Barbara Broadcast
| Barbara Broadcast | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover
| |
| Directed by |
Radley Metzger (as "Henry Paris") |
| Written by |
Radley Metzger (as "Jake Barnes") |
| Produced by | Ava Leighton |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Chico Carter Larry Revene (uncredited) |
| Edited by | Gene Perry |
| Music by | various (uncredited) |
| Distributed by | Audubon Films (USA) VCA Pictures (USA) Distribpix (USA) |
Release date |
|
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") and filmed in several elaborate locations in New York City, including the Olympia ballroom and restaurant in the Royal Manhattan Hotel.
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: a surrealistic "Buñuelian" atmosphere, according to one film reviewer. Afterwards, other Manhattan moments in New York City are featured, including a corporate office encounter and a casual meeting in a busy night club.
Cast
- Annette Haven as Barbara Broadcast
- Bobby Astyr as the Maitre d'
- C. J. Laing as Roberta, the interviewer
- 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 ...". Barbara Broadcast, according to another reviewer, "... is a fun, witty, and charming film ...". Another reviewer notes, " ... [the film has] plenty of electric atmosphere and [music] ... This is porno chic! ..." 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."
History
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", in which adult erotic films were just beginning to be widely released, publicly discussed by celebrities (like Johnny Carson and Bob Hope) and taken seriously by film critics (like Roger Ebert).