Deep Throat Film Movie Review

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20/20 Filmsight - September 2008

Deep Throat

September 4th 2008 20:58

Today, on Filthy Friday, a review of the infamous pornographic movie, "Deep Throat", which would both bring explicit sex into the mainstream, and cast heavy, shameful scorn on to porno industry.

It's a film that was, notoriously, made at gunpoint, with star Linda Lovelace forced to perform sexual acts on film by the Columbo crime family and her husband, Chuck Traynor. The movie was banned in the US and several other countries, but would still go on to make an estimated $100 million.

Linda Lovelace plays a young girl that finds no pleasure in sex, until a sketchy psychologist, played by Harold Reems, finds that her clitoris is located in the back of the throat; her only pathway to orgasm, then, is by the now-unsurprising sex act called deep throat. Back in the 70s, the idea of deep throating might have been shocking and extreme, but, thanks to Wikipedia, I have learnt that the act has come a long, disquieting way.

The DVD release of "Deep Throat" is not something to get shifty-eyed about... this release is the censored version, an artifact of cinema history. As one of the DVD special features notes, at the time, it was "Deep Throat" and freedom of speech vs. censorship and outrage.

When reduced to a 'R'-rated movie, "Deep Throat" loses all of its power. There are no explicit sexual images, the scenes cropped so that we see the tops of heads and pale, unidentifiable body parts with ambiguous functions. At the same time, the viewer is haunted by Linda Lovelace's words about the film:

"Virtually every time someone watches that movie, they're watching me being raped."

It's a powerful statement, and one that corrupts the liberal push against censorship back in the 70s. While freedom of speech must be protected, are we necessarily protecting Italian mobsters forcing abused women to do unspeakable things on camera?

As a film, it's poorly made, with atrocious acting and a story that seems ludicrous and sexist even to purveyors of exploitation. As a cultural monument, it's a mighty giant on crumbled footing, a visual recording of shame and degradation, masqueraded as erotica.

This version of "Deep Throat" is available from Umbrella Entertainment.

I say: This version of "Deep Throat" is far from arousing, but it is a curious exhibit. It's easy to feel torn watching this, but there's an overriding sense of guilt for me.

See it for: The movie tries to be a hardcore sex comedy, and Reems does the silly voices and pained expressions. He reminds me of a guy I knew in high school.

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Posted By: Cibbuano - Category: Filthy Friday

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Comments

21 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Bryn

September 5th 2008 03:28

Horrorphile

I have the original, and even as hardcore, it's not very erotic. I have it more as a curio. I don't see the point in releasing a cut version of a hardcore movie. It's completely ridiculous. Apparently, according to the excellent doco Inside Deep Throat, compared to all other movies' box office to production costs ratio it is the single most successful feature ever made.

Comment by Cibbuano

September 5th 2008 05:36

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Bryn, I'd like to see that documentary... the "Deep Throat" release by Umbrella also has a mini-documentary with an actor from that time, talking about Linda Lovelace and the scene.

Sadly, I read that Lovelace received no money for the film... the $1000 in wages was taken by her abusive husband, and the producers reaped the profits from the box offices... she died in near poverty, I believe...

Comment by Mr Nice Guy

September 5th 2008 05:47

Pop Culturist

Have to admit to having never seen it.

. . . curiousity will no doubt get the better of me one day - but more for the period and all that was wrong about the 70's - particularly when it came to . . . let's say porn's method acting.

Cheers

Comment by Cheryl J

September 5th 2008 14:01

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Wow I just read the Wiki article, I cannot even fathom this act being performed on the likes of John Holmes or Mandingo.

Deep Throat the movie is exactly as you said, poorly acted, badly filmed with horrible 'acting'. The thing that always sticks with me is the fact that this poor woman was forced to do this completely against her will. It's tragic.

This would have to be the saddest quote. "They treated me like an inflatable plastic doll, picking me up and moving me here and there. They spread my legs this way and that, shoving their things at me and into me, they were playing musical chairs with parts of my body. I have never been so frightened and disgraced and humiliated in my life. I felt like garbage. I engaged in sex acts for pornography against my will to avoid being killed."

It is classed as a classic as it was a turning point in hardcore films.

Comment by Anonymous

September 5th 2008 15:35

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Linda Lovelace already making porn movies (on 8mm film) before Deep Throat, and made many more after, including Deep Throat 2?

Not saying its right to force anyone to make a porn movie at gunpoint, even though she may already be a porn star, but just want to now if she was already in the industry prior to that...