Behind the Green Door
Encyclopedia
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
. It was adapted from an anonymous short story
of the same title, which was circulated by means of numerous carbon copies
. The story's title makes reference to the 1956 hit song "The Green Door
." The film was given an X-rating
by the MPAA
.
and taken to a sex theater, where she is placed on a stage and forced to perform various sexual acts
with multiple partners in front of a masked audience. The Mitchell brothers appear in the film as her kidnappers. First she is fondled by several women wearing robes. Her first heterosexual scene in the film is with the boxer Johnny Keyes
, accompanied by a jazz
soundtrack. This possibly makes Behind the Green Door the first U.S. feature-length hardcore
film to include an interracial sex scene. Following this Gloria has sex with several other men. The watching audience become aroused and begin having sex with each other. In a psychedelic
key sequence, an ejaculation on Gloria's face is shown with semen
flying through the air for seven minutes. The film features several multicolored, optically printed
, slow-motion close-ups of money shot
s. Next the truck driver-narrator runs onto the stage and carries Gloria off through the green door. The film ends with him and Gloria making love alone.
, released the same year, the movie launched the "porno chic
" boom and started what is now referred to as the "Golden Age of Porn
." Along with Deep Throat it was the first hardcore porn film to reach a mass mixed-sex audience. Prior to Behind the Green Door, most of the Mitchell Brothers' 200 or so films had only been shown in their O'Farrell Theater. Made with a budget of $60,000, it achieved a nationwide theatrical release which earned over $1 million. The movie ultimately grossed over $25 million including its video release, which was controlled exclusively by the Mitchells out of their headquarters in the O'Farrell Theatre, San Francisco. It was one of the biggest box office successes of the 1970s, alongside Deep Throat and The Devil in Miss Jones
, and was even screened at the Cannes Film Festival
. After its release criminals used extortion in an attempt to obtain the rights to the film.
soap and detergent packaging holding a baby. The brand was sold under the slogan "99 and 44/100's % pure." The Mitchell brothers saw a publicity opportunity, and distributed press releases describing Chambers with the same slogan. After the release of the movie, the advertising industry was scandalized, and Procter & Gamble
recalled all Ivory Snow products and advertising materials featuring her, unintentionally adding to the movie's hype. The ultra staid Procter & Gamble
subsequently required of all of their advertising agencies that they thoroughly screen the background of any female model employed for print advertisements or commercials. The fact that Chambers's image was so well known from Ivory Snow boosted the film's ticket sales, and led to several jokes on television talk shows. Critics have since debated whether she was really having orgasms in her scenes or just acting.
, The Devil in Miss Jones
, and Behind the Green Door – that have a minimal but still sufficient artistic interest to distinguish themselves from the rest of the genre", and the film is "more artful than most smut films". It was the second film to be inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame
, following Deep Throat
.
, directed by cabaret singer Sharon McNight. The movie featured no famous performers, and starred a plump young woman who billed herself as Missy (she was Artie Mitchell's girlfriend at the time and reportedly demanded the role). It was the first safe-sex themed porn film (produced as a response to the 1980s AIDS outbreak in San Francisco.) in which all the performers used condom
s, birth control
, and other protection. It was a critical and commercial disaster and cost the Mitchells hundreds of thousands of dollars. The O'Farrell Theatre contains a "Green Door Room" which is named for the two movies and was the principal set of the sequel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was the first feature-length film directed by the Mitchell brothers
Mitchell brothers
The brothers James "Jim" Lloyd Mitchell and Artie Jay Mitchell were pioneers in the pornography and striptease club business in San Francisco and other parts of California from 1969 until 1991, when Jim was convicted of killing Artie.They opened the O'Farrell Theatre in 1969 as an adult cinema...
and starred Marilyn Chambers
Marilyn Chambers
Marilyn Chambers was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer, model, actress and vice-presidential candidate...
. It was adapted from an anonymous short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
of the same title, which was circulated by means of numerous carbon copies
Carbon copy
Carbon copying, abbreviated cc or c.c., is the technique of using carbon paper to produce one or more copies simultaneously during the creation of paper documents...
. The story's title makes reference to the 1956 hit song "The Green Door
Green Door
" Green Door" is a 1956 popular song with music composed by Bob Davie and lyrics written by Marvin Moore. The lyrics describe a nondescript establishment, with a green door, behind which "a happy crowd" play piano, smoke and "laugh a lot", and inside which the singer is not allowed.-Possible...
." The film was given an X-rating
X-rated
In some countries, X is or has been a motion picture rating reserved for the most explicit films. Films rated X are intended only for viewing by adults, usually legally defined as people over the age of 17.-United Kingdom:...
by the MPAA
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
.
Plot
Chambers plays the role of Gloria. The story begins in a cafe, where a cook asks two truck drivers to tell the story of the green door. Gloria is then shown being kidnappedKidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
and taken to a sex theater, where she is placed on a stage and forced to perform various sexual acts
Human sexual behavior
Human sexual activities or human sexual practices or human sexual behavior refers to the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts from time to time, and for a wide variety of reasons...
with multiple partners in front of a masked audience. The Mitchell brothers appear in the film as her kidnappers. First she is fondled by several women wearing robes. Her first heterosexual scene in the film is with the boxer Johnny Keyes
Johnny Keyes
Johnny Keyes is an African American pornographic actor. He is among the earliest African American porn stars. He was also a boxer prior to working in porn....
, accompanied by a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
soundtrack. This possibly makes Behind the Green Door the first U.S. feature-length hardcore
Hardcore pornography
Hardcore pornography is a form of pornography that features explicit sexual acts. The term was coined in the second half of the 20th century to distinguish it from softcore pornography. It usually takes the form of photographs, often displayed in magazines or on the Internet, or films. It can also...
film to include an interracial sex scene. Following this Gloria has sex with several other men. The watching audience become aroused and begin having sex with each other. In a psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
key sequence, an ejaculation on Gloria's face is shown with semen
Semen
Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that may contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova...
flying through the air for seven minutes. The film features several multicolored, optically printed
Optical printer
An optical printer is a device consisting of one or more film projectors mechanically linked to a movie camera. It allows filmmakers to re-photograph one or more strips of film...
, slow-motion close-ups of money shot
Money shot
A money shot is a moving or stationary visual element of a film, video, television broadcast, print publication, etc., that is disproportionately expensive to produce and/or is perceived as essential to the overall importance or revenue-generating potential of the work.-Cinema:Originally, in...
s. Next the truck driver-narrator runs onto the stage and carries Gloria off through the green door. The film ends with him and Gloria making love alone.
Impact
Along with Deep ThroatDeep 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 ....
, released the same year, the movie launched the "porno chic
Golden Age of Porn
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...
" boom and started what is now referred to as the "Golden Age of Porn
Golden Age of Porn
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...
." Along with Deep Throat it was the first hardcore porn film to reach a mass mixed-sex audience. Prior to Behind the Green Door, most of the Mitchell Brothers' 200 or so films had only been shown in their O'Farrell Theater. Made with a budget of $60,000, it achieved a nationwide theatrical release which earned over $1 million. The movie ultimately grossed over $25 million including its video release, which was controlled exclusively by the Mitchells out of their headquarters in the O'Farrell Theatre, San Francisco. It was one of the biggest box office successes of the 1970s, alongside Deep Throat and 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 was even screened at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
. After its release criminals used extortion in an attempt to obtain the rights to the film.
Marilyn Chambers
Chambers was relatively unknown at the time; however, the film made her a star. Immediately prior to the movie's release she was the "ivory soap girl", having modeled for the Ivory SnowIvory (soap)
The name "Ivory" refers to a series of products created by the Procter & Gamble Company , including varieties of a white and mildly fragranced bar soap, that became famous for its pure content and for floating in water. Over the years, the bar soap has been altered into other varieties...
soap and detergent packaging holding a baby. The brand was sold under the slogan "99 and 44/100's % pure." The Mitchell brothers saw a publicity opportunity, and distributed press releases describing Chambers with the same slogan. After the release of the movie, the advertising industry was scandalized, and Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
recalled all Ivory Snow products and advertising materials featuring her, unintentionally adding to the movie's hype. The ultra staid Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
subsequently required of all of their advertising agencies that they thoroughly screen the background of any female model employed for print advertisements or commercials. The fact that Chambers's image was so well known from Ivory Snow boosted the film's ticket sales, and led to several jokes on television talk shows. Critics have since debated whether she was really having orgasms in her scenes or just acting.
Critical reception
Upon its release the film received positive reviews in mainstream media. According to Peter Michelson there is, "a relatively small corpus of pornographic films – e.g., Deep ThroatDeep 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 ....
, 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 Behind the Green Door – that have a minimal but still sufficient artistic interest to distinguish themselves from the rest of the genre", and the film is "more artful than most smut films". It was the second film to be inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame
XRCO Hall of Fame
XRCO Hall of Fame lists some of the most notable adult entertainment works and workers. The list is managed by X-Rated Critics Organization and inducted annually during the XRCO awards.-Actors:* 1985 John C...
, following 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 ....
.
Sequel
In 1986, the Mitchells made a sequel to this film, Behind the Green Door: the SequelBehind the Green Door: the Sequel
Behind the Green Door: the Sequel is the sequel to the American pornographic film Behind the Green Door. It was produced by the Mitchell brothers and starred Missy Manners...
, directed by cabaret singer Sharon McNight. The movie featured no famous performers, and starred a plump young woman who billed herself as Missy (she was Artie Mitchell's girlfriend at the time and reportedly demanded the role). It was the first safe-sex themed porn film (produced as a response to the 1980s AIDS outbreak in San Francisco.) in which all the performers used condom
Condom
A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
s, birth control
Birth control
Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
, and other protection. It was a critical and commercial disaster and cost the Mitchells hundreds of thousands of dollars. The O'Farrell Theatre contains a "Green Door Room" which is named for the two movies and was the principal set of the sequel.
In popular culture
- Footage from the film (none of which includes any nudity) is seen in the movie The Cannonball Run, when Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
's character watches it in his high-tech car, almost leading to an accident. - The production of the movie is dramatized in the movie Rated XRated X (film)Rated X is a 2000 film starring brothers Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez, with the latter also directing. It is based on the nonfiction book X-Rated by David McCumber which chronicles the story of the Mitchell brothers, Jim and Artie Mitchell, who were pioneers in the pornography and strip club...
starring the brothers Charlie SheenCharlie SheenCarlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
and Emilio EstevezEmilio EstevezEmilio Estevez is an American actor, film director, and writer. He started his career as an actor and is well-known for being a member of the acting Brat Pack of the 1980s, starring in The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire...
as Artie and Jim Mitchell. - Appears in CalifornicationCalifornication (TV series)Californication is an American comedy-drama that premiered on Showtime on August 13, 2007. The show was created by Tom Kapinos. The protagonist, Hank Moody , is a troubled novelist whose move to California, coupled with his writer's block, complicates his relationships with his longtime girlfriend...
episode 3.07 - In the song "Hooks in You" by Iron MaidenIron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, there is a reference to the movie in the first few lines. - Shakin' StevensShakin' StevensShakin' Stevens, also known as "Shaky" is a platinum selling Welsh rock and roll singer and songwriter who holds the distinction of being the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s . His recording and performing career began in the late 1960s, although it was not until 1980 that he saw...
got his first number one hit with the song "Green Door", also performed by Frankie VaughanFrankie VaughanFrankie Vaughan, CBE, DL was an English singer of traditional pop music, who issued more than 80 recordings in his lifetime. He was known as "Mr. Moonlight" after one of his early hits.-Life and career:...
. - In the Naughty Dog video game "Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception", a main character states: "They are behind that door, the green one." A likely reference to the film.
External links
- Behind the Green Door review with some photos
- Behind the Green Door review
- Behind the Green Door at the Adult Film DatabaseAdult Film DatabaseThe Adult Film Database is a website that attempts to keep records of all pornographic movies and adult film stars. This includes filmographies, partial biographies, reviews, labeled and categorized adult film stills, as well as a regularly updated adult industry blog which features the latest news...
- the Green Door DVD details