Inside Deep Throat - Lilith Likes to Watch Documentary December 2022
Title: Inside Deep Throat
Year: 2005
Starring: Dennis Hopper, Gerard Damiano
Director: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato
Synopsis: In 1972, a seemingly typical shoestring budget pornographic film was made in a Florida hotel, “Deep Throat,” starring Linda Lovelace. This film would surpass the wildest expectation of everyone involved to become one of the most successful independent films of all time. It caught the public imagination which met the spirit of the times, even as the self appointed guardians of public morality struggled to suppress it, and created, for a brief moment, a possible future where sexuality in film had a bold artistic potential. This film covers the story of the making of this controversial film, its stunning success, its hysterical opposition along with its dark side of mob influence and allegations of the on set mistreatment of the film’s star. - via Letterboxd.com
Lilith's Notes: The first NC-17 movie ever aired on HBO
"Deep Throat was the perfect target for New York's campaign to clean up porn."
Well, fuck. It appears there has been a gross oversight. Back in February I did a deep dive into Deep Throat. I read Linda Lovelace's autobiography Ordeal, I watched several of her loops, and I even watched the biopic Lovelace. While I didn't claim that my dive was exhaustive, I somehow missed this documentary. It's a shame because this was very good.
The whole thing opens up with a Supertramp track, which paves the way for some fantastic needle drops peppered throughout the runtime.
We start at basically the beginning, with future DT director Gerard Damiano's humble beginnings as a woman's hairdresser. This have him a window into the secret womanly world of feminine gossip. With this sacred insight, he wrote Deep Throat among other fabulous adult films. Seriously, every Damiano flick we've watched for this blog has stellar writing.
Damiano talks about how he made the film, how he did what he could to make Linda comfortable with her abusive husband Chuck Traynor always lurking on set. He had to devise reasons for Chuck to go away so Linda could perform without fear, which is a narrative that has been consistent throughout the various Deep Throat think pieces and interviews I have consumed.
Then, Damiano laments how he unwittingly and unwillingly got tangled up with the mob. He's a little evasive and comes across as sad and full of regret.
In contrast we are also introduced to Arthur Sommer, a theater manager who showed the film in Miami. This too, entangled him in the mob and his wife Terry absolutely wants Art to have nothing to do with this documentary, whereas Art is confident that he got out, and all the former goons are probably long dead.
But it’s not all personal tales of mob bosses and woe. There’s an actual, legitimate education here.
In the 70’s, U.S. Congress commissioned an investigation on pornography. They reviewed several studies, sources, and even set up their own tests and the conclusion was that, to their surprise, porn doesn’t really hurt anybody. It doesn’t contribute to a rise in crime, or lowering of personal morals, and that most citizens felt that people should be able to watch pornography in the privacy of their own home, should they so choose.
Well, the president didn’t like that, and so, in all their infinite bias, persuaded Congress to reject the report. They tried again in ‘86 with The Meese Report, and this time, found what they wanted to hear.
Thus, the raids began. And from there, we all know the history.
This documentary portions out insight from many, many faces. From John Waters, to Camille Paglia to Francis Ford Copella. Wes Craven makes an appearance and acts all coy about the porno he directed, as if he couldn’t remember what it was. I know what it was. We’ll get there when we get there, Mr. Craven.
We’re also once more to a visit from our old friend Bill Kelly, who we first met last year in Debbie Does Dallas Uncovered. This time he is far more human and gives off much less Main Character energy. For that, we’re all thankful. He comes across as an actual credible entity.
Throughout it all, the presence of Linda Lovelace looms like a ghost. Her friend laments mourning the Linda she knew, her sister wishes she could have killed Chuck Traynor herself. Diamano says she was a woman who is happiest when she is told what to do; she was happy when told to make Deep Throat, and she was happy when told by feminists that porn was evil.
Although, I did want to see Lovelace and Paglia kiss a little.
Then, when money was tight, Linda returned to selling her body. I suppose during her comeback, she at least was the one in control. We can only hope.
As the years wane on, porn becomes commercial, and money perverts the art. It’s stated very plainly in the documentary and to be honest, it’s one of the reasons I tend to avoid movies from the 80’s all the way to the early 2000’s. A willful blind spot in my repertoire to be sure but there’s something shiny and ugly and unkind for those years. We’re in the midst of circling back to the artfulness of porn with studios like Lust Cinema, Four Chambered Heart and the work of Bree Mills
In the end we learn that Damiano never made any money from his films which is a fucking shame because from Deep Throat, to Memories Within Miss Aggie to the incomperable Devil In Miss Jones, to the insightful Skin-Flicks, Damiano truly a writer that gave great stories to porn, and porn to great stories. They were witty and exciting and artful.
Sure, Deep Throat wasn’t his best written work but it was novel. Virgin.
Whether or not you’ve seen this notorious film, Inside Deep Throat is certain to give some sort of appreciation for the actual first blockbuster movie.
Best Moment: I didn't even touch on all the stuff concerning Harry Reems. Dude was an advocate with a tragic downfall, and then a mellow existance. Possibly the best stuff in the entire movie. He was passionate about the right to watch and perform porn.
Worst Moment: We get a brief few seconds with Xaviera Hollander, which made me feel some sort of way because all I could think about was all the mean things Lovelace had written about her in Ordeal.
LILITH'S SCORE: 4/5 - It drags a little, but it's slick and very informative and stays interesting and respectful throughout for the most part. This is still porn we're talking about.
Until next time, my voracious voyeurs. I’m Lilith, and I’m always watching.
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