OAKLAND, Calif.—The world tour to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the iconic adult film Deep Throat closes in the Bay Area with a show at 7 p.m. Sunday, June 11 in Oakland, at The New Parkway Theater.
Tickets are available here. Use the promotional code GETOFF to get $5 off the ticket price.
The definitive version of the film will be presented by Gerard Damiano Jr. and Christar Damiano, son and daughter of writer/director Gerard Damiano Sr. Following the screening they will be joined by legends of the “Golden Age of Porn,” Dr. Sharon Mitchell and Richard Pacheco, for a discussion on the history, cultural impact and controversies surrounding Deep Throat, moderated by Carol Queen, co-founder of the Center for Sex and Culture.
Gerard Jr. and Christar will share their stories of being on location in Miami during the movie’s filming and growing up with Damiano Sr, known as “The King of Porn.”
“We’ve presented the film in 17 cities throughout six different countries around the world, and people are often surprised that it’s not at all what they expected,” Christar Damiano said. “It’s a comedy, and our dad would be proud to know that after 50 years his jokes still get a laugh.”
Gerard Jr. added, “Some theaters have been reluctant to show the film for fear of pushback based on comments the film’s star Linda Lovelace made years after it came out. Her story is a very complicated one, and there is no doubt that she suffered greatly at the hands of her husband. People assume that he beat her because she didn’t want to perform in the film, but the truth of what actually happened on the set of Deep Throat is very different.”
Moderator Queen hailed the film’s importance as a pioneering work in cinema.
“I'm so pleased to be able to look back at this important movie, made at the dawn of the ‘porno chic’ years and one of the first to try to marry porn and feature films,” Queen says. “On top of that, I'm so interested to see the audience's response to this controversial movie when they realize it's a comedy! The Golden Age of Porn gave us directors and performers who didn't want sex films to be relegated to short 8-millimeter loops, but rather to tackle any and every creative idea and sexual fantasy. It was such an ambitious time.”
To see the event on Facebook and FetLife, click here and here, respectively.
Event organizers are also encouraging fans to vote for Deep Throat to be included among other classic American films in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. To vote, visit votethroat.org.
The New Parkway is located at 474 24th St, Oakland, CA 94612. Find the venue on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Carol Queen can be found on Twitter @carolqueen.
For more information on Deep Throat, follow the movie on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Damiano Films is online at DamianoFilms.com.
