Hot Blooded (1985)

The best way to describe this film is that it is a vehicle for Angel, of course anything wrong with that statement. My first encounter with this film was trough the 42nd Street Forever: XXX-Treme Special Edition that contains the trailer of it (this trailer compilation from Synapse Films worth its weight in gold). I can certainly say that this isn't the best film directed by Stu Segall (Insatiable is) but it's still an interesting production. The story takes place in a video club but we must wait some time for that since the director takes the time to build the scenario that leads to it. We start therefore with Melissa (Angel) a young girl living with her mother (Kay Parker) and her stepfather (Robert Kerman) what she doesn't like and  the best way she finds to leave  the house is to seduce and sleep with her stepfather. Once outside the house she will live with her uncle (Herschel Savage, who looks great in this) who will name her the manager of one of his unprofitable video club with  two of her friends (Cara Lott and Karen Summer). The video club from the point of view of a collector is certainly enjoyable to watch with all the materials present on the shelves and all the  theatrical posters on the walls. But nothing either special or original happen in the rest of the film. I might even add that the cameo from Harry Reems and Colleen Brennan (who is actually Sharon Kelly, who has been in several B-movies during the seventies) is a missed opportunity. This is not really an important or  must have film, but if you're a fan of Angel you will not be disappointed and this film has the typical charm of the early eighties production.

 

This film is available on dvd through the Excalibur Films website.

Dynamite (1972)

If I trust imdb the version of this film I own is incomplete (1:13 vs. 0:51) by cons I strongly doubt it because the film seems fairly complete to me. So what we have today is a rather well done production of the Amero brothers, even if this movie is not as bizarre than Bacchanale their previous output. Obviously being a production from the beginning of the seventies the story is not that complicated and is more an excuse to present a series of sex scenes. But this story is still interesting as we follow an hawker saleswoman who sells sexual aids article and the majority of these encounters are quite amusing. The last one is definitely in the WTF category and it's really hard not to laugh from  the beginning to the end. This one takes place in a cinema where Monica Rivers (a ravishing redhead) had a sexual relationship with the manager of the theater (Leon Oriana) in front of the screen while the customers watch a movie when suddenly the lights turn on, they continue normally (or as normally as possible when a crowd watches and applauds) when suddenly Stars and Stripes Forever begins to play and a couple (Kurt Mann and Darcy Brown) comes on stage to tap dance and Kurt Mann smiled as it was the best day of his life. Obviously the others meetings does not equal the greatness of this final, but they all have their moment of fun. If we except Dolly Sharp, Jamie Gillis, Kurt Mann and William Love (apart from this film he was in Deep Throat) the rest of the film cast is composed of one timer. But a really well known actress appear in this film since it's the last one of Uta Erickson who has been in countless New York softcore roughies. The only real complaint that I can make about this film is that it was not recorded live and the voices were added later in post-synchronization (which is pretty obvious with the voice of Jamie Gillis since it isn't his voice at all) and some of those voices are rather annoying and unpleasant.

To the best of my knowledge this movie is not currently available on dvd.

Update (march 28)
Video-X-Pix who own this film works currently on a release of this film. It will be a 2 movies set including also Every Inch a Lady, Jon Amero will be a part of the project. I don't know yet if the result will be a Platinum Edition or a regular boxset, but it's a very good news for all the golden age movie lovers. Thanks to Steven Morowitz of VXP for the update.

Winter Heat (1975)

Three ex convicts (Jamie Gillis, Mickey Humm and Alex Mann) accompanied by a woman (Helen Madigan) decides to attack an isolated house and terrorize its three inhabitants (Susan Sloan, Bree Anthony and Jenny Lane). Is this makes you think at something else? Yes it is an adult version of  The Last House on the Left and what it should have been since The Last House on the Left was writen  to be an hardcore movie (which would have been interesting to see, but maybe a bit too much). It is also a The Last House on the Left light without policemen, parents or revenge (if there was one, it was certainly well hidden). This is not really a criticism since I always thought that the the police search subplot in The Last House on the Left hurts the film. Jamie Gillis is excellent in his role (but is it really a surprise) and Alex Mann also (despite the fact that his character dialogue is really annoying). On the victims side only Susan Sloan gives a consistent and credible performance. Anthony and Lane have their moments, but their performance is uneven. My copy of this film is not that great : the sound is uneven and we often hear statics, the picture is not much better since it is pixelated and very often jerky. But we must accept this when we decide to explore the adult productions of the seventies. A good movie despite the absence of a revenge at the end and the complete absence of Jennifer Jordan in this film despite being included in the movie credits.

This film is only available by video on demand.

Inside Desiree Cousteau (1979)

As this film will be released later this year in France on DVD (using the original negative) I thought it was a good opportunity to watch it. Obviously  to enjoyed these so-called biography films you must appreciate the person in question. This is of course not a problem for me since I like the naive and comical personality that she always had in her performance. More she is one of the few actresses who had a breast augmentation that I appreciate. So in this film she recounts her work experiences before becoming an adult actress and, curiously, the sex always happen in all these jobs at one time or another. The vast majority of these vignettes are interesting, fun to watch and they were made for this movie, unlike the vast majority of the Deep inside X shot later on video that are just compilations of scenes taken from other video (a practice that gave a bad reputation to this genre). I particularly enjoyed the first scene with Desiree and an actor I was unable to recognize that end with an underwater cumshot and the one where she is a saleswoman in a women clothing shop (Juliet Anderson, who plays the manager of the store gives a pretty good performance). In fact as I mentioned previously almost all the scenes are excellent, without the final orgy the movie would have been perfect (I don't like those scenes where the action always shift from one couple to another). In addition to Desiree Cousteau (obviously) Juliet Anderson that I have already mentioned the distribution also includes Sharon Kane, Misty Regan Serena, John Holmes and some others. This film is certainly one that I can see myself  buying again depending on the quality of the new French DVD (since the price is somewhat high).

The film is currently available through the website of Excalibur Films at a reasonable price.

Beach Blanket Bango (1975)

I must begin by saying that the version of this movie I own is not the long version (1:18 compared with 1:37 for the original), but this film by James Bryan seems more or less disappeared like High School Fantasies he directed in 1974. It is therefore evident that it lacks some materials commonly associated with the adult productions. This absence gives the impression of watching a softcore production since there is no money shot and no real close-up. But I certainly not say that this film is uninteresting since Rene Bond is in the distribution and just by her presence she can makes an average film  more interesting to watch (try some Dragon Art Theater productions and you'll understand). If you add the inevitable Rick Lutze to this distribution you are almost certain to have a good time, sure he is an actor pathetic in the same league that John Holmes is in, but that's what makes his charm. The rest of the cast do a good job if you consider they did not really had an acting curriculum really big, except for Titus Moede, which has a small cameo. This film is also a  musical and I must admit that the music is rather good (but I have no idea if it is original or not), if in fact the soundtrack was available, I'd be the first one in line to purchase it. The story is somewhat confusing but it can easily be explained by the missing 19 minutes (some scenes certainly appears in the wrong order). Anyway  complete  or not this movie is rather entertaining and at times is reminiscent of the Beach party pictures of the sixties (of course since this movie is a spoof of them) or even films like Hard Days Night. The inclusion of obvious stock footages of surfing and the Vietnam War makes the experience even better.

I got my copy more than four years ago through the website of Shocking video, but it is certain that an official DVD with the inclusion of High School Fantasies would be greatly appreciated.

The Collegiates (1973)

First film directed by Carter Stevens and for a start it's quite well (which isn't necessarily a surprise since Stevens always used professional crew for his films). The film as such does not have the most original story (a group of college girls living together, one of them is still a virgin and is horny all the time). What is the strength of the film is the choice of Tanya Tickler to play "the flaming virgin". As Stevens noted in his commentary she isn't really the most beautiful actress who had appear in this kind of production. What makes her attractive is the fact that she is the every day girl,  probably not the first girl you will choose in a group but the one with which you will end the evening and will stay with forever afterwards. The majority of the female cast has not had a long career (if we except Kim Pope and  the already mentioned Tanya Tickler) and only Ashley Moore and Harry Reems has really had a long career after this film. Mark Andrews, the main character's  in Lickity Split (the second film directed by Steven and his best one) is  also present in this movie and is really hard to recognize. Another positive point is the fact that many scenes were shot outdoors contrary to what is the case with those productions usually (without saying that the film location is magnificent). The sex scenes as such are not extraordinary (except for one group scene in a bath which is rather amusing), though the appreciation depends of your tastes, but personally I ain't the biggest group scenes fan and they are good part of the action. A movie I've really enjoyed and once again a proof that a lot of better movies than Deep Throat were made in 73.

 

This movie is available on the Alternative Cinema website in a high quality collection of Carter Stevens films (filled with extra and completly restored).

 

Prisoner of Pleasure (1980)

For a film produced for the Avon theater this one is a bit disappointing. Not that the production is not interesting since this film is directed by Shaun Costello (using the alias Jack Hammer). But the disappointment is the fact that compared with their usual productions this film is relatively low in violent sex and, to be honest, this is the main reason to watch an Avon Films production. There is a scene that is worthy to wear the label Avon at the end when Elizabeth Gray (her only role) is suspended by the arms and all those present are striking  her ass until it become red and hurt. The rest is nothing unusual and we have to go through a scene of stump fucking  again since Jean Silver is in this film (which is not my cup of tea at all). The actresses artistic performance leaves much to be desired (Patrice LaPerle certainly seems no more traumatized than necessary by her kidnapping), but Ashley Moore (the boss of the kidnappers) and Dave Ruby (his lines sure make me laugh) does a good job.

This film is available in the Avon Dynasty - 1980's boxset from Alpha Blue Archives, but I can't really recommanded it since it is quite expensive (149,95 $US) to buy.