Inside Deep Throat

Synopsis: In 1972 the world was on the cusp of the sexual revolution. With the release of a small-time porn movie Deep Throat, all hell broke loose, with the reactionary forces of morality and censorship battling those in the forefront of sexual liberation, who felt people had a right to see what they wanted. The film soon became the focus for a social and political firestorm and the effects are still felt today. This doco examines the controversy and times around the making of the film together with its ongoing legacy.

As a social history, this makes for very interesting viewing. We tend to forget just how conservative the world was back in the early 70ss. Sex could only be dealt with in public under the guise of education and fellatio was illegal in many states and considered an abomination. Right wing politicians spoke out with such lines as "Deep Throat attacks the very core of our being"!

The director of Deep Throat, Gerard Damiano, had been a hairdresser and was privy to plenty of salon confessions from disgruntled wives. When he entered the blue movie industry he really felt himself to be part of the spirit of self expression and sexual liberation that permeated society in that era. But what started off as a $25,000 movie soon became a $600 million phenomenon with people of all backgrounds and ages flocking to see it, and Nixon's government swinging into action to get it banned. Protesters marched in the streets with anti-porn banners and even the feminists got involved in major commentary upon the film.

There was no joy for the stars of Deep Throat however. Main star Linda Lovelace was a sweet home town girl who years later claimed her then husband hypnotised her into the porn industry. She only ever received $1200 for her role and here goes as far as to claim every time people watch that film they are watching her being raped. Main star Harry Reems almost copped five years in jail in an unprecedented prosecution in which he really was only a scapegoat for the religious right. And the filmmakers got no money as the porn industry was controlled by the mafia who got most of the takings!

In this doco about the film's making we are treated to a wondrous array of interviews with notables who have something to say about the film or the era: Alan Dershowitz, Gore Vidal, Norman Mailer, Camille Paglia, Erica Jong, Dr Ruth and many others make insightful comments. Other filmmakers like Wes Craven and John Waters also have plenty to say. The interviews with the original film's makers are quite hilarious in parts - they are all such oddball and fascinating characters and the doco's makers catch them from such entertaining angles.

Producer Brian Grazer was very keen to make this film depicting Deep Throat as a cultural phenomenon that has shaped much of our now sexually-saturated culture today. And as he rightly points out, perhaps there is not so much difference between the forces of repression back then and what we are seeing today in the resurgence of right-wing attitudes that attempt to muzzle our freedoms.

(Wowser Alert: The crucial scene from the original film is seen in all its glory!)

FYI: Linda Lovelace's real life story was told in Lovelace (2013)

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