Just so...so bad

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

INSERTS is one of those movies that while watching you find yourself thinking you'll need a shower after watching it. No, it's not that the images are the most pornographic ever filmed but the story, the situations and the entire feeling of the film evokes that feeling from scene to scene. That it features name actors, was released by a major studio and was even made is mind boggling.The story of INSERTS revolves around Boy Wonder (Richard Dreyfuss), a once hotshot director during the silent era who has fallen on hard times due to both his difficulty in transitioning from silent to sound films as well as his rampant alcoholism. He now spends his days reclusively living in his once glorious home and shooting silent porno shorts. In walks Harlene (Veronica Cartwright), a flapper with a squeaky voice ala Betty Boop and a positive attitude. Having been in movies she still longs to be the star and dreams of getting there. Aside from her voice her love of heroin also makes this less than realistic.The conversation between these two characters revolves around what they once were, what she dreams of being, using drugs and her willingness to do whatever it takes to be on film. They also bring up the topic of Boy Wonder's erectile dysfunction issue which becomes recurring one throughout the film. When Rex the Wonder Dog (Stephen Davies) shows, and no he isn't really a dog, the filming begins. This is not porn as many know it. This is rough and violent action taking place between these two, egged on by Dreyfuss which only increases what he is filming.The movie alters a bit here with the arrival of Big Mac (Bob Hoskins), the financier of these films being made and a mobster if ever there was one. On his arm is Cathy Cake (Jessica Harper), a lovely young thing Mac has his eye on with the intent of marrying. But Cathy is as much a user as every character in this film, hoping that her ties with Mac will lead to a part in a feature film. Mac is also the source of heroin used by Harlene and he gives her what she needs, sending her off to take her dose. What happens then leads the film down a dark path. I would describe it but it would become a major spoiler that I would rather not reveal for the less timid who choose to watch this one.Yes, the acting is good, yes the dialogue between characters rings true and yes it is shot well. And yet the movie draws you in by discussing the fallen dreams of people. It is a hopeless world where the worst you can expect of anyone is always the first thing they deliver. There are no characters here to root for, no one you can relate to (I hope!) and the situations they are involved in rank among the most despicable you can imagine.When released the movie was given an NC-17 rating and it is well deserved, not so much because of the full frontal nudity (which is here) but because of the thematic elements here. It's a movie that some will want to watch to say they have done so, some will want to watch because of its notoriety and others will watch because they want to see everything done by a particular actor/actress. My guess is that for most one viewing will be more than enough. Twilight Time has done their usual spectacular job in the presentation of the movie with as clean a print as you can have on blu-ray. In the end it is up to the viewer to determine if this is their sort of movie or not.

I knew absolutely nothing about this film before viewing it recently. Richard Dreyfuss, is, of course a very famous actor, although this movie was near the beginning of his career. It is sexy, but the furor over X ratings back in the day was much overblown. (No pun intended) The MPAA made a big mistake using X as a rating, because the porn industry immediately invented XXX. NC-17 is a better idea, but it should maybe be used for things other than sex, such as graphic violence. It is weird you can't show much frontal nudity, even without graphic sex, but you can show dismemberment and disemboweling to teenagers all day long. Anyway, this was a nice, and quite odd character study, mainly in Dreyfuss' and Jessica Harper's roles. And the young Veronica Cartwright was interesting, too. A decent, and different film.

Several reviewers below make valid criticisms, but miss the point(s). 1. The script has some clunkers, yes, but it also has some of the greatest comedy lines in history: "Curious, I don't remember putting a banana in my pocket" And some killers: "You didn't turn the camera on? What were you thinking?" and "To tell you the truth Miss Cake, I didn't have my brain on my mind." 2. It's not really X-rated, or it's not erotic enough. Well, duh. It's not supposed to be. It's a commentary on eroticism (among many other things); not erotic. But it would get an NC-17 for prevalent, casually displayed pubic hair, which is verboten today. 3. Everybody agrees that the actors are brilliant. Enough said. If you can find it (and I did used on Amazon 2/05), get it. 4. It's the OTHER great film about building the freeways in LA (jackhammering every time the door is opened). And Bob Hoskins is in both (Roger Rabbit). I wonder if Zemeckis thought of him for "Eddie" because he'd seen Inserts. 5. "It's sure good to know, your rope can still rise"

"A degenerate film with dignity" is the tag line for this comedy...and it is...a comedy. One thing many people might miss from this movie is the humor. At times it is bitter sweet and at times it is caustic. With characters like the mogul named "Big Mac", who wants to conquer the hamburger stand market, to the the porn actor called "Rex the Wonder Horse", who moonlights as an undertaker; what can you do but laugh.It is very much a filmed stage play taking place in one large room with only a handful of actors. Yet you will hardly notice it. True to it's time frame (Hollywood at the dawn of sound), it's stands up to it's own time (1970's) and today's (2000's). Currently the porn industry does almost as much business as main stream films ("What Price Hollywood?"). In fact, Porn generates more money than Country Music. How many country music channels are there? How many porn?You may never listen to the tune "Moonglow" in the same way again.Watching it as a bitter sweet comedy, you cannot but enjoy this film. I have only seen the 117 min. version and not the shortened one. Be warned if only the 99 min. version is available. It's difficult to find this movie. But if you get the chance, see it.