Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Literature / ExitToEden

Go To

1[[quoteright:255:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/exit_to_eden.jpg]]
2
3''Exit to Eden'' is a 1985 novel by Creator/AnneRice (originally written under the pen name Anne Rampling before being subsequently published under Rice's own name), about a BDSM resort, The Club.
4
5Elliott is a masochistic man who goes to The Club in search of sexual fulfillment. Lisa is a sadist and one of the managers of The Club. Lisa falls for Elliott's sardonic humor and abandons her responsibilities to pursue a romance. They travel around the American south and reflect on each other, BDSM, and the future.
6
7In 1994 it was adapted into a movie by Creator/GarryMarshall.
8
9Elliot Slater (Creator/PaulMercurio) is an [[UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} Australian]] photographer who has never managed to sustain a relationship on account of his masochistic proclivities. To come to terms with his sexuality, he signs up to go to the resort, here called Eden. Once there, he falls in love with the owner/head dominatrix Lisa Emerson (Creator/DanaDelany)...
10
11Unfortunately, at the airport, Elliot inadvertently took photographs of wanted international diamond smuggler Omar (Creator/StuartWilson), who heads off to the resort himself to retrieve the diamonds. This forces cops Sheila Kingston (Creator/RosieODonnell) and Fred Lavery (Creator/DanAykroyd) to go undercover at the resort to arrest him...
12
13-----
14!! This book and film provide examples of:
15
16* AdaptationExpansion: The diamond-smuggler subplot.
17* AdaptationalModesty: In the book, the submissives are naked. In the film, they're just wearing skimpy outfits.
18* AdaptationNameChange:
19** In the book, the male lead's name is Elliot'''t'''. In the film, he's down a T, to Elliot.
20** In the book, the name of the BDSM resort is The Club, with the title's Eden only metaphorical. In the film, The Club is changed to Eden to make the title more literal.
21* AdaptationalSexuality: In the book, both Elliott and Lisa are bi. In the film, Elliot is totally straight and Lisa's bisexuality is toned down to subtext.
22* AlliterativeList: The movie's "[[SafeSaneAndConsensual Safe, Sane and Submissive]]"
23* BarelyThereSwimwear: Even though they're not [[WalkingSwimsuitScene swimsuits]] in the traditional sense, the thong bikinis that Mistress Lisa has the male and female guests wear count.
24* BlackComedyRape: Unusually done with a man harassing a woman. In the movie, Tommy tries to have sex with Sheila despite her saying no and backing away. It's played for comedy because Tommy's into BDSM and is supposed to be funny as a pervert.
25* BriefsBoasting: The thong bikinis that Mistress Lisa has the male guests wear.
26* [[BuddyCopShow Buddy Cop Comedy]]: In a bizarre adaptational decision, the FilmOfTheBook superimposes a buddy-cop comedy on top of what was originally a straightforward kinky romance.
27* ButNotTooBi: In the book, EveryoneIsBi, and Lisa interacts sexually with her submissive Diana. In the film, Lisa is still her dominant, but their relationship appears far more platonic than her relationship with Elliot.
28* CasualKink
29* CostumeTestMontage: Shiela trying on her fetish outfit.
30* CreditsGag: In the opening credits, "As usual, Creator/HectorElizondo", lampshading his OnceAnEpisode appearances in Creator/GarryMarshall's movies.
31* EatingTheEyeCandy Lisa is shown checking out the male Citizens' butts during the Welcoming Ceremony. It's revealed that Lisa has a butt fetish which is revealed when she spanks Paul
32* EveryoneIsBi: In the book, this seems to be true. For the members of The Club, at least.
33* {{Fetish}}: Mistress Lisa's butt fetish.
34* FilmOfTheBook
35* GenreMashup: Thanks to [[invoked]]ExecutiveMeddling, the film took the novel's story--an erotic BDSM love story--and added a comic BuddyCopShow with Aykroyd and O'Donnell. This was cited as one of the main reasons the film was such a mega-bomb.
36* GratuitousRape: The book has a scene with Lisa making Elliott have a rape fight with another man, where he wins by raping the guy for her.
37* KinkySpanking: Lisa and Elliot.
38* MistakenForGay: Fred comes in to see Sheila and Nina struggling in a way that looks like they're having sex. This was not a reference to Rosie O'Donnell being a lesbian, as she didn't come out until eight years after the film was made.
39* MsFanservice: Dana Delany spends roughly 80% of the movie in gold-and-black lingerie.
40* ParentalAbandonment: In the film, Lisa's mother is dead and her father is emotionally distant.
41* ParentalNeglect: In the film, Lisa's father is a cold, distant man.
42* PropertyOfLove: Elliott starts off chosen as Lisa's sexual slave on a whim, but assumes the role willingly as their relationship deepens.
43* SafeSaneAndConsensual: The general principle of BDSM play that the story is based around. The movie, however, chose to alter the phrase to "Safe, Sane and Submissive."
44* SafeWord: Mentioned briefly in the movie with the alternate phrase "control word", but it's not really explained.
45* SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny: Fred Lavery's problem.
46* SexTourism: More played up in the film, where it seems that anyone can vacation on the island if they can afford the privilege. In the novel, it's more exclusive and invitation-only to maintain secrecy. In either case it's a destination people visit solely to indulge in exotic sex.
47* ShirtlessScene: In the film, it's not so much a ''scene,'' since there are shirtless men wandering continuously in the background. In the film all the slaves are simply naked 24/7 unless their role requires a costume...which itself rarely involves being fully covered.
48* ShoutOut:
49** The book makes a few references to ''Literature/TheStoryOfO'', lampshaded.
50** In the film, Sheila references ''Series/GilligansIsland''.
51* SlaveCollar: Part of the submissive uniform.
52* TeacherStudentRomance: In the movie, Lisa had a relationship with her graduate school English professor.

Top