hart are well-known for their steamy tales as well.
So, what's behind the rise of erotica? Is it that women finally have permission to indulge their sexual fantasies -- even if it's just on the printed page? Or is there something greater going on here?
In reality, erotica has been around for a while. Long before FIFTY SHADES, a novel by the name of STORY OF O scandalized the French public. It featured everything from S&M to branding (literally) and a tragic ending that bar the novel from being considered romance by today's standards.
I discovered the novel when I was around 22 years old, and I didn't know what to make of it at the time. It was dark, violent -- with sex scenes that were as bizarre as they were arousing. This was the novel that introduced erotica to me as a reader, and I suspect that FIFTY SHADES did the same thing for women around the world.
In my view, the rise of erotica can be contributed to a number of factors: more relaxed attitudes towards sex; the rise of e-readers and tablets, allowing people to buy books online they might not otherwise buy in-store; and a desire for fantasy.
While it might sound obvious -- even bordering on trite -- women do in fact have sexual fantasies. And where there's demand, there's profits, with millions of book sales worldwide to prove it.
Looking ahead, erotica will probably grow in terms of sales and influence. The cat is out of the bag, and my only hope is that the genre becomes more inclusive in the years to come.
It's not just the sex scenes that have people hot under the collar. Erotica as a genre is selling in greater numbers than ever before. While FIFTY SHADES OF GREY was the breakout hit, other authors such as Sylvia Day and Megan Hart are well-known for their steamy tales as well.
So, what's behind the rise of erotica? Is it that women finally have permission to indulge their sexual fantasies -- even if it's just on the printed page? Or is there something greater going on here?
In reality, erotica has been around for a while. Long before FIFTY SHADES, a novel by the name of STORY OF O scandalized the French public. It featured everything from S&M to branding (literally) and a tragic ending that bar the novel from being considered romance by today's standards.
I discovered the novel when I was around 22 years old, and I didn't know what to make of it at the time. It was dark, violent -- with sex scenes that were as bizarre as they were arousing. This was the novel that introduced erotica to me as a reader, and I suspect that FIFTY SHADES did the same thing for women around the world.
In my view, the rise of erotica can be contributed to a number of factors: more relaxed attitudes towards sex; the rise of e-readers and tablets, allowing people to buy books online they might not otherwise buy in-store; and a desire for fantasy.
While it might sound obvious -- even bordering on trite -- women do in fact have sexual fantasies. And where there's demand, there's profits, with millions of book sales worldwide to prove it.
Looking ahead, erotica will probably grow in terms of sales and influence. The cat is out of the bag, and my only hope is that the genre becomes more inclusive in the years to come.
December 16, 2014
Eyes Wide Shut
When it comes to films about sex and relationships, few come to mind more often than the late Stanley Kubrick's EYES WIDE SHUT.
For the uninitiated, EYES WIDE SHUT tells the story of Bill Hartford (Cruise), a handsome Manhattan-based doctor married to the equally beautiful Alice Hartford (Kidman). One night, Alice reveals to Bill that she contemplated cheating on him while on vacation -- a revelation that leads Bill on a forray into an erotic underworld that will forever change his life and marriage moving forward.
So, what is it about EYES WIDE SHUT that had me hooked? I admit that the allure of sex and nudity was enough to intrigue me as a teenager. Yet it wasn't until I saw the film again during college that I realized what it was: an honest, unflinching look at what sex and relationships are all about.
Doubt. Regret. Secrets. Lust. And everything else that makes us human.
Even now, as I find myself walking alone past midnight in New York City, I can't help but think of Dr. Hartford, wandering the streets after his wife revealed she thought of cheating on him with a handsome stranger.
How many other Dr. Hartfords are there in the world? Hundreds, to be sure. Infidelity is something we all struggle with eventually. And sometimes, telling your partner that you've even contemplated being unfaithful is enough to send them into a tailspin.
If you haven't watched EYES WIDE SHUT, please do so. And stay tuned for my next blog post... which will focus exclusively on infidelity iteslf.
For the uninitiated, EYES WIDE SHUT tells the story of Bill Hartford (Cruise), a handsome Manhattan-based doctor married to the equally beautiful Alice Hartford (Kidman). One night, Alice reveals to Bill that she contemplated cheating on him while on vacation -- a revelation that leads Bill on a forray into an erotic underworld that will forever change his life and marriage moving forward.
So, what is it about EYES WIDE SHUT that had me hooked? I admit that the allure of sex and nudity was enough to intrigue me as a teenager. Yet it wasn't until I saw the film again during college that I realized what it was: an honest, unflinching look at what sex and relationships are all about.
Doubt. Regret. Secrets. Lust. And everything else that makes us human.
Even now, as I find myself walking alone past midnight in New York City, I can't help but think of Dr. Hartford, wandering the streets after his wife revealed she thought of cheating on him with a handsome stranger.
How many other Dr. Hartfords are there in the world? Hundreds, to be sure. Infidelity is something we all struggle with eventually. And sometimes, telling your partner that you've even contemplated being unfaithful is enough to send them into a tailspin.
If you haven't watched EYES WIDE SHUT, please do so. And stay tuned for my next blog post... which will focus exclusively on infidelity iteslf.
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