Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Inserts Blu-ray Movie Review

Screwin' in the Rain?

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 22, 2016

It can often be an amusing pastime to try to describe any given film as a “mash up” of two other films, and my hunch is there is probably no weirder “combo platter” of description than the one I’m about to invoke to give a brief, salient summary of Inserts. Ready? OK, here goes—imagine Singin' in the Rain crossed with Boogie Nights, and you’ll have at least a generalist overview of some of the oddities in store in this 1975 British film written and directed by John Byrum (The Razor's Edge, The Whoopee Boys). Inserts plays awfully like a stage enterprise, save for a prologue, with events unfolding in “real time” on what amounts to one set. The prologue details a largely unseen audience, supposedly in contemporary (i.e., 1975) times watching an old black and white “nudie film” (as they were called back in the day), one which quickly tips over into sadomasochism, but which deprives its perhaps inebriated viewers of a “money shot” (if you catch my drift, which I’m sure you do), something the crowd gathered complains about loudly as the film segues back to the actual shoot of the old time porno enterprise.

The “historical” section of Inserts (the largest bulk of the story) has some unbelievably fascinating building blocks, though it’s arguable how artfully they’ve been assembled into a consistently engaging film. A once promising director of silent films who is only identified by his nickname Boy Wonder (Richard Dreyfuss) has not been able to navigate the new world of talkies, for reasons that have as much to do with his drinking problem and (perhaps) agoraphobia as to any inability to “lower” his supposed artistic standards. Boy Wonder holes up in his dilipidated mansion, a domicile which may remind some of a similarly gothic residence in another film about the dissolution of erstwhile stars, Sunset Boulevard.

It’s not immediately made clear what exactly is going on with Boy Wonder as the film opens, as a waitress named Harlene (a riveting Veronica Cartwright) shows up to regale him with an anecdote about (speaking of Sunset Boulevard) Erich von Stroheim and a new “kid” in town by the name of Clark Gable, both of whom were gossiping about “whatever happened to” Boy Wonder at the restaurant where Harlene works. Soon enough, allusions to a new “six picture deal” Boy Wonder has made begin to hint at what’s actually going on—Boy Wonder is shooting porn in his home, and Harlene is there to “perform”. Her acting needs a little boost, however, and she wastes little time in shooting heroin, something that meets with Boy Wonder’s disapproval, despite his equal and obvious obsession with alcohol.

Harlene’s partner in the scene is a somewhat addled guy named Rex (Stephen Davies), an “actor” Harlene has dubbed with the sobriquet “Rex the Wonder Dog” due to his feral “lovemaking” skills. Boy Wonder starts directing the two in the scene which has been seen in the opening prologue, and it’s apparent that there’s quite a bit of subtext going on, subtext that harkens back to an earlier moment where Harlene tries unsuccessfully to seduce Boy Wonder. The pathological elements here may not rise to the level of Peeping Tom, but come awfully close. Two more interlopers ultimately show up, a cigar chewing would be impresario named Big Mac (Bob Hoskins), and an actress named Cathy Cake (Jessica Harper) who has tagged along for the ride (no pun intended).

A tragedy ensues which puts the future of the shoot in doubt, and which plays on the already double (maybe triple) entendre title of the film, and a plot element which allows some interesting interactions between Boy Wonder and Cathy. This is a film that has an absolutely intriguing premise, and some well wrought characters, but which still fails to connect consistently, for what I personally think is simply a matter of uncertain tone. Are we supposed to be laughing at these hapless characters? That seems to be the case at some moments, especially in Rex’s “routine” to get himself “ready” for a scene. But other elements, like Harlene’s sad trajectory, are played more for pathos. And even other elements, like the patently weird references to Clark Gable (who supposedly shows up to the shoot, but is never actually seen) are just flat out bizarre, seeming to hint at something supposedly meaningful which frankly eluded this particular reviewer.

What transfixed me about Inserts most was the remarkable performance of Veronica Cartwright. Baby Boomers who grew up with Veronica’s little sister Angela in both Make Room for Daddy and Lost in Space may occasionally forget that Veronica has amassed a perhaps even more impressive resumé, one that includes such disparate entries as The Birds, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Alien. Here she fully inhabits a well meaning but ineffective former star whose high, squeaky voice (shades of Singin’ in the Rain) and drug habit have kept her from pursuing her acting career, and she’s easily the best thing about Inserts.

Inserts Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Inserts is presented on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Elements utilized are in generally very good condition, though it's notable that the prologue features some intentionally "damaged" looking footage from the old porno film (see screenshot 6). Grain is a little ungainly at times and there are some very slight instances of image instability. Colors have faded, and while it's irrefutable that much of the production design tends to favor browns, the entire palette looks kind of drab and anemic. The few interstitial black and white moments feature decent black levels and acceptably modulated gray scale. Clarity and sharpness are somewhat variable, along with densities (something affected by the grain resolution), with some moments looking really good (see screenshots 8 and 9) and others looking a bit fuzzier and/or blanched (see screenshot 14). My score would tend to lurk around 3.25 if I were able to adjust it.

Inserts Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There's not a ton to Inserts's sound design, despite the questionable use of "Moonglow", now with a new if not exactly improved lyric, and so the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono mix services the film perfectly well. The rinky-tink piano music sounds bright but never brittle, and all of the dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly. Without beating a dead horse (and/or middle C), I'm reiterating my availability to give "finger synching" lessons to aspiring actors needing to fake piano playing for the movies. Richard Dreyfuss' patently hilarious "performance" on the keys early in the film will delight those who do know how to play (his flourish at the end with a left hand crossing over the right is Academy Award material as far as I'm concerned).

Inserts Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Original Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 2:12)


• MGM 90th Anniversary Trailer (1080p; 2:06)


• Isolated Score Track is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0.

Inserts Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I can't out and out recommend Inserts, at least not to the public at large, but I have to say it continually fascinated me, even as I was aware of its various shortcomings. I think the film might have worked better had Byrum simply played it for the farce he seems to be at least occasionally aiming for (despite some melodramatic plot developments as things move along). While the film probably misses its ultimate target, it's often compelling in its own strange way, and Cartwright is simply fantastic. Technical merits are good (video) to excellent (audio) for those considering a purchase.