Pretty Woman

[mrrnice2 157005]

I watched the movie Pretty Woman last week with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and it really amazed me in a number of ways. Well, Julia and Richard were not with me , but well, you understand.

First and foremost I watched it in such a different context as compared to how I watched it for the first time years ago. Years ago the idea of paid companions was nothing that I had ever considered and years ago the topic of the movie for me came with all of the old stereotypes. This time as I watched it, the entire perspective was different.

One way that it was different was with my recognition of how true some of the 'lines' were. One in particular raised my eyebrows when the topic of safe sex was addressed with something along the line of, "Safe all the way, and with me it will be way safer than when you pick up an unknown at the local bar". There have been threads on here on exactly that, and it struck me how perhaps ahead of its time that movie really was.

Perhaps the other primary thing that struck me as I watched the film this time around was how realistically Julia Roberts played the role in presenting herself initially as a sex worker but then allowing the person to shine through. That has been my experience here on Cerb, that the person behind the woman allows herself to shine through.

How realistic the movie plot and the ending are I am quite unsure of and I expect that the outcome in the movie would be extremely rare in 'real life', but I bet it has happened.

No matter what, both then and now, it was kind of a feel good movie. :)

[castle 38816]

Hmmmm.....I think I'll have to check that one out again now. I wasn't a fan when I first saw it but I was just a kid then. There was not enough gratuitous violence and explosions for my liking :p

[zorobaby 4121]

Hmmmm.....I think I'll have to check that one out again now. I wasn't a fan when I first saw it but I was just a kid then. There was not enough gratuitous violence and explosions for my liking :p

yeah i was thinking the same, that movie did come out a long time ago so now that im a hobbiest it might be worth a re-watch

[bewlayb 7480]

I liked this movie when it first came out. For me, it was the start of my Julia Roberts infatuation period. Doesn't she have a great mouth?

 

...which reminds me. Julia and I should go check out that spank-bank thread. :icon_razz:

[Phaedrus 209521]

it struck me how perhaps ahead of its time that movie really was.

 

In terms of our society and culture, perhaps. But bear in mind that this is the Oldest Profession we're talking about; neither you nor I nor Richard Gere was the first to discover these things.

[loopie 15358]

Like most of the other guys here, I haven't seen this movie since I was a kid and don't remember it so well.

 

I know a lot of the people involved regretted making it, including Julia Roberts herself. They realized afterwards that it failed to show the risks and downsides of streetwalking.

 

Filmmaker Ken Russel made a film called 'Whore' in response to 'Pretty Woman', which he hoped to be a more honest portrayal of streetwalking. It is available in its entirety for your viewing pleasure on YouTube here:

 

http://youtu.be/shkL6hriOsc

 

Maybe you can compare and contrast.

[Carrie Moon 68826]

Definitely one of my favorite movies. I used to be in love with Richard Gere. I fell in love with Julia Roberts in Mystic Pizza though.. another good movie to watch over and over.

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

... a lot of the people involved regretted making it ... They realized afterwards that it failed to show the risks and downsides of streetwalking....

 

"Pretty Woman" was simply a variant on the tried-and-true fantasy theme of "poor girl unexpectedly strikes it rich, and finds love along the way". Nothing wrong with a lighthearted, escapist, romantic comedy. Not every film has to be "The Killing Fields".

 

"Pretty Woman" wasn't really about prostitution. And it sure didn't have pretentions of being a gritty true-to-life documentary or social polemic. So no reason in the world for anyone to have regrets, or for anyone to get their knickers in a knot about what it wasn't.

 

Winnie-the-Pooh failed to show the real risks involved in dealing with bears and tigers; James Bond failed to show the real risks in jumping off dams; Mr Bean failed to show the real risks in driving a car while seated on top of its roof, etc.

 

It's called the entertainment industry! Fiction, fun, and all that.

[Studio 110 by Sophia 150333]

It certainly was ahead of it's time! I remember....too long ago....feeling a real connection to this movie:) It helped me to feel validated as a women in the industry! As she did not partake it drugs, as I did not, so for me it really helped me to break this stereotype! And now when I watch it I see myself in her character as well. As I started this industry in agencies( not that agencies are all bad, but years ago in Moncton it was bad!!!) and now I represent myself and raised my standards of working. So I see her develop from street to elite...sort of the way I did. Thanks for mentioning this movie, I think i will watch it today:)

[loopie 15358]

"Pretty Woman" wasn't really about prostitution. And it sure didn't have pretentions of being a gritty true-to-life documentary or social polemic. So no reason in the world for anyone to have regrets, or for anyone to get their knickers in a knot about what it wasn't.

 

Winnie-the-Pooh failed to show the real risks involved in dealing with bears and tigers; James Bond failed to show the real risks in jumping off dams; Mr Bean failed to show the real risks in driving a car while seated on top of its roof, etc.

 

It's called the entertainment industry! Fiction, fun, and all that.

 

I myself certainly don't expect Hollywood movies to be realistic or socially responsible. But since the original post was more about how the film was ahead of its time and realistic than a review of how entertaining the film was, I thought it was worth mentioning that those involved in making the film later realized just how unrealistic and socially irresponsible it was. And that kind of public expression of regret is something that happens very rarely in Hollywood, especially when the film is a big hit like Pretty Woman was.

 

Just food for thought.

[mrrnice2 157005]

I myself certainly don't expect Hollywood movies to be realistic or socially responsible. But since the original post was more about how the film was ahead of its time and realistic than a review of how entertaining the film was, I thought it was worth mentioning that those involved in making the film later realized just how unrealistic and socially irresponsible it was. And that kind of public expression of regret is something that happens very rarely in Hollywood, especially when the film is a big hit like Pretty Woman was.

 

Just food for thought.

 

That is an interesting piece of trivia Loopie, that some of those involved in the film regretted their participation in the making of it. I had not been aware of that.

 

I am neither a film critic nor one who looks for a lot of social commentary in my movie choices, however I did realize that I looked at the film in a slightly different light from when I watched it the first time so many years ago.

 

For me, perhaps the most important thing that I wrote in the original post was the last line, being that both then and now it is a 'feel good' movie. Just good fun.

[roamingguy 300292]

Well I haven't seen the movie in probably 17-18 years, but seeing as I partake in this lifestyle and going from memories of the movie a couple quick comments

First, Julia Roberts character gets advice from her roommate...don't kiss the client. Now how real is that, for most encounters I've had, kissing is very much part of the encounter

Second, when in his hotel room, he offers her champagne and strawberries. She comments words to the effect she is a sure thing, no need to try to seduce me. Well my experience, and I'm sure many other's, an encounter is much more than just sex...it is companionship and company...the GFE. The movie feeds into the wrong stereotype that an encounter is nothing more than sex for money

The final comment...and what is in my opinion, the fatal flaw in the movie.

Richard Gere needs a woman, a prostitute, for a period of time, a week I believe, while working out a business deal....to provide the appearance of having a girlfriend. So when he needs the services of a lady, that is acceptable. But at the end of the movie, he saves her (from a life of prostitution) by marrying her. It assumes ladies who are prostitutes don't want to be, and need saving (by the proverbial white knight on a horse) But the hypocrisy is that it's ok for a guy to utilize the services of a prostitute, with the added hypocrisy, it's ok for that client to "save" the prostitute, after utilizing her services. Is that making sense

Like I said, I haven't seen it in quite a long time, but to me, it doesn't ring true to the lifestyle and ladies I've had the pleasure of meeting

RG

[Mikeyboy 27131]

First, Julia Roberts character gets advice from her roommate...don't kiss the client. Now how real is that, for most encounters I've had, kissing is very much part of the encounter

RG

 

The idea behind the no kissing rule is that the ladies are somehow at risk of falling madly in love with the client if she lets her guard down, even for a second. (I would think that the ladies are quite good at keeping their emotions separate from their jobs.) I think that it comes down to how you think about sex. While it can be an expression of deep feeling, sometimes sex is.....well sex. A wonderful, sensual, erotic, exciting frollic with someone who you find attractive. Something to be enjoyed in the moment, but without any deeper meaning. If someone has never thought about sex in this way, they will not understand the sp/client relationship. (resulting in crazy ideas such as don't kiss him on the lips or you'll fall in love...) The baggage that many carry about sex is the reason that they have a hard time understanding the profession.

[roamingguy 300292]

The idea behind the no kissing rule is that the ladies are somehow at risk of falling madly in love with the client if she lets her guard down, even for a second. (I would think that the ladies are quite good at keeping their emotions separate from their jobs.) I think that it comes down to how you think about sex. While it can be an expression of deep feeling, sometimes sex is.....well sex. A wonderful, sensual, erotic, exciting frollic with someone who you find attractive. Something to be enjoyed in the moment, but without any deeper meaning. If someone has never thought about sex in this way, they will not understand the sp/client relationship. (resulting in crazy ideas such as don't kiss him on the lips or you'll fall in love...) The baggage that many carry about sex is the reason that they have a hard time understanding the profession.

 

Yes, I recall that being the reason given for Julia Robert's character being advised to not kissed. Again, the fallacy, ladies in this profession are secretly looking for love/relationship, the white knight to take her away from the profession, and she will find this white knight to take her away from the profession in one of her clients, who is a partaker in the lifestyle

RG

[loopie 15358]

Most of the films I've seen featuring characters in the sex trade are movies about streetwalkers and usually from the 80s such as Streewalkin', Whore, Vice Squad etc. I forget whether Roberts's character in Pretty Woman was a streetwalker, but I think she was. I have never been with a streetwalker, so it doesn't really surprise me that none of these movies really reflect the experiences I've had with sex trade workers. I can't really say how accurate they are. I know most of the scenes in Vice Squad are based on real stories done from interviewing streetwalkers.

 

I saw The Girlfriend Experience, which although it starred Sasha Grey it was not a porno movie. This was probably a lot closer to the experiences I've had even though Grey's character mostly does overnight dates involving dinner and a movie and her clients are obviously much richer than I. Grey's character is a polite attractive young woman who works from her home on a computer and screens her clients and sets up appointments. The way she interects with her clients and runs her business is a lot closer to what I've experienced. That being said, it's not a very good movie. It doesn't seem to know what it wants to say or be about. It plays with some different themes such as professionalism but never fully realizes any of them. It was just kinda unfocussed and underwhelming.

[Andee 220524]

[quote name=roamingguy;314523

First' date=' Julia Roberts character gets advice from her roommate...don't kiss the client. Now how real is that, for most encounters I've had, kissing is very much part of the encounter

Second, when in his hotel room, he offers her champagne and strawberries. She comments words to the effect she is a sure thing, no need to try to seduce me. Well my experience, and I'm sure many other's, an encounter is much more than just sex...it is companionship and company...the GFE. The movie feeds into the wrong stereotype that an encounter is nothing more than sex for money

RG[/quote]

 

Actually RG, when I first start escorting in the mid 90's (outcall agencies), before the concept of GFE was introduced, it was sex for money, period. We were basically told to get in, get them off, and then get out. No excessive chi chat or kissing, no cuddling, no touching below the waist (so no digits or DATY) and definitely not DATY, bbbj or Greek.

 

It was FS, but not GFE, and straight up business. Half hours were very popular and everyone (clients and ladies alike) abided by the unwritten rule that seeing an escort was not "personal".

 

Consider yourself fortunate, RG that you only started hobbying in the past few years, because your experience with escorts would most certainly have been much different than it is now.

 

I much prefer the GFE experience. Although I was good at it, providing straight up FS service did not exactly match my personality and was often accused of "being too friendly", and that I must have been doing things that other girls didn't do, because why were they repeating with an older, bigger girl (36 and 150 pounds at the time).

 

I almost even didn't get hired, because agencies generally preferred ladies in their early 20s to mid 30s, but in the 90s, the concept of Over Forty was just starting to become popular out in Calgary where I was, so I lucked out at 36.

 

I thought the movie Pretty Woman was full of stereotypes and somewhat unrealistic, but it was good entertainment.

[roamingguy 300292]

Actually RG, when I first start escorting in the mid 90's (outcall agencies), before the concept of GFE was introduced, it was sex for money, period. We were basically told to get in, get them off, and then get out. No excessive chi chat or kissing, no cuddling, no touching below the waist (so no digits or DATY) and definitely not DATY, bbbj or Greek.

 

It was FS, but not GFE, and straight up business. Half hours were very popular and everyone (clients and ladies alike) abided by the unwritten rule that seeing an escort was not "personal".

 

Consider yourself fortunate, RG that you only started hobbying in the past few years, because your experience with escorts would most certainly have been much different than it is now.

 

 

I much prefer the GFE experience. Although I was good at it, providing straight up FS service did not exactly match my personality and was often accused of "being too friendly", and that I must have been doing things that other girls didn't do, because why were they repeating with an older, bigger girl (36 and 150 pounds at the time).

 

I almost even didn't get hired, because agencies generally preferred ladie sin their early 20s to mid 30s, but in the 90s, the concept of Over Forty was just starting to become popular out in Calgary where I was.

 

I thought the movie Pretty Woman was full of stereotypes and somewhat unrealistic, but it was good entertainment.

 

Thanks for that information, that I didn't know. But a question then. With that being the case, would a streetwalker (I believe that is what Julia Robert's character was) accept a one week encounter, posing as a girlfriend. And if so, wouldn't there be an expectation of behaving like a girlfriend, not just in public, but privately too...more akin to a GFE

But I'm glad I started this lifestyle when I did. It sounds like a quick 30 minute just get in and get off would, at least for me, would be an empty and unfulfilling experience, one I wouldn't repeat, actually as it has turned out, one I haven't tried...but that's me

RG

[Andee 220524]

Thanks for that information, that I didn't know. But a question then. With that being the case, would a streetwalker (I believe that is what Julia Robert's character was) accept a one week encounter, posing as a girlfriend. And if so, wouldn't there be an expectation of behaving like a girlfriend, not just in public, but privately too...more akin to a GFE

But I'm glad I started this lifestyle when I did. It sounds like a quick 30 minute just get in and get off would, at least for me, would be empty and unfulfilling...but that's me

RG

 

If there's money involved, a street walker will agree to just about anything including a week-long encounter. Following through and being able to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk, is another thing.

 

Fortunately Julia Robert's character was fairly intelligent (although obviously not that educated) and she was a non-drug user, which is what appealed to him. Normally, street girls have substance abuse and other problems, so Julia's character was not the norm on the street (a fact, not a sterotype).

 

Additional Comments:

Thanks for that information, that I didn't know. But a question then. With that being the case, would a streetwalker (I believe that is what Julia Robert's character was) accept a one week encounter, posing as a girlfriend. And if so, wouldn't there be an expectation of behaving like a girlfriend, not just in public, but privately too...more akin to a GFE

But I'm glad I started this lifestyle when I did. It sounds like a quick 30 minute just get in and get off would, at least for me, would be empty and unfulfilling...but that's me

RG

 

If there's money involved, a street walker will agree to just about anything including a week-long encounter. Following through and being able to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk, is another thing.

 

Fortunately Julia Robert's character was fairly intelligent (although obviously not that educated) and she was a non-drug user, which is what appealed to him. Normally, street girls have substance abuse and other problems, so Julia's character was the norm on the street (a fact, not a sterotype).

[drlove 37204]

I have "Pretty Woman" on DVD. Unfortunately, it's the anniversary edition with the extended "fight scene" left in. Does anyone know where I can find a copy of the original?