Clay (Rik Swartzwelder) and Amber (Elizabeth Ann Roberts) use time together to share perspectives in the movie "Old Fashioned," from Skoche Films, the love story that opens in response to "Fifty Shades of Grey" this weekend. (Skoche films)While "Fifty Shades of Grey" got an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America in part because of "unusual behavior," members of the crew that helped make the film "Old Fashioned" laughingly point out their that romantic comedy also features "unusual behavior."
In their case, it's a man and a woman falling in love and treating each other with decency and respect.
IF YOU GO
"Old-Fashioned" opens Friday and is showing at East Ridge 18.
"Old Fashioned," which opens this weekend just like "Fifty Shades" -- and no, that's not a coincidence, is a movie that deals with romance and second chances based on Christian principles. And it's a movie about a man and a woman who attempt to do something sort of strange by trying to enter into a courtship based on some outdated ideas.
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Fifty Shades' (maybe more) of excitement
"It is really a special human drama," says Zach Gray, the film's executive producer. Gray is on the faculty in the School of Visual Art and Design at Southern Adventist University and was one of 15 people affiliated with the Collegedale school that worked on the movie.
"Old Fashioned" was written, produced and directed by Rik Swartzwelder, who also stars in the film; he is longtime friends with Southern Adventist professor David George, who worked as director of photography on "Old Fashioned."
Swartzwelder plays Clay Walsh, a former hard-partying frat guy who finds religion and moves to a small town where he becomes notorious for openly sharing his high-minded and outdated theories on love and romance. He meets Amber, played by Elizabeth Ann Roberts, a free spirit who is surprisingly attracted to Clay's "unusual" ideas. Over time, the two find common ground and romance blossoms. But unlike "Fifty Shades," romance doesn't rise from a regimen of bondage, discipline or sadomasochism.
Love is something that affects us "spiritually, emotionally, physically," Swartzwelder told TheBlaze.com. "I categorically reject the idea that hookups are exclusively physical."
He started writing the screenplay almost nine years ago, so creating an answer to "Fifty Shades" and its racy story line was not on his mind. But the marketing campaign for "Old Fashioned" takes full advantage of the film's release alongside "Fifty Shades."
The trailer, for example, opens with the words "Based on the bestselling book 'Fifty Shades of Grey'" appearing on the screen, only to have a big red "not" drop on top of them. There is more wordplay throughout the trailer, with things like "sexy corporate mogul" drawn through and replaced by "sincere small businessman."
The film is being released by Freestyle Releasing, which also handled "God's Not Dead" and Nicolas Cage's recent remake of "Left Behind."
"Opening the same weekend as 'Fifty Shades,' there's definitely a David v. Goliath comparison," Swartzwelder told Variety. "They will have more screens, more money, more hype ... but we're hopeful that we are not alone in our belief that there are others out there who desire more from love -- and the movies -- than objectification or domination."
George says the film is more about creating conversations on love, romance, how to compromise and how to communicate than it is about offering a how-to on dating.
Southern offers film production through its School of Visual Art and Design and, along with Gray and George, several former students also worked on the film, which was shot primarily in Ohio two years ago. Melody George was the production designer and Bryan Fowler and Chris Stiles were behind the camera; Daniel Wahlen served as a digital imaging technician. Much of the post-production was done at Southern.
Fowler has worked on several film and commercial projects and was impressed with the level of detail and care given to each shot and scene of "Old Fashioned."
"I still teared up at some scenes and I was there to shoot them," he says. "I knew it was coming and I knew the lines, and I still teared up."
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.