The Opening of Misty Beethoven
Encyclopedia
The Opening of Misty Beethoven is an American
hardcore pornography
film released in 1976. Produced with a relatively high budget and filmed on elaborate locations in Paris
(France
), New York City
(U.S.A.), and Rome
(Italy
), with a musical score, it owes much to its fastidious director Radley Metzger
(directing this film as Henry Paris).
's play Pygmalion
, the film is about a sexologist
who tries transforming a prostitute into a goddess of passion. While he tries to prepare her to seduce a homosexual artist, it is he for whom she develops feelings. In this film, Henry Higgins (of Pygmalion) is replaced by Dr. Seymour Love, the sexologist, played by Jamie Gillis
. Eliza Doolittle (of Pygmalion) becomes Dolores 'Misty' Beethoven, who is played by Constance Money
, and Colonel Pickering becomes Geraldine Rich, played by Jacqueline Beudant. During the film, Beethoven achieves 'elevation' better than Love and Rich had hoped but then cuts them off, as in George Bernard Shaw
's play. However, this film then follows the common divergence from Shaw's plot when she returns to Love at the end.
's play, Pygmalion
, as well as the Broadway
and Hollywood success My Fair Lady
. The film is also satirical, with many added comic touches and dialog designed for laughs.
The Opening of Misty Beethoven has the distinction of being the first widely-released porn movie to feature female-on-male pegging
.
:
AVN Award:
remake, was released. It featured Sunset Thomas
, Randy Spears
, Julie Meadows
, Asia Carrera
, Chloe
, Dave Cummings
, Mike Horner, Evan Stone
, and Tyce Bune
. It was directed by Veronica Hart
. The film won the 2004 XRCO Award for 'Best Comedy or Parody', and the 2005 AVN Award for 'Best Sex Comedy'.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hardcore pornography
Hardcore pornography
Hardcore pornography is a form of pornography that features explicit sexual acts. The term was coined in the second half of the 20th century to distinguish it from softcore pornography. It usually takes the form of photographs, often displayed in magazines or on the Internet, or films. It can also...
film released in 1976. Produced with a relatively high budget and filmed on elaborate locations in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(U.S.A.), and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
), with a musical score, it owes much to its fastidious director Radley Metzger
Radley Metzger
Radley Metzger is an American filmmaker and distributor. He is also credited under the pseudonym Henry Paris, a name he adopted in the 1970s when he began to direct hardcore pornography....
(directing this film as Henry Paris).
Premise
In a pornographic take-off of ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
's play Pygmalion
Pygmalion (play)
Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts is a play by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. Professor of phonetics Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can train a bedraggled Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, to pass for a duchess at an ambassador's garden party by teaching her to assume a veneer of...
, the film is about a sexologist
Sexology
Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behavior, and function. The term does not generally refer to the non-scientific study of sex, such as political analysis or social criticism....
who tries transforming a prostitute into a goddess of passion. While he tries to prepare her to seduce a homosexual artist, it is he for whom she develops feelings. In this film, Henry Higgins (of Pygmalion) is replaced by Dr. Seymour Love, the sexologist, played by Jamie Gillis
Jamie Gillis
Jamie Gillis was an American pornographic actor, director and member of the AVN Hall of Fame....
. Eliza Doolittle (of Pygmalion) becomes Dolores 'Misty' Beethoven, who is played by Constance Money
Constance Money
Constance Money was a performer in hardcore pornographic films during the 1970s and 80s. She played the role of Misty Beethoven in the 1975 adult classic The Opening of Misty Beethoven.- External links :...
, and Colonel Pickering becomes Geraldine Rich, played by Jacqueline Beudant. During the film, Beethoven achieves 'elevation' better than Love and Rich had hoped but then cuts them off, as in George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
's play. However, this film then follows the common divergence from Shaw's plot when she returns to Love at the end.
Ending
In a variance of the usual ending, in this version of the story, Misty returns in a much different capacity. In the ending, Misty takes over for Dr. Love, and is running the "school". Dr. Love is present, but in a very subservient position. It is clearly Misty that is in charge by this time.Critique
In an era in which pornography was just beginning to be widely released, most movies of that time were expected to have at least minimal plots. Misty's plot was more elaborate than most; it was based directly on George Bernard ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
's play, Pygmalion
Pygmalion (play)
Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts is a play by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. Professor of phonetics Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can train a bedraggled Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, to pass for a duchess at an ambassador's garden party by teaching her to assume a veneer of...
, as well as the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and Hollywood success My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady (film)
My Fair Lady is a 1964 musical film adaptation of the Lerner and Loewe stage musical, of the same name, based on the 1938 film adaptation of the original stage play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. The ballroom scene and the ending were taken from the previous film adaptation , rather than from...
. The film is also satirical, with many added comic touches and dialog designed for laughs.
The Opening of Misty Beethoven has the distinction of being the first widely-released porn movie to feature female-on-male pegging
Pegging (sexual practice)
Pegging is a sexual practice in which a woman penetrates a man's anus with a strap-on dildo. The neologism "pegging" was popularized when it became the winning entry in a contest in Dan Savage's Savage Love sex advice column, held after an observation was made that there was no common name for the...
.
Awards
Awards of the Adult Film Association of AmericaAdult Film Association of America
The Adult Film Association of America, the AFAA, was the first American association of pornographic film producers. It fought against censorship laws, attempted to defend the industry against prosecution for obscenity, and held an annual adult film awards ceremony.It was founded in 1969 in Kansas...
:
- Best Actor (Jamie Gillis)
- Best Director (Henry Paris, aka Radley Metzger)
- Best Film
AVN Award:
- 2002: 'Best Classic DVD'
- The film was one of the first to be inducted into the XRCO Hall of FameXRCO Hall of FameXRCO Hall of Fame lists some of the most notable adult entertainment works and workers. The list is managed by X-Rated Critics Organization and inducted annually during the XRCO awards.-Actors:* 1985 John C...
.
Remake
In 2004, Misty Beethoven: The Musical, a musicalMusical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
remake, was released. It featured Sunset Thomas
Sunset Thomas
Sunset Thomas is the stage name of an American pornographic actress; her real first name is Diane. She was runner-up for Penthouse Pet of the Year in 1998 and is a member of the Adult Video News Hall of Fame.- Personal life :...
, Randy Spears
Randy Spears
Randy Spears is a well-known pornographic actor, having appeared in approximately 1000features. Sometimes credited as Greg Ory or Greg Slavin....
, Julie Meadows
Julie Meadows
Julie Meadows is a former American pornographic actress who became a writer, web designer and documentarian after retiring from performing. She was active in the industry from 1998–2004 and is sometimes said to resemble the actress Julia Stiles.-Biography :Born in Texarkana, Texas, Meadows has...
, Asia Carrera
Asia Carrera
Asia Carrera is a former American pornographic actress.- Early life and education :Asia Carrera was born in New York City to a Japanese father and German mother, the eldest of four siblings. She was raised in Little Silver, New Jersey, attending the Little Silver School District and Red Bank...
, Chloe
Chloe (porn star)
Chloe is the stage name used by a veteran American adult film actress, nude model, script writer and director.- Early life:...
, Dave Cummings
Dave Cummings
Dave Cummings is considered the oldest American still-performing professional porn star....
, Mike Horner, Evan Stone
Evan Stone
Evan Stone is an American pornographic actor. In 2002 he married Jessica Drake whom he has since divorced.Stone's occasional work outside the pornography industry includes his role as "Jimmy" in the 2007 original series The Lair...
, and Tyce Bune
Tyce Bune
Tyce Bune is a pornographic actor and director. He has blond hair and no chest hair. In his pelvic region, he has a crudely drawn tattoo of a broken heart....
. It was directed by Veronica Hart
Veronica Hart
Jane Esther Hamilton is an American former pornographic actress and current porn director who performed under the name Veronica Hart during the 1980s. She is sometimes credited as Jane Esther Hamilton, Jane Hamilton, V. Hart, Veronica Heart, Victoria Holt, Kathryn Stanleigh, Randee Styles or just...
. The film won the 2004 XRCO Award for 'Best Comedy or Parody', and the 2005 AVN Award for 'Best Sex Comedy'.
External links
- A review with some photos
- 10K Bullets review
- The Opening of Misty Beethoven at the Adult Film DatabaseAdult Film DatabaseThe Adult Film Database is a website that attempts to keep records of all pornographic movies and adult film stars. This includes filmographies, partial biographies, reviews, labeled and categorized adult film stills, as well as a regularly updated adult industry blog which features the latest news...