The Transnational Trade In Hardcore Pornography

This project explores the transnational development of the British pornography business. Many histories of the adult entertainment business tend to identify Scandinavia as being the pioneers of hardcore pornographic production. However, my previous research (Carter, 2018) discovered that Britain had an established economy of hardcore production prior to the legalisation of pornography in other European countries, despite the distribution of pornography in the United Kingdom being outlawed. This economy supplied films to Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands through informal channels, and contributed to the development of hardcore production in these countries.

The purpose of this project is to extend the research I have already conducted into British hardcore through connecting with other scholars and experts based in Europe to further explore this relationship. Funding is sought to support primary research trips to Amsterdam and Scandinavia to engage with archives, scholars and industry through a series of exploratory events.

The project commenced in January 2019, and the first research event was held in Copenhagen on Sunday 9 June 2019 at 16:15 at the Danish Film Institute. It featured academics, historians and guests from the pornography business, reflecting on the development of the Danish Porn business, and its relationship with the United Kingdom. The event featured rare video of Denmark’s Sex 69 fair and Copenhagen’s sex shops in 1969 and the early 1970s, as well as footage taken from British television that illustrates the panic caused by Denmark’s decision to decriminalise pornography. Guests at the event included:

• Mariah Larsson, Professor of Film Studies at Linnaeus University, and author of the book TheSwedish Porn Scene: Exhibition Contexts, 8mm Pornography and the Sex Film.
• Christian Isak Thorsen, Lecturer at the University of Copenhagen, and author of the article Sex and Pornography in Danish Feature Films of the 1970s.
• Nicolas Barbano, producer of the film All About Anna (Jessica Nilsson, 2005), and Danish pornography historian.

As part of the trip, Oliver also gave introduction to a rare screening of the film Det kære legetøj (aka Danish Blue, 1968), made by Oscar winning director Gabriel Axel, and once banned in the UK by the then British Board of Film Censors.

The second research event is scheduled to take in Amsterdam in early September, and will feature guests such as Terry Stephens, Chairperson of the United Kingdom of Adult Producers.

Research obtained during the course of the project will be published in a forthcoming special edition of the journal Porn Studies, co-edited by Dr Oliver Carter of BCU, Professor Tommy Gustaffson, and Professor Mariah Larsson; both of Linneaus University. The project is scheduled to end May 2020.