I watched the movie “Dorian Gray,” based on “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” There were many differences between them, as the movie took several liberties to be more dramatic and scandalous. I disliked the book and the movie, but at least the movie was more interesting. I liked the movie’s creepy music, and the addition of maggots and bugs coming out of the portrait. I liked Ben Barnes as Dorian, even though he doesn’t match the physical description. The movie is thematically different and overall had a completely different vibe than the novel, more hedonistic and creepy. Everyone is also very open about sexuality, unlike the book.

The movie adds two scenes set before the novel where Dorian arrives in England off the train, and when Dorian and Basil meet at a party. It takes the scene where Lord Henry and Dorian walk together while Basil finishes painting the portrait and instead has Lord Henry take both Dorian and Basil to a brothel/club. This is where Dorian first sees Sibyl and is enamored. When the portrait is revealed, Dorian says that he would trade his soul to keep the same looks as the portrait. The movie shows the full scene of Dorian going to the theater and seeing Sibyl act, and shows their date, love confession, and “betrothal.” When Dorian tells his friends about his plans to marry Sibyl, Basil refuses to go to the theater, only Lord Henry agrees. Except that Lord Henry forces them to make a stop at a brothel along the way, where he pressures Dorian into smoking drugs and encourages him to let loose with the prostitutes before he gets married. Sibyl doesn’t have a bad performance, but Dorian and Lord Henry miss most of it because they were at the brothel. Dorian breaks up with Sibyl, and the next night goes out partying with his friends. Sibyl’s brother is waiting, and he tells him that Sibyl’s body was pulled from the river and her death was his fault. He tries to strangle Dorian and is stopped. What follows is a debauchery of many parties and a lot of sex. Dorian actually has sex with Basil, and then brushes him aside for his new paramours.

In the movie Dorian disposes of Basil’s body himself by cutting up his limbs and pouring them in the river. Everything afterwards is completely different from the book. They identify his body, and Dorian speaks at his funeral, then leaves England to travel for many years. Dorian returns and shocks everyone with his youth. Dorian sees Basil’s ghost, and begins having hallucinations. Sibyl’s brother attempts to kill Dorian twice, but is hit by a train and dies. Dorian falls in love with Lord Henry’s daughter, which is gross and uncomfortable in many ways. Lord Henry is angry at this, which I believe is true karma because all of his influence is now biting him back.

Lord Henry puts together the pieces about the portrait and breaks into Dorian’s house to see it. Dorian blames Lord Henry for making him who he is, they fight, and Lord Henry sets the portrait on fire. The portrait sort of comes alive, Dorian stabs the painting, and the portrait lunges into Dorian and turns him old. The movie ends showing Dorian’s untouched and youthful portrait.

TW: explicit sexual content, nudity, murder, gore