Inserts

John Byrum's 1975 film "Inserts" owes a lot to Hitchcock's 1948 classic "Rope". Although it does not feature Hitchcock's experimental feature length continuous shot, it is nonetheless told in real time. The 115 minute running length is the time needed to tell the story as it is the entire duration of the action on the screen, nicely book-ended by shots of the main character alone in his Hollywood home playing the piano. There are no flashbacks or progression of time sequences, and the camera frame never leaves the immediate area of the great room of the house.

Technically two cameras as this is one of those "film within a film" things; one on and one off screen. The main character (played by Richard Dreyfuss) is a gone-to-seed once famous movie director nicknamed "The Boy Wonder". It's never made entirely clear whether his is a self-imposed exile; only that he has great disdain for talking pictures. In the midst of the Great Depression he earns money cranking out smut films shot inside his doomed home; a house standing in the path of the so-to-be Hollywood freeway.

Inside his Moorish style bungalow, all the Boy Wonder needs is a girl, a boy, a camera, and a bottle. This is a casual set with the director prowling around in his bathrobe and the swimming pool serving as his septic tank. And not unexpectedly there are a fair amount of self-reflexive movie references in the script; such as those about the "new Gable kid at Pathe" who wants The Boy Wonder to direct his next film.

"Inserts" is odd and ambitious, more a play than a film; with dialog and intensity level worthy of "Dinner Rush" (2002). Watch how all scene transitions are signaled by the entrance or exit of a character speaking dramatic entrance and exit lines. The Boy Wonder's leading lady (played by Veronica Cartwright) is the first character to make an appearance. She's an airhead flapper with a heroin habit and a heart of gold. Cartwright is wonderful in this role, with a voice just slightly less irritating than the one Jean Hagen brought to her character in "Singin in the Raid". Voices that for obvious reasons were a better fit in the silent film days.

Next to appear is the leading man, Rex the Wonder Dog (Stephen Davies), a gravedigger who will do anything to break into the movie business. Bob Hoskins plays Big Mac, a gangster with a plan to open up a chain of hamburger stands. He is financing The Boy Wonder's films and pays a visit to the set along with his new girl Cathy Cake (Jessica Harper). Cathy has come from Chicago to break into the talkies and is playing Big Mac to get a jump-start on her acting career.

"Inserts" shares its main theme with "The Stunt Man", the blurring of a participants's ability to distinguish between the reality of life and the fiction being acted for the camera. Watch for the occasions where the actors get into a scene too far; even the "barely with a pulse" Boy Wonder gets too involved. A liquor bottle broken over their head quickly brings these characters back to earth, insert heavy symbolism here.

Bynum also allegorically explores the dynamic of an artist who must create for an audience for whom he has total contempt. The Boy Wonder is equally contemptuous of smut viewers and mainstream commercial movie goers.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

I think many reviewers have lost the point here. This is no excuse for porn, you guys. If you want porn, go get porn. And if you are put off by a film that entirely takes place in an apartment, stay away. But I think that this film is not one you get to see every day. Its special 'plot' and context could only create a unique film. So, its rare... where do we find it? I saw it on MGM, late at night...

This is a pretty sophisticated film on making porn. Dreyfuss is excellent as the alcoholic director. All in all, you are likely to love it if you like smart, dialog based films, and of course if you're not offended by some nudity and decadence. But what did you expect? This guys is making porn films in his apartment!

Provocative , a bit offensive , surprisingly shockin, yes, but unique and original as well. Note: this is no expoitation flick, even though some might view enjoy it as such...

Released after American Graffitti and before Jaws, a chance to catch Richard Dreyfuss in something that can be considered a legitimate art film, albeit with a bit of a bigger budget. Also amusing is Bob Hoskins in his role as Big Mac, making the same references to the upcoming onslaught of LA Freeways that served as a major plot device in his more well-known Eddie Valient role in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit".

Rather graphic for its time in the portrayal of full frontal female nudity, with a glimpse of full frontal male nudity (although we are spared the sight of Richard Dreyfuss and/or Bob Hoskins in the buff), the entire film takes place in one setting, with plenty of camera tracking movements instead of rapid cutting.

Jessica Harper as Cathy Cake is a wonderful character, and I am a bit surprised that her career was not more extensive. I wonder if this role hurt her marketability at all. Both Harper and Veronica Cartwright have plenty of scenes with casual nudity, and Dreyfuss is rarely seen without a whiskey bottle in hand.

Its now available on DVD. Check it out if you can.

As unique a "movie within a movie" film as you will ever see.

This odd little film is typical of Dreyfus's early work, like "Duddy Kravitz", with an intriguing performance in an odd role. Dreyfus plays The Boy Wonder, a once highly talented silent film director who, by the early 30s, has become a ghost story, directing stag films for a living. While no actual connection is made, I believe that The Boy Wonder was also a name for Fatty Arbuckle, who this could easily "be" -- years after the scandalous incident that ruined his career. This film also gets interesting performances from Jessica Harper ("My Favorite Year"), Veronica Cartwright, and, long before his toon experience, Bob Hoskins. It takes place entirely within a house, during a single morning, and could easily be done as a stage play. It would classify as a fairly common "Slice of Life" film, excepting for the rather strong nudity and sexual content. In fact it was a bit scandalous when it was released, as an "X" movie with a major star like Dreyfus in it.

This films plot centers around the making of, probably one of the first, porn movies, Sadly when it was released it was pre-arthouse cinemas and pre-video, so it was lumped in with second rate soft porn flic houses around soho London. Consequently it died a lonely death. Around this time Art house cinemas were starting to emerge in University towns which is how I caught it late night in Edinburgh. I was just knocked out by it's sharp drama wrapped in a comedy that launched incredibly incisive comment. Bob Hoskins character as the wannabee hood getting irate when he discovers that Richard Dreyfuss's character, the has-been director, has removed the camera from the tripod, in shear enthusiasm, as he filmed the sexual act. 'How is that going to look!' 'It's not going to look, it's going to be looked at!' retorts Richard Dreyfuss character. The economy of the lines are brilliant! Yes this is a one room drama, which is a tall order for cinema and few have conquered it but this film does brilliantly.