10 Things You Didn't Know About The Adult Movie Industry
2. Deep Throats Backers Had Mob Connections
Directed by a former hair dresser and released by the same company that later distributed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Deep Throat may well be the most famous porn film of all time, but the films history is far more interesting than anything that takes place on the screen. The movie was financed by Anthony Peraino and his two sons, Louis (Lou Piranha) and Joseph, who had connections to the Colombo family of the Cosa Nostra. The creativity with which the Perainos avoided an obscenity indictment during the first two years of the films release must certainly have impressed their mob friends. As Richard Nixons Supreme Court redefined obscenity to mean material lacking serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value, the Perainos stopped using parcel services and had employees personally deliver prints to cinemas, perform headcounts and collect their share of the box office. This was then given to another employee, who took the money straight to Anthony Peraino, thus eliminating any paper trail.
Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'
Directed by a former hair dresser and released by the same company that later distributed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Deep Throat may well be the most famous porn film of all time, but the films history is far more interesting than anything that takes place on the screen. The movie was financed by Anthony Peraino and his two sons, Louis (Lou Piranha) and Joseph, who had connections to the Colombo family of the Cosa Nostra. The creativity with which the Perainos avoided an obscenity indictment during the first two years of the films release must certainly have impressed their mob friends. As Richard Nixons Supreme Court redefined obscenity to mean material lacking serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value, the Perainos stopped using parcel services and had employees personally deliver prints to cinemas, perform headcounts and collect their share of the box office. This was then given to another employee, who took the money straight to Anthony Peraino, thus eliminating any paper trail.