# Why no Harlequin Romance type movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871 "2012-02-15T01:03:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/21 "2012-02-15T14:27:53Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > “Harlequin Superromance”? Please tell me this involves super heroes. Actually it involves Big Gay Al, thanks for asking. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/22 "2012-02-15T14:32:46Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > In COLOR! > > I’m glad to see there isn’t a Harlequin Science Fiction line. Catherine Asaro, a romance novelist, has won the Nebula award as well. She’s the best-known SF-Romance crossover. SF/Romance and Fantasy/Romance are fairly popular categories. of course, harlequins aka “series romance” are the shallow end of the romance novel pool - series novels are usually only in print for about a month. Most “name” authors do not write series novels. They write novels published in the normal way, also known as “single-title” romance novels The Brava line from Kensignton consists of single-title novels packed full of extremely raunchy sex. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/23 "2012-02-15T14:39:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > “Harlequin Superromance”? Please tell me this involves super heroes. No. It’s just a longer book. Not as long as a Single-title, but longer than most of the Harlequins. More story, less sex than some of the other lines. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/24 "2012-02-15T15:23:00Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Well then, he’s never read a Harlequin then because that’s not how it happens. Single title romances, sure. But not Harlequins. I think of Harlequin as a generic name for romance novels. Like asking for a Kleenex even though it’s a Puffs. I am aware that there is more than one company publishing. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/25 "2012-02-15T16:26:17Z")
I was going to say that the reason you don’t see more theatrical movies that are obviously based on romance novels is that teen and young adult males are generally considered the driving force behind movie ticket sales, and they don’t watch romances. As noted, made for TV romance novel type movies are common. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/26 "2012-02-15T16:40:36Z")
I think it’s the same reason there’s not a huge market for novels based on porn movies (or online porn videos, now). Trashy romance novels are porn for women. Women like words and men like pictures. **Evil Romance** says the same thing in a different way, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/27 "2012-02-15T16:43:13Z")
> [@bup](#): > > I think it’s the same reason there’s not a huge market for novels based on porn movies (or online porn videos, now). > > Trashy romance novels are porn for women. Women like words and men like pictures. > > **Evil Romance** says the same thing in a different way, I think. I am so changing my user name to **Evil Romance**! ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/28 "2012-02-15T16:48:59Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I am so changing my user name to **Evil Romance**! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/29 "2012-02-15T17:21:06Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I think of Harlequin as a generic name for romance novels. Like asking for a Kleenex even though it’s a Puffs. I am aware that there is more than one company publishing. Yeah but Harlequins are actually a specific type, and but for a few specific lines, are not on the raunchier side. How much sex can you fit in, in under 200 pages? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/30 "2012-02-16T02:33:19Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Catherine Asaro, a romance novelist, has won the Nebula award as well. She’s the best-known SF-Romance crossover. SF/Romance and Fantasy/Romance are fairly popular categories. There’s Lois McMaster Bujold. Her Sharing Knife series was fantasy/romance even if it wasn’t marketed as such. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/31 "2012-02-16T02:34:51Z")
Yes, Harlequin is the happy meal to the Single Title Romance Supersized Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/32 "2012-02-16T06:00:24Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > “Harlequin Superromance”? Please tell me this involves super heroes. Isn’t “su perro” Spanish for “your dog”? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/33 "2012-02-16T14:02:32Z")
I burning your romance. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/34 "2012-02-16T14:58:50Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I burning your romance. As long as you’re not romancing my dog… ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/35 "2012-02-16T16:05:25Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > The LUNA imprint is fantasy. > [books](http://www.harlequin.com/store.html?cid=309) > [writing guidelines](http://www.harlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=698&chapter=0) LUNA is part of Harlequin??? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/36 "2012-02-16T16:10:32Z")
The publisher not the imprint. Harlequin has pretty much bought up every series romance publisher in the English speaking world. Silhouette used be a publisher based in Canada, I think. Not any more. Harlequin gobbled them up long ago. If any other publisher even tries to do a series romance, Harlequin will either buy them or stomp them out of existence. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/37 "2012-02-16T16:13:29Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Sure there are sex scenes in movies. But with few notable exceptions they don’t have them back to back Well, of course not. How are they supposed to do anything back to back? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/38 "2012-02-16T16:13:55Z")
In the romance book world there is a big difference between series, single title and historicals. Although now I believe there may be series historicals. Series romance are more like magazines than books in the way they are published. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/39 "2012-02-16T16:21:05Z")
If you browse the “steamy romance” genre in Netflix you’ll find plenty of what appear to be low-budget, 1-3 star, sexy looking movies. Many of these don’t look to be theatrical releases, but more like “skinamax” type stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871/40 "2012-02-16T16:39:17Z")
Not that I’ve watched many Skinamax movies (the amount that I have watched is more than zero, however) I would not say that they are romance book type movies. The main point in a romance-- be they single title, historical or series-- is, well, romance. It’s all about love. Love, love, love. Love is all there is and it’s all you need. There is plenty of sex because that is what you wanna do with the person you are falling in love with. Skinamax is all about sex and manipulation and manipulating people into having sex. Many people. Lots and lots of people. Not so with romances. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-harlequin-romance-type-movies/612871.md?page=3)