Author Erica Jong’s seminal 1973 novel “Fear of Flying” is still considered a groundbreaking piece of erotic fiction, helped herald in the second wave of feminism, and remains one of the top fifty bestselling novels of all time, but it’s also managed to go four decades without a big screen adaptation. That’s now set to finally change, as director Laurie Collyer (Sherrybaby) has been set to direct a feature film based on the work, complete with a script by Piers Ashworth (Burke and Hare, St. Trinians).
Jong’s novel centers on poet Isadora Wing who, during a trip to Vienna with her second husband, comes to grips with her unfulfilling marriage and decides to embark on a series of highly sexual encounters with other men. If you’ve ever heard the term “zipless fuck,” you’ve got Jong and her book to thank for it, as she coined the term (which basically refers to a sexual encounter without personal or emotional attachments, and one that even Isadora finds impossible to have). Oh, yes, it’s raunchy, but unlike something like “Fifty Shades of Grey,” it’s an enduring piece of cultural literature that is still relevant today. Also, its leading lady role could be one hell of a starmaker.
Collyer’s Sunlight Jr. recently premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, so check out Caitlin’s review of the film to get a sense of her work. [Deadline Hollywood]