Blonde Ambition (1980)

I hope that nobody will object to the fact that I speak for the third time in a week of a film marketed by Video-X-Pix. But since this is the latest release in their Platinum Elite Collection and as there are some interest for this title I had to talk about it (there is also the fact that I wanted to watch it immediately). This is the last heterosexual hardcore production from the Ameros brothers (after this film Jon directed seven gay movies under the alias Francis Ellie and Lem has done the comedy R.S.V.P. for the Playboy channel). Obviously as this is a production of the Amero brothers we must expect something different and different it is.

This is the story of two sisters (Suzy Mandel and Dory Devon) who have a huge success on the New York scene and we'll find out how their story began. It begins in a remote corner of the state of Wyoming where they give a more than bad burlesque act. Chance would have it they meet Stephen Carlisle III (Eric Edwards) and his chauffeur (Robert Kerman) who will lead them to New York where they have a big contract (oddly Carlisle appears to have enjoyed the spectacle). Big surprise on the arrival in the Big Apple as the club where they were supposed to appear doesn't exist, but Carlisle will offer them to live in his apartment until they find work. It is this research of works we will follow for the rest of this film. A quest that will move from acting in poor quality loops to a big budget film (one of the highlights of the movie thanks to the performance of Jamie Gillies) and finally the reaching of the big stage success. Added an imbroglio with an high prices brooch, a transvestites show in a gay bar, a flat on an ice rink and dance numbers worthy of Broadway at the ensemble and you get an odd film of high caliber.

What makes this movie work is the actors' performance. Suzy Mandel plays the blonde not too bright so wonderfully, Molly Malone is excellent in the role of a rich English socialite, Jamie as a movie director in a non sexual role gives a good performance and Eric Edwards, Wade Nichols, Kurt Mann, David Morris and Robert Kerman are reliable like they always are. This film was made for thirty thousands dollar only and this quite surprising since the production value on the screen make it looks like a much higher budgeted production than that.

As most people probably already knows a body double was used for the hardcore scenes of Suzy Mandel and this is quite obvious (the image quality certainly plays a role in this). But the most bizarre is the voice of George Payne that was dubbed (not to mention his tan that appears and disappears throughout his performance). Another fact that I learned in the notes from Benson Hurst is that the role of Candy Kane (played by Dory Devon) was to be played originally by Heather Deeley. Maybe the name tell you nothing but she was the star of Diversions an excellent and weird british hardcore film that I highly recommand. I have nothing against Miss Devon and her performance, but the film would have been even better with Heather Deely.

The extras on the DVD are at the same level than what we got usually in the Platinum Collection. Jon Amero gives a commentary track really informative about the history of this film, the softcore version included is as good as the main movie (contrary at those included with the Raincoat Theatre released). My only deception is the commentary from Jamie Gillies that countains a lot of dead air and is not one of his best. It would have been better to have a serie of interviews with the cast members like Gillies, Eric Edwards, Kurt Mann or Suzy Mandel.

Another strong recommandation available as usual on the website of Video-X-Pix. If you are fast enough the dvd is at a special price untill the june first.

Some screen captures taken from the movie to show the image quality and, as I have promise to one of my reader, some racy pictures.