Behind the Green Door 1 (1972) [DVD5]

"Behind the Green Door," released in 1972, marked a significant shift in adult film, introducing themes of sophistication and treating erotic films as art. The film featured Marilyn Chambers, known as the Ivory Snow girl, and was produced by the Mitchell Brothers. It tells a layered story, beginning with a trucker recounting how a woman he flirted with was taken from their hotel and later became the star of a private sex club. The film is notable for its acceptance by mainstream audiences and is recognized as the first feature-length adult film to include an interracial sex scene. It garnered praise from filmmakers like Paul Schrader and Stanley Kubrick, and became a box office hit, screened at the Cannes Film Festival and inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame. The plot unfolds in a private club where Chambers' character is coerced into performing sexual acts for an audience, leading to a series of erotic scenes that, while tame by today's standards, were considered groundbreaking at the time. The film was shot on a low budget, yet the set design and performances were relatively high quality for the genre, contributing to its reputation. Despite its historical significance, critiques of the film highlight issues such as outdated production values and uneven editing. The film's erotic sequences, while innovative for their time, have been described as softcore and lacking the intensity seen in contemporary adult films. Overall,"Behind the Green Door" is seen as a classic that blends eroticism with a narrative structure, appealing to both adult film aficionados and collectors. It serves as a cultural artifact, reflecting societal changes regarding sexuality and the evolution of adult cinema. The film continues to be recommended for those interested in the history of adult films, despite its limitations compared to modern standards.