Deep Throat (1972) - Blu-ray

Oh, Doctor Young!  Bells will ring!  Rockets will take off!  A kangaroo will play a big brass horn!  That’s what happens when Linda Lovelace (Linda Boreman) finally understands that her clitoris is actually in her mouth and not between her legs.  All these years, she’s been doing sex wrong. . .

. . . and, yes, we have the mafia to thank for Deep Throat. 

There are few who haven’t heard of this infamous pornographic film.  From the rather frank discussion of one woman’s problem with sex to her BFF receiving head while handing her a box of cereal, this film tackled sex in a way that few Americans expected and that might account for some of its popularity.

"Nothing about the movie is all that great.  Even the comedy doesn’t always stick the landing."


Produced by Louis "Butchie" Peraino, the film has a sordid history.  Sure, it was BEYOND popular, giving Americans a fairly humorous look at sex, but lots of people were bought off, beaten, and robbed of the money due to them before the film even took in a dime at the box office.

But none of that history has damaged its meteoric rise when it was released.  Hell, major film critics ACTUALLY reviewed it.  For many audiences, Deep Throat is a cultural EVENT, up there with Watergate and ABBA.  Because who could forget the tale of one woman’s sexual frustration when it is discovered that it is only through giving blowjobs that she can reach an orgasm?  No one.

Lovelace, forced into the porn business with guns and regular beatings (according to the 2002 interview attached to this blu-ray release), definitely has a story about the four week filming of this 35mm pornographic movie.  She was an object, she says.  And, taken back by the popularity of the movie, found herself in a very weird position of becoming a household name and she didn’t want ANY of it. 

Written and directed by Gerard Damiano, Deep Throat is a film that marks the high water mark for porn in the 1970s.  It is one of the first times that America got to laugh at sex.  This is a comedy after all.  But Lovelace, who was forced into the movie thanks to her then husband, Chuck Traynor, does not remember laughing.  She recalls the abuse.  And the emotional scars.  Sure, her story has changed a bit from the time of the film to now, but it is hard to deny her allegations when you look at the history of the people involved with the movie, its production, and the missing receipts.

Deep Throat (1972) - Blu-ray

There were other Deep Throat movies that followed in the wake of this unexpected hit film; Ron Jeremy ended up burying those titles.  Nothing about the movie is all that great.  Even the comedy doesn’t always stick the landing.  And, of course, seen in a modern day lens, the film has all sorts of problems that it stirs up considering women and sexuality, yet the film remains a fascinating time capsule of pop cultural phenomenon. 

And it is now out on blu-ray thanks to Cheezy Movies in a Collector’s Edition that features the original film and the immediate sequel, Deep Throat 2.

2 beers

FILM DETAILS

Carrie: Collector's Edition - Blu-ray Review and Details

MPAA Rating: X.
Runtime: 61 mins
Director: Gerard Damiano
Writer: Gerard Damiano
Cast: Linda Lovelace, Harry Reems, Dolly Sharp
Genre: Adult | Comedy
Tagline: How far does a girl have to go to untangle her tingle?
Memorable Movie Quote: "Mind if I smoke, while you're eating?"
Theatrical Distributor: Gerard Damiano Film Productions
Official Site:
Release Date: June 12, 1972
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: December 18, 2018
Synopsis: A woman with an unusual birth defect comes to a doctor who has an unorthodox solution to make the best of her situation.

Blu-ray Review

Deep Throat (1972) - Blu-ray

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: MVD Visual
Available on Blu-ray
- December 18, 2018
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: None
Audio:
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

I can only guess that the film, which looks quite good, has had a 2K scrub.  Interiors are good.  Details in the clothing and the hair are present and black levels hold their edges.  Just be prepared for all the shots of hairy balls.  In 1080p, it can be quite the shocker.  Presented in its intended aspect ratio of 1.85, it is the punched-up color you will notice first.  The reds are delicious and the greens are fertile.  The skin tones here are divine.  From clear pools of water to the glint of silver in the necklaces, the transfer has the film loaded with details and fresh-looking life.  The sound is presented in a choice between DTS HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 options.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

There’s an interview with Lovelace from 2002.  It is pretty shocking, especially if you are not aware of her version of the shooting of the film.  Fans also get Deep Throat 2 and pornographic trailers for other films.

  • Linda Lovelace Interview
  • Deep Throat 2
  • Porn Trailers

[/tab]

[tab title="Trailer"]

[/tab]

[tab title="Art"]

Deep Throat (1972) - Blu-ray

[/tab]

{/jatabs}