Deep Throat was once protested for its gratuitous on-screen sex corrupting the youth of the 1970’s.
Now, protesters gather outside the cinema to protest the film’s real rape scenes and find justice for Linda Boreman.
Linda Boreman, also known as Linda Lovelace, was once America’s biggest porn star.
The 1972 adult comedy film Deep Throat would make her a household name, starring as a frustrated young woman who discovers her clitoris is located in her throat. I’m sure you can guess what happens next.
The film spread across America, and eventually worldwide. Dogged by bad press and numerous bans, its notoriety and sordid plot only propelled it further into the spotlight.
In addition to its controversies, Deep Throat’s popularity also came from it being the first adult film to introduce plot and character development.
Not revolutionary now, but certainly in 1971, Deep Throat brought about a new trend in adult films called porno chic, using plot and high production elements to legitimise the adult film genre in the mainstream.
Such an iconic history led Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Cinema to include it amongst a month-long program of critically acclaimed and artistically inclined porn.
Linda Boreman was raised in a Catholic, working-class family in the Bronx. Her father was often absent, her mother often beat her.
At 21, she met Chuck Traynor, an impressive young businessman. Within the span of two weeks, Traynor moved Boreman into his home and began controlling her life.
Traynor forced Boreman into sex work and changed her last name to Lovelace. She began working as a prostitute, Traynor her pimp.
Then she starred in silent short films for peep shows. Then the two met Gerard Damiano, who was so enamoured with Boreman, he wrote the script for Deep Throat within months.
Boreman later revealed in her autobiography Ordeal the extent of Traynor’s coercion. Boreman was forced to continue sex work by Traynor, who would threaten her at gun-point and beat her. Traynor controlled her whole image and career.
During the filming of Deep Throat, Boreman was raped on-screen. She would go on to say, “when you see the movie Deep Throat, you are watching me being raped.”
Last Saturday, protestors gathered outside New Beverly Cinema to protest the real, unscripted violence of Deep Throat. Protestors held signs at the entrance, stopping attendees to confront the film’s history.
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Many were not aware of the abuse and re-considered. Some were angry and continued to watch anyway.
Exploitation cinema has a complicated history. Its vulgarity has found a home in a new, irony-fuelled generation, who look back to these films as “the good old days” of filmmaking – a time of cheap, quick, dirty pictures.
What dewy-eyed viewers are keen to forget are the countless stories of abuse and mistreatment from women on set. Linda Boreman is one amongst many people trafficked into porn and exploited in film.
Deep Throat would go on to gross $600 million. Boreman was paid $1,250, which was then taken away by Traynor.
The protest of Deep Throat allows Boreman’s history to be at rest. In a post-Epstein world, justice for survivors is paramount.
New Beverly Cinema has not commented on the screening. A petition against the screening is still open and includes a template email for the cinema.
