Is it just me or are some of the Nigerian and Ghanaian movies bordering soft porn? What is going on in the industry? Heart of Men, Dirty Secret, 4Play just to mention a few. I am even embarrassed to post their trailers.
I remember when Heart of Men came out. My Ghanaian friends were in an uproar about how graphical it was in some scenes. Their comments were not enough, so I watched it. I wasn’t a big fan of Ghanaian and Nigerian films to start with, but I didn’t mine watching a few good movies here and there. But Heart of Men alone, pretty much turned me off Nigerian & Ghanaian movies altogether.
After the movie I remember messaging my friend in Ghana complaining. He saw no reason for me to complain, neither did my cousins. I couldn’t and still don’t understand how movies such as the ones I have mentioned are considered tasteful!
At the premiere of Bed of Roses in Houston a fan kindly asks Ghanaian actors Majid Michel & John Dumelo about the sexually explicit scenes which are now common in films (She starts speaking at around 1:45min). She said she watches African movies with her children because they are a way for them to know about their culture, but some scenes are now getting to uncomfortable to watch with her children.
When I was younger, Ghanaian & Nigerian movies were an insight to what Ghana was like and how my parents lived in Nigerian. The movies were the ones which made me realise that there were tarred roads, juju was a big thing and people had enough money to buy BMWs and extravagant houses. Movies are probably not the best example to learn about culture, but with World Vision ads showing children on rubbish piles, the movies were surely opening me up to a new view of Ghana & Nigeria. Now the movies are shocking me!
The fan goes on to say that scenes can be acted in a different manner to create the same impression without being so graphical. I totally agree with her.