Poge Eight
THE SUMMER DAIL.Y
Tuesday, July 3V, 1973
Page Eight THE SUMMER DAILY Tuesdav{Jul ....1.7
..
HOL
time
Here
vard,
quees
houses
cern
Court
spellc
try's f
nornoQ
Porn producers to stayand fght
LLYWOOD (A' - It's panic "They'd rather go into some business in San Francisco. IN HOLLYWOOD, Dave Fried- film is utterly without redeeming
in the skin flick country. other line than get busted," said man, president of the Adult Film social importance. Busch said
on Santa Monica Boule- one source close to the porno THE MITCHELLS distribute t. Association, is busy preparing for he will move for legislation in
where "X" marks the mar- movie world. about 50 U.S. theaters and export the July 14 emergency convention which the obscenity of a film
on strings of blue movie such films as "Behind the Green which is expected to draw pro- would be judged according to
s, there's a wave of con- BUT THE "PROS" of t h e Door" to Sweden, Denmark and ducers, distributors and exhibit- community standards prevalent
that the recent Supreme business, those with the bank- West Germany. Their stock in- ors from around the country. The statewide.
ruling on obscenity could roll and technique to turn out cludes 226 films. association already has commis-
death for the movie indus- explicit and relatively slick pro- "We make good, interesting, sioned a national poll to testthe
freak offspring, commercial ducts like "Deep Throat," and entertaining sex films," says Mit- public attitude toward possible lo-
ranhv
P() g% apiy.
In California, where pornogra-
phy production is big business,
some filmmakers indicate they
are ready to fight. A groop of
251 "adult" film producers has
planned an emergency conven-
lion in Los Angeles next week-
end to plan strategy.
BUT IN THE nearly three
weeks since the ruling that gave
states broader powers to define
and prosecute against obscenity,
many low-budget, hard-core pro-
ducers have packed up t h e i r
cameras, pulled their films out of
theaters and headed for the hills,
say those who know the trade.
These hard-core producers,
though numerous, remain an
anonymous group, described by
the district attorney's office as
"underground people" whose
names rarely surface unless they
are arrested. Those in the busi-
ness know them by their pro-
duct and say fewer hard-core
films have opened in recent
weeks.
"The enforcement attitude here is to go after the hard core-we
call it the slime pit area of distribution. The gray area of four-letter
words, suggestive conduct, bare breasts and girlie magazines, we don't
concentrate on that area. We're after the kind of brutalized, animal-
ized sex with no story line, the cold-hard core."
the soft-core producers who upeC-
ialize in nudes and simulated sex,
are not leaving. Many refuse to
talk about their plans, but they
are not hiding out.
"We won't know anythinu~,"
says Artie Mitchell, "until we go
through 50 trials and see t h e
percentage of convictions --..
We're not making films for Su-
preme Court Justice Warren Bur-
ger. His directive comes f r o m
another universe."
Mitchell, 27, and his brother,
Jim, 29, say they will continue
their lucrative pornographic film
chell. "We're not artists
filmmakers and pornog
and we'll stay that way.
The porno, film busines
means high return on ci
tively small investments.
cent years the big money
have included "Deep T
which was made with a $4
Vestment and has grosse
$3 million; "The Immor
Teas" which required a
investment and grossed
than $2 million and "
which cost $72,000 and;
over $6 million.
Al
..- ---__._....
-Los Angles DA Joseph Busch
, we're cal censorship of movies.
raph,2rs Judith Raskin, who handles pub-
lic relations for several sex-
ss often ploitation producers, says many
ompara- porno producers will keep busy
In re- making movies but will stop pub-
makers licly promoting and advertising
hroat," them. "It's like prohibition,,
0,000 ;n- she says. "When people wanted
ed over liquor they found it."
ral Mr. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty.
$24,C00 Joseph Busch says he has told
more his prosecutors to move ahead
'Vixen" with some 250 pornography cas-
grossed es which were in limbo awaiting
the Supreme Court decison.
"LOS ANGELES County is pro-
bably the capital of pornogra-
phy," says Busch. "The enforce-
ment attitude here is to go after
the hard core - we like to call
it the 'slime pit area' - of dis-
tribution. The gray area of four-
letter words, suggestive conduct,
bare breasts and girlie maga-
zines, we don't concentrate on
that area. We're after the kind
of brutalized, animalized sex with
no story line, the cold hard core."
He said he believes the U.S.
Supreme Court ruling is encour-
aging to prosecutors but will have
more impact if the state legisla-
ture enacts statutes in compli-
ance with it.
The current state law conforms
to the previous test of whether a
"WE WANT TO be reasonable
and not let people think we're
censors," says Busch. "But we
still have an obligation to the
law, to enforce it."
Some who have made their
money may get out of the skin
flick business rather than wrestle
with restrictions.
"I think I'll go fishing," was
the comment of Russ Meyer,
known as the "king of the nud-
ies," as he announced cancelIa-
tion of his next sexploitation pro-
ject, the $400,000 film "Foxy."
"MY AUDIENCES expect sex-
ual scrimmages and now t'm not
sure if I can deliver what my
name promises" he explained in
his announcement.
Others say they've been in the
business too long to quit now.
"My firm is 51 years old," says
Friedman. "I'm already making
plans for next year's production
schedule, and that includes at
least one big budget X-rated pic-
ture."
Friedman, whose company, En-
tertainment Ventures Inc., gave
the public "Trader Hornee,"
"Starlet," and "The Erotic Ad-
ventures of Zorro," adds that, for
insurance, he and other sexploita-
tion producers are turning out
some "R-Rated" films which can
get general distribution.
BUT HE IS optimistic that skin
flicks won't be wiped out and
even local communities will real-
ize that "adult" film producers
aren't bad guys.
"The public thinks that people
in this business are slimy little
people who wear derbies and
have greasy mustaches," he
complained. "Actually most of us
are college graduates and have
good family backgrounds. This is
a professional business. And it's
kind of a fun business."
Always
hold matches
till cold.
Please: help prevent forest fires.
: '
ti
r .
WARREN BURGER: "We're
not making films for him," says
producer Artie Mitchell." H i s
directive comes from another
universe."
DANCE FAN?
If so, be sure to get your tickets now for the Viola Farber
Dance Company, a special summer dance concert to be held
in the air-conditioned Power Center on Thursday, August 16
at 8:00. A well-known artist teacher/choreographer who has
eceived many commissions for her talents, Miss Farber formed
her own company in 1968 and since then has performed
throughout the United States and in Paris.
Tickets are available at $2, $3, and $4.
USICALSOCIETY
Burton Tower, Ann Arbor
Weekdays 9-4:30, Sat. 9-12
Phone 665-3717
...