I've been watching porn lately. Or not really porn but related matters. First I watched In the Realms of the Senses. Apparently it was a huge deal back in it's day (and some argue that it still is), obviously I see why. Needless to say I didn't really find it interesting or good, way too slow for my taste and I think it's safe to say that anyone born in the late 70s and later has been already so soaked with porn and sex that a "real and live" blow job in a film doesn't really strike anyone anymore as controversial. However, I did really love the film. It was beautifully photographed, the costumes and make-up were perfection. It was, in that sense, a very lovely film. I have to admit, though, that I didn't really watch it all the way to the end, it was just too dull. I knew how the film ends but one thing I didn't know was the fact that it's based on real incident in the olden times in Japan. And THAT'S fascinating. I'm always a sucker for real life drama turned into a flick. I despise violence in all it's forms but for some odd reason am drawn to stories like Sada Abe's.
Last night we watched a documentary about Deep Throat, a flick called Inside Deep Throat. I would like to see the actual film, just to see it, but at the same time I don't think it's crucial. But it was fascinating to watch and hear the story of the film, to see horror on people's faces when they talked about it and also wonder what the hell people were thinking. Harry Reems, the male lead in the film, faced charges of conspiracy to distribute obscenity across state line. Now that was just daft. To sue an actor in the film who was (according to the documentary) paid a meager 250 dollars forhis acting in the film and that's it. He didn't really have anything to do with distributing the film or anything but there was a thirst for blood to nail this sickening porn-wave that was sweeping the nation into it's demise. Since the director and the female lead were untouchable they went for the next possible prey. It was especially touching to see the interviews of Linda herself later on in her life. She was fired from two jobs once her past was acknowledged by her employers and she was harshly accused and ridiculed by the media and the public for being fully aware and doing everything voluntarily which apparently was not the case with her. She also said she felt raped and violated, not only by the movie watchers but also the feminists who were writing about her and of the porn industry. The use of her and her name as an example of the abusive nature of porn, she said, didn't profit her anymore financially then did the film itself.
It was an interesting film, I must say. But what got me all worked up was were the clips from the trial of Harry Reems. There were some comments by the prosecuter about the dangers of these types of film. It was dangerous for women to get the (wrong) idea of orgasm, that a clitoral orgasm was a non-existing and dangerous matter. I'm not a woman and in my life have nothing to do with female orgasms but to me that sounds even stupider than the prosecution of Harry Reems. We are talking about the mid 1970s here and to think that there was a discussion of the dangers of orgasms for women is a bit.. out there. But we must keep in mind that in those days homosexuality was still classified as a mental disorder. But how far have we actually come?
All in all, it's been very erotic for me in the past few days. And still, after watching these flicks, I didn't really get a kick from either of them. Yes, I did enjoy the visual world of Realm of.. as well as the style, music and stiff acting of Deep Throat but still.. I'd rather watch something else, like Staying Alive which we started last night but fell asleep rather soon. That young Travolta has quite a body in the flick..
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