YMMV / 9½ Weeks

• Adaptation Displacement: The book, supposedly a memoir of an actual relationship the pseudonymous author had, came out eight years before the movie's theatrical release, and given both that the movie takes considerable liberties with it and it only developed its US cult audience on video in the ensuing years, most viewers aren't aware that it was based on a book.
• Awesome Music: A hot soundtrack for a erotic controversial film.
  • "Eurasian Eyes" sung by Corey Hart.
  • "Black On Black" by Dabello.
  • "You Can Leave Your Hat On" by Joe Cocker during the famous striptease Elizabeth gives for John.
  • "I Do What I Do" the main theme for the film performed by John Taylor.
  • "Slave To Love" by Bryan Ferry, during the dating and sex filled montage.
  • "Bread And Butter" by Devo during the erotic eating scene.
  • "This City Never Sleeps" by Eurythmics, which plays over the scene where Elizabeth fantasizes about John while given instructions.
• Germans Love David Hasselhoff: The movie flopped in the U.S. but was a hit overseas. It was eventually Vindicated by Video in its home country, however.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: An erotic film about a woman in a BDSM relationship with a man with the surname of Gray/Grey sounds a lot like Fifty Shades of Grey. The filmmakers of Fifty Shades of Grey certainly noticed the similarity, as they would cast Kim Basinger herself in the Fifty Shades of Grey films as Elena Lincoln, the former lover/dominatrix of Christian Grey.
• Memetic Mutation: The Erotic Eating scene spawned many tributes and parodies, notably including Hot Shots!.
• Mind Game Ship: Everything about the relationship on John's part is a Mind Game Ship — emotionally, intellectually, sexually.
• Nightmare Fuel: Being a film about a very unhealthy BDSM relationship, it's bound to have it's moments.
  • Elizabeth's mental health gradually decreasing and becoming a nervous wreck the more she stays involved with John.
  • When Elizabeth goes through John's things and discovers a photo of him with another woman, the phone call that follows is very unnerving. Accompanied by John's shallow breathing and low voice followed by some Scare Chord.
  John: Elizabeth? Don't talk. I've got a question to ask you. You know, all the while I was with my friend... I was just wondering... What you were doing in there. I was wondering if perhaps maybe you were going through my clothes... looking in my clothes... looking at the things in my closet. And I said, "No, she's not that kind of a girl. She's a good girl. Good girls don't snoop, do they?" So come on, you can tell me. Tell me if you've been a Nosy Parker. Hey, come on. Really, I want to know. I'm your pal, right? So tell me. You can trust me. It'll be our secret. So tell me. Tell me.
  • John sexually assaulting Elizabeth not long after. Sure it turns consensual halfway through but still...

---