Golden Age of Porn
Encyclopedia
The Golden Age of Porn or porno chic refers to a period in the history of pornography
, approximately from the late-1960s to the early-to-mid-1980s. The period is idealized as a time in history where the difficulty to treat STDs
had not achieved wide public notice. This freedom was ostensibly reflected in the pornography
industry, with adult movies and adult magazines approaching the mainstream
and becoming increasingly visible.
. These were radical and cultural feminists
which, along with the Christian right
, attacked pornography, while other feminists were more concerned with ideas of sexual liberation and freedom from government intrusion into the growing industry.
The origins of the Golden Age are typically associated with the massive success of the 1971 film Boys in the Sand
, and of Deep Throat
and Behind the Green Door
, which were both released in 1972. These three were the first hardcore porn films to reach a mass mixed-sex audience, and all received positive reviews in mainstream media. Other key films from the period include The Devil in Miss Jones
and Score
, which appeared in mainstream
moviehouses of the United States
for the first time.
These movies saw the blossoming of pornography in the mainstream consciousness, whereby drive-in theatres would take out full page newspaper ads to promote the latest adult features. Porn films started being shown in mainstream movie theater
s, and thus were accepted as suitable for public consumption, or at least tolerated. Debbie Does Dallas
(1978) is also regarded as one of the most important releases during the period.
once stated at that time that she believed that the porn industry would merge with the mainstream film industry.
, Marilyn Chambers
, Annie Sprinkle
, Lisa De Leeuw
, Jacqueline Lorains
, Juliet Anderson
(a.k.a. "Aunt Peg"), Seka
, Harry Reems
, John Leslie, Jack Wrangler
, Ron Jeremy
and John C. Holmes
(a.k.a. "Johnny Wadd").
As their popularity rose, so did their control of their careers. John Holmes became the first recurring porn character, in the wildly popular "Johnny Wadd" film series. Holmes later died of AIDS
. Lisa DeLeeuw was one of the first to sign an exclusive contract with a major adult production company, Vivid Video, and Marilyn Chambers worked in mainstream movies, being one of the first (and still rare) crossover porn actors.
The dominant pornographic film studios of the age were VCA Pictures
and Caballero Home Video
.
History of erotic depictions
The history of erotic depictions includes paintings, sculpture, photographs, dramatic arts, music and writings that show scenes of a sexual nature throughout time. They have been created by nearly every civilisation, ancient and modern. Early cultures often associated the sexual act with...
, approximately from the late-1960s to the early-to-mid-1980s. The period is idealized as a time in history where the difficulty to treat STDs
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
had not achieved wide public notice. This freedom was ostensibly reflected in the pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
industry, with adult movies and adult magazines approaching the mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
and becoming increasingly visible.
The era
The golden age was also typified by interactions with the contemporaneous second wave of feminismSecond-wave feminism
The Feminist Movement, or the Women's Liberation Movement in the United States refers to a period of feminist activity which began during the early 1960s and lasted through the early 1990s....
. These were radical and cultural feminists
Cultural feminism
Cultural feminism developed from radical feminism. It is an ideology of a "female nature" or "female essence" that attempts to revalidate what cultural feminists consider undervalued female attributes...
which, along with the Christian right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
, attacked pornography, while other feminists were more concerned with ideas of sexual liberation and freedom from government intrusion into the growing industry.
The origins of the Golden Age are typically associated with the massive success of the 1971 film Boys in the Sand
Boys in the Sand
Boys in the Sand is a landmark American gay pornographic film. The 1971 film was directed by Wakefield Poole and stars Casey Donovan. Boys in the Sand was the first gay porn film to achieve crossover success and one of the earliest porn films of any genre to gain mainstream credibility, preceding...
, and of Deep Throat
Deep Throat (film)
Deep Throat is a 1972 American pornographic film written and directed by Gerard Damiano and produced by Louis Peraino and starring Linda Lovelace ....
and Behind the Green Door
Behind the Green Door
Behind the Green Door is a 1972 feature-length pornographic film, widely considered one of the genre's "classic" pictures. It was the first hardcore film widely released in the United States. It was the first feature-length film directed by the Mitchell brothers and starred Marilyn Chambers...
, which were both released in 1972. These three were the first hardcore porn films to reach a mass mixed-sex audience, and all received positive reviews in mainstream media. Other key films from the period include The Devil in Miss Jones
The Devil in Miss Jones
The Devil in Miss Jones is a pornographic film, written, directed and produced by Gerard Damiano and starring Georgina Spelvin. It is widely regarded as a classic adult film, released during the Golden Age of Porn. Damiano made the film after his 1972 success with Deep Throat...
and Score
Score (film)
Score is the name of a sexploitation film directed by Radley Metzger that was one of the first films to explore bisexual relationships. It was part of the brief porn chic fad in the early 1970s that also included The Devil in Miss Jones and Deep Throat...
, which appeared in mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
moviehouses of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for the first time.
These movies saw the blossoming of pornography in the mainstream consciousness, whereby drive-in theatres would take out full page newspaper ads to promote the latest adult features. Porn films started being shown in mainstream movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
s, and thus were accepted as suitable for public consumption, or at least tolerated. Debbie Does Dallas
Debbie Does Dallas
Debbie Does Dallas is a 1978 pornographic film starring Bambi Woods. The plot of the film focuses on a team of cheerleaders attempting to earn enough money to send the title character to Dallas, Texas, to try out for the famous “Texas Cowgirls” cheerleading squad. The fictional name "Texas...
(1978) is also regarded as one of the most important releases during the period.
Mainstream attention
For a period of two or three years it was fashionable to watch and discuss such films. An influential five-page article about the movie Deep Throat in the New York Times Magazine in early 1973 used the phrase "porno chic" in the title and described the phenomenon. Actress Linda LovelaceLinda Lovelace
Linda Susan Boreman , better known by her stage name Linda Lovelace, was an American pornographic actress who was famous for her performance of deep throat fellatio in the enormously successful 1972 hardcore porn film Deep Throat...
once stated at that time that she believed that the porn industry would merge with the mainstream film industry.
Porno chic actors
During the Golden Age of Porn, major adult film stars included Linda LovelaceLinda Lovelace
Linda Susan Boreman , better known by her stage name Linda Lovelace, was an American pornographic actress who was famous for her performance of deep throat fellatio in the enormously successful 1972 hardcore porn film Deep Throat...
, Marilyn Chambers
Marilyn Chambers
Marilyn Chambers was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer, model, actress and vice-presidential candidate...
, Annie Sprinkle
Annie Sprinkle
Annie M. Sprinkle is an American former prostitute, stripper, pornographic actress, cable television host, porn magazine editor, writer and sex film producer...
, Lisa De Leeuw
Lisa De Leeuw
Lisa De Leeuw is an American pornographic actress, and one of the few falsely reported to have died of HIV.-Career:She appeared in almost 200 films and was inducted into both the X-Rated Critics' Organization Hall of Fame and the AVN Hall of Fame.-Alleged death:Headpress 25 noted that DeLeeuw...
, Jacqueline Lorains
Jacqueline Lorains
Jacqueline Lorians was a pornographic actress during the 1980s. Her performance in Beauty and the Beast won her the 1989 AVN Award for Best Supporting Actress, Video.-External links:* at theclassicporn.com...
, Juliet Anderson
Juliet Anderson
Juliet Anderson , also known as Aunt Peg, was an American pornographic actress and adult movie producer, relationship counselor and author...
(a.k.a. "Aunt Peg"), Seka
Seka
Seka is an American pornographic actress who appeared in many pornographic films during the late 1970s and the 1980s.-Career:...
, Harry Reems
Harry Reems
Harry Reems is the nom de film of one of the most notorious pornographic actors of the 1970s and star of the 1972 cult classic Deep Throat.-Early life and career:Reems was born Herbert Streicher...
, John Leslie, Jack Wrangler
Jack Wrangler
Jack Wrangler was an American actor of gay and straight adult film, theatrical producer, and director. Open about his homosexuality and adult film work throughout his career, Wrangler was considered an icon of the gay-liberation movement.In 2008, a feature-length documentary film, Wrangler:...
, Ron Jeremy
Ron Jeremy
Ronald Jeremy Hyatt , usually called Ron Jeremy, is an American pornographic actor. Nicknamed "The Hedgehog", he was ranked by AVN at number one in their "The 50 Top Porn Stars of All Time" list...
and John C. Holmes
John Holmes (pornographic actor)
John Curtis Holmes better known as John C. Holmes or Johnny Wadd , was one of the most prolific male porn stars of all time, appearing in about 2,500 adult loops, stag films, and pornographic feature movies in the 1970s and 1980s...
(a.k.a. "Johnny Wadd").
As their popularity rose, so did their control of their careers. John Holmes became the first recurring porn character, in the wildly popular "Johnny Wadd" film series. Holmes later died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Lisa DeLeeuw was one of the first to sign an exclusive contract with a major adult production company, Vivid Video, and Marilyn Chambers worked in mainstream movies, being one of the first (and still rare) crossover porn actors.
The dominant pornographic film studios of the age were VCA Pictures
VCA Pictures
VCA Pictures is an American pornographic film production and distribution company. The company was founded by Russ Hampshire, and was formerly a major player during the 'Golden Age of Porn'. Throughout the 70's and 80's VCA produced big budget, plot-oriented feature films...
and Caballero Home Video
Caballero Home Video
Caballero Home Video is an American pornographic film studio, based in Canoga Park, California. It was previously known as Caballero Control Corporation. The company was founded in 1974, making it one of the oldest U.S. porn studios still in existence...
.
Films
Some of the best-known films are:
|
Alice in Wonderland (1976 film) Alice in Wonderland is a 1976 pornographic musical film, loosely based on Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It was directed by Bud Townsend and starred Terri Hall, Bree Anthony, and Kristine DeBell. The theatrical release of the film was on December 10, 1976 in the USA... (USA, 1976) Through the Looking Glass (film) Through The Looking Glass is a 1976 adult film with avante-garde, experimental elements directed by Jonas Middleton and released by Sam Lake's Mature Pictures Corp... (USA, 1976) The Opening of Misty Beethoven The Opening of Misty Beethoven is an American hardcore pornography film released in 1976. Produced with a relatively high budget and filmed on elaborate locations in Paris , New York City , and Rome , with a musical score, it owes much to its fastidious director Radley Metzger .-Premise:In a... (USA, 1976) Debbie Does Dallas Debbie Does Dallas is a 1978 pornographic film starring Bambi Woods. The plot of the film focuses on a team of cheerleaders attempting to earn enough money to send the title character to Dallas, Texas, to try out for the famous “Texas Cowgirls” cheerleading squad. The fictional name "Texas... (USA, 1978) Nightdreams Nightdreams is a 1981 American pornographic film that is often noted for its vastly surrealistic plot and scenes.The film was co-written by Jerry Stahl , who's also known for writing episodes of ALF.-Plot:... (USA, 1981) Café Flesh Café Flesh is a 1982 post-apocalyptic cult pornographic science fiction film designed and directed by Stephen Sayadian and co-written by Sayadian and Jerry Stahl... (USA, 1982) |
Further reading
- Legs McNeilLegs McNeilRoderick Edward "Legs" McNeil is a writer and rock music historian. He is the co-founder and a writer for Punk Magazine; he is also a former senior editor at Spin Magazine, and the founder and editor of Nerve magazine .- Punk Magazine:At the age of 18, McNeil gathered with two high school...
, Jennifer Osborne and Peter Pavia: The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry. Regan Books 2005. ISBN 0-06-009659-4
External links
- That old feeling: when porno was chic, Time Magazine, March 29, 2005
- PornoChic, a collection of resources related to the 1970s phenomenon
- Porn May Be Good for Society