Morally Offensive

Morally Offensive

Morally Offensive is a weekly film podcast hosted by ex-Catholics (and one Reform Jewish woman) working their way through movies “Condemned” or considered “Morally Offensive” by the Catholic Legion of Decency, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. This podcast isn’t just for those who grew up going to confession with a healthy dose of Catholic guilt; it’s for anyone interested in the history of US censorship, dirty movies, classic film, and how social upheaval and change often coincide with seismic changes to the media landscape.

  1. NOV 15

    X-Rated: Deep Throat (1972) with Mark Covino

    Warning: This episode covers an actual adult movie, and contains discussions about graphic sexual topics. In this episode of Morally Offensive, the first in our "X-Rated" series, we explore the cultural earthquake sparked by the 1972 film Deep Throat with special guest Mark Covino, director of the award-winning documentary A Band Called Death. We dive into the rise of 1970s “porn chic,” the collapse of the Hays Code, the creation of the X-rating, and how a low-budget film became a mainstream phenomenon seen by public figures like Jackie Onassis and Truman Capote. We also examine the Catholic response to the mainstreaming of adult media during a period already shaped by Watergate-era anxiety. This includes a look at the Catechism’s teachings on sexual ethics—especially the debates around oral sex, where Catholics, theologians, and commentators often share conflicting interpretations. Plus, Mark shares personal stories about his father’s life as a celebrity ski instructor and his appearance in an early project by horror icons Sean Cunningham and Wes Craven. If you're interested in film history, 1970s culture, Catholic commentary, or the intersections of media, morality, and censorship, this episode has it all. Check out our new Merch Store! We've got t-shirts, hats, tote bags and branded denim jackets! Follow us on our socials at Instagram and Tiktok. Topics: X-rating, Catholicism, Ex-Catholics, Watergate, Deep Throat, Scandal, Linda Lovelace, 1970s, Indie Film, Guilt, Sex Ed, Porn Chic, Hollywood, Times Square, Comedy

    2h 6m
  2. OCT 4

    Your Vice Is a Locked Room And Only I Have the Key (1972): Sex, Sadism, and Satan the Cat

    Bill and Stephanie are joined by film scholar Christopher Hoppe to unlock Sergio Martino’s Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972), a cornerstone of Giallo cinema, laced with gothic unease, which explores the cultural anxieties of 1970s Italy. The film follows a washed-up writer, his abused wife, and the arrival of his seductive niece, as secrets, betrayals, and murders spiral inside (and outside) a crumbling villa. Lurking over it all is the ghostly presence of the writer’s domineering mother, and watching with uncanny menace is the family’s black cat named (yes, really)...Satan. Together, they trace how Italian Catholic film critics responded to the film, celebrate Edwige Fenech’s rise as a scream queen, and untangle Martino’s twisted adaptation of Poe’s The Black Cat. Along the way, Stephanie recounts her own chaotic Roman car ride with Martino, and the hosts dig into Italy’s sordid legal history, including the now-abolished “rehabilitating marriage” law that once allowed men accused of sexual assault to escape punishment by marrying their victims. It’s a conversation of black gloves, black cats, household murder weapons, and only we have the key. Check out our new Merch Store! We've got t-shirts, hats, tote bags and branded denim jackets! Follow us on our socials at Instagram and Tiktok. Check out our guest's podcast: Christopher Hoppe Presents: The Chamber

    1h 59m
5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Morally Offensive is a weekly film podcast hosted by ex-Catholics (and one Reform Jewish woman) working their way through movies “Condemned” or considered “Morally Offensive” by the Catholic Legion of Decency, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. This podcast isn’t just for those who grew up going to confession with a healthy dose of Catholic guilt; it’s for anyone interested in the history of US censorship, dirty movies, classic film, and how social upheaval and change often coincide with seismic changes to the media landscape.