Barbara Broadcast
| Barbara Broadcast | |
|---|---|
 Original film DVD cover | |
| Directed by |
Radley Metzger (as "Henry Paris") |
| Produced by | Ava Leighton |
| Written by |
Radley Metzger (as "Jake Barnes") |
| Starring |
Annette Haven Bobby Astyr C. J. Laing Constance Money Jamie Gillis Michael Gaunt Sharon Mitchell Suzanne McBain Wade Nichols Zebedy Colt |
| Music by | various (uncredited) |
| Cinematography |
Chico Carter Larry Revene (uncredited) |
| Edited by | Gene Perry |
| Distributed by |
Audubon Films (USA) VCA Pictures (USA) |
Release dates | October 27, 1977 (USA) |
Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Barbara Broadcast is an American adult erotic film released in 1977. The film was directed by Radley Metzger (as "Henry Paris")[1][2] and filmed in several elaborate locations in New York City, including the Olympia ballroom and restaurant in the Royal Manhattan Hotel.[3][4]
Barbara Broadcast was released during the Golden Age of Porn (inaugurated by the 1969 release of Andy Warhol's Blue Movie) in the United States, at a time of "porno chic",[5][6] in which adult erotic films were just beginning to be widely released, publicly discussed by celebrities (like Johnny Carson and Bob Hope)[7] and taken seriously by film critics (like Roger Ebert).[8][9]
Films made by Radley Metzger, the film director, are noted for their "lavish design, witty screenplays, and a penchant for the unusual camera angle", according to one film reviewer.[10] Another film reviewer noted that Metzger's films are "highly artistic – and often cerebral ... and often featured gorgeous cinematography".[11]
Plot
Barbara Broadcast, a world-famous liberated woman and best-selling author, is interviewed by a journalist about her successful career in an elegant Manhattan hotel restaurant, where gourmet food and erotic activities are on the menu[12][13] – a surrealistic "Buñellian" atmosphere, according to one film reviewer.[14] Afterwards, other Manhattan moments in New York City are featured, including a corporate office encounter and a casual meeting in a busy night club.[12][13]
Cast
- Annette Haven as Barbara Broadcast[15]
- Bobby Astyr as the Maitre d'
- C. J. Laing as Roberta
- Constance Money as a Slave
- Jamie Gillis as Curley
- Michael Gaunt as a Client
- Sharon Mitchell as a Waitress
- Susan McBain as a Diner
- Wade Nichols as a Cook
- Zebedy Colt as a Diner
Reception
According to an X-Critic film reviewer, Barbara Broadcast is "... a playful, funny and beautifully made film for grownups, a celebration of carnality and earthly delights shot with an artist’s eye for composition and set to an excellent [music] score ...".[16] Barbara Broadcast, according to another reviewer, "... is a fun, witty, and charming film ...".[17] Another reviewer notes, " ... [the film has] plenty of electric atmosphere and [music] ... This is porno chic! ..."[18] Paracinema film critic Heather Drain writes, "Metzger’s work is known for its eye candy and this film is no exception, with every frame looking like a perfectly composed piece of art ... Barbara Broadcast may not be heavy on plot, but is an exquisitely crafted film from one of the best American directors to have emerged [since the 1970s] ... Radley Metzger is truly one of a kind."[4]
Restoration
On July 4, 2013, DistribPix released a complete restoration of the film, with the full cooperation of the director.[14] The result had a limited exhibition in theaters, but the main outcome of the project was the first-ever official DVD and Blu-ray versons.[12] A listing of the music on the film soundtrack was released earlier.[19][20]
Awards
- Winner 1989 – Member of XRCO Hall of Fame.[21][22]
- Nominee 2014 – AVN Award (Best DVD Extras).[15]
- Winner 2015 – X-Rated: Greatest Adult Movies of All Time.[15]
Music soundtrack
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Azure Blue[19][20]" | Simon Benson | 3:50 |
| 2. | "Before Summer Ends" | Keith Mansfield | 3:51 |
| 3. | "Big Haul" | Brian Bennett | 2:52 |
| 4. | "Dossier" | Brian Bennett | 2:42 |
| 5. | "Flying High" | Stefano Torossi | 3:36 |
| 6. | "Getaway" | Alan Hawkshaw | 2:37 |
| 7. | "Glittering Mud" | Steve Gray | 3:54 |
| 8. | "Merry Go Round" | Alan Hawkshaw | 2:05 |
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Reflections Misty Morning" | Brian Bennett | 3:40 |
| 10. | "Tales from Vienna Woods" | Johann Strauss II | 10:54 |
| 11. | "The Big One" | Alan Tew | 4:05 |
| 12. | "The Blue Danube Waltz" | Johann Strauss II | 10:33 |
| 13. | "The Double Take" | Steve Gray | 3:47 |
| 14. | "Wallop" | Brian Bennett | 3:25 |
| 15. | "White Elephant Walk" | Alan Tew | 1:30 |
| 16. | "You've Got What It Takes" | Madeline Bell | 3:39 |
See also
References
- ↑ Bentley, Toni (June 2014). "The Legend of Henry Paris". Playboy (magazine). Retrieved January 26, 2016.
- ↑ Bentley, Toni (June 2014). "The Legend of Henry Paris" (PDF). ToniBentley.com. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
- ↑ Staff (1977). "Barbara Broadcast (1977)". New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- 1 2 Drain, Heather (October 21, 2016). "Radley Metzger's Barbara Broadcast - Notes From The Backroom". Paracinema.com. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
- ↑ Blumenthal, Ralph (January 21, 1973). "Porno chic; 'Hard-core' grows fashionable-and very profitable". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
- ↑ Porno Chic (Jahsonic.com)
- ↑ Corliss, Richard (March 29, 2005). "That Old Feeling: When Porno Was Chic". Time (magazine). Retrieved January 27, 2016.
- ↑ Ebert, Roger (June 13, 1973). "The Devil In Miss Jones - Film Review". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
- ↑ Ebert, Roger (November 24, 1976). "Alice in Wonderland:An X-Rated Musical Fantasy". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
- ↑ Gallagher, Steve (August 7, 2014). ""This is Softcore": The History of Radley Metzger". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- ↑ Simpson, Claire (October 2, 2013). "Adults Only: 5 Films By Radley Metzger". WhatCulture.com. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- 1 2 3 Staff (2013). "Barbara Broadcast Blu Ray Plus 2 DVD Combo Pack (2013)". Distribpix.com. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- 1 2 Staff (2013). "Barbara Broadcast (1977) - Summary". Sexgoremutants.com. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- 1 2 Staff (August 27, 2013). "Barbara Broadcast - BluRay DVD Review". Mondo-digital.com. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Staff (2016). "Barbara Broadcast (1977) - Awards, Performers and Reviews". IAFD. Archived from the original on December 18, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ Staff (September 16, 2013). "Barbara Broadcast (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) - Review". X-Critic. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ Thomas, Corey (December 7, 2015). "Barbara Broadcast - Film Review". Adultdvdtalk.com. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ Staff. "Barbara Broadcast (DVD) - Review". YourChoice.co.uk. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
- 1 2 Staff (2016). "Barbara Broadcast - Original Soundtrack Music listing". IMDB. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- 1 2 Staff (2013). "Barbara Broadcast (1977) - OST Music Soundtrack". Ringostrack.com. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ Stone, Jeremy, "Heart-ons in Hollywood: The 5th Annual XRCO Adult Film & Video Awards", Adam Film World, September 1989, Vol. 13, No. 1, p. 10–11, 54.
- ↑ Staff, "The XRCO Hall of Fame", Adam Film World Guide 1990 Directory of Adult Films, 1990, p. 17.
Further reading
- Cook, David A. (2002). History of the American cinema. 9. University of California Press. pp. 274–275. ISBN 0-520-23265-8.
- Heffernan, Kevin, "A social poetics of pornography", Quarterly Review of Film and Video, Volume 15, Issue 3, December 1994, pp. 77–83. doi:10.1080/10509209409361441.
- Lehman, Peter, Pornography: film and culture, Rutgers depth of field series, Rutgers University Press, 2006, ISBN 0-8135-3871-8.
- Williams, Linda, Hard core: power, pleasure, and the "frenzy of the visible", University of California Press, 1999, ISBN 0-520-21943-0.
External links
- Barbara Broadcast at the Internet Movie Database.
- Barbara Broadcast at the Adult Film Database.
- Barbara Broadcast on the Amazon WebSite.
- Barbara Broadcast – 2013 restoration at DistribPix.
- Barbara Broadcast (Trailer-1; 04:09); (Trailer-2; 10:04).