When a young woman, Linda Lovelace (Linda Lovelace), struggles to find any pleasure from sex she seeks professional help. That doctor determines that a unique practice must be explored if Linda ever hopes to enjoy sex, and Deep Throat is born. Is it possible that the doctor is on to something, or will Linda’s hopes of sexual arousal simple cease to exist? She is willing to try anything, and only practice will determine if Linda can turn her life around.
The simplest way to sum up Deep Throat is a porn with a purpose. There’s no doubt that a film titled Deep Throat will be sexual in nature, but this is quite literally porn. It was 1972 in the United States, and porn was still young–just finally reaching the mainstream (to a degree). This style of filmmaking still causes some to cringe, so imagine what it must have been like fifty years ago? However, Writer-Director Gerard Damiano Sr. decided to fully explore the genre, diving head first into pornography in the mainstream.
I think there are a series of messages present in Deep Throat, from ideas of individuality to not letting the veritable man keep you from doing the things that you’re passionate about. Linda has a unique disorder (some might call it that), and the second and third acts of Deep Throat are spent exploring how she can come to terms with her individuality and in which ways she can reach her full potential. While there does appear to be some comedy based on her differences, the majority of what takes place throughout the film is used to explore Linda’s reality and to help her better herself. Pleasure is Linda’s goal, and while sex is the vehicle by which pleaure is derived in Deep Throat, what ultimately allows her to achieve the level of pleasure that she does is coming to terms with who she is. In that same vein, Damiano Sr. is tasked with being himself and doing what he loves in order to find success. This taboo subject would have immediately turned a series of individuals off, but Damiano Sr. stays true to himself, and he doesn’t let the man tell him what he can and can’t do. He found massive success with Deep Throat, and his willingness to do what he believed to be best is what led him to that success.
Damiano Sr. makes a series of interesting choices throughout the course of Deep Throat in regard to its many cinematic aspects. First and foremost, the thing that stands out the most is the the fact that during each and every sex scene (and there are many) viewers hear nothing of what is occurring, but rather a unique, and hysterical, soundtrack. Sounds such as the well-known “Love is Strange” and the laughable “Deep Throat” exist throughout each and every romantic instance, and it’s a tad confusing as to why Damiano Sr. made this decision. The only way that it works for Deep Throat is that it provides even more comedy than already exists. Comedy is strewn throughout the course of Deep Throat–some is cringe-worthy and other bits of comedy made me laugh out loud. The wide-ranging comedy is inviting, and while the premise of the film isn’t one that the majority will get behind, the comedy present will likely appeal to a large audience.
Narratively Deep Throat holds little weight in the grand scheme of the scope of cinema, but what Damiano Sr. does was groundbreaking. It opened the world’s eyes to what cinema could be, and it was incredibly progressive in its attempts to make mainstream cinema more accessible to left-of-center filmmakers. Deep Throat stirs the pot, there’s no doubt about that–and many will simply refer to the film as porn with a plot (and to some degree they are correct). However, Deep Throat will forever remain relevant, tantalizing, and a core piece of what many succeeding filmmakers were able to achieve. Consider wisely before you decide to watch Deep Throat, but a deep dive into what this film means for Hollywood is worth everyone’s time.
Written & Directed by Gerard Damiano Sr.
Starring Linda Lovelace, Harry Reems, Helen Wood, Ronnie Shark, William Love, Carol Connors, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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