Malaysia bans '50 Shades of Grey' as boycott campaign gains support in U.S.

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- With the release of the film adaptation of 50 Shades of Grey only weeks away, boycotts and outright bans have thrust the bondage-fueled psycho-sexual thriller into the center of controversy.

In Malaysia, 50 Shades of Grey's Feb. 12 release was cancelled after the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (LPF) ruled Sam Taylor-Johnson's interpretation of E.L. James novel was more "more pornography than a movie."

"The board made a decision in view of the film containing scenes that are not of natural sexual content," LPF chairman Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid said in a statement, reports Variety.

"The content is ... sadistic, featuring scenes of a woman being tied to a bed and whipped."

In America, groups who offer support to domestic violence victims are calling for an outright boycott of the film with their consolidated "50 Dollars not 50 Shades" campaign. Instead of paying to see the film, supporters of the hashtag boycott urge individuals to donate money to their local women's shelter or similar survivors organization.

"The money you would have spent on movie tickets and a babysitter or movie tickets, popcorn and drinks will go towards serving victims of abusive relationships like the one glamorized in the 50 Shades series," the group writes on its Facebook page.

"Hollywood doesn't need your money; abused women do."

The Facebook page credits its creation to nonprofit Stop Porn Culture.

50 Shades of Grey will be released in the U.S. on Feb. 13.