“Beautiful settings”, writes HotMagazine, “crisp clean lit scenes, camera work second to none and the men… Oh the men… Superb! This film is a ten on every level” – Now HD-upscaled, Italians and Other Strangers is a GayVN Award Winner for Best Foreign Picture.
Remembering Jerry Douglas
Jerry Douglas passed yesterday, he was 84. Others have paid tribute to his legacy as a director/playwright (see the XBIZ obituary): yes, there was a time when every new movie directed by Jerry would be nominated for just about every porn awards and yes, many of these movies have left their mark. Above all, Fratrimony and More of a Man. But on this blog, I’d like to focus on his legacy as a film historian. From 1988 to 2001, “Manshots”, the monthly magazine he edited, published in-depth reviews and invaluable interviews with directors, producers, performers. More than anybody else, Jerry and his “Manshots” contributed to the culture and the history of gay porn, delving into it like into any other film genre. When “Manshots” folded in 2001, followed by many other print publications, the history and criticism of gay porn went out the window, replaced by affiliate links. Critics –the like of Jerry– were replaced by bloggers solely interested in monetizing the content of the day (instead of criticizing it, analyzing it, contextualizing it). But a genre that no longer knows its past, that doesn’t reflect on itself, on its purpose, on its language doesn’t have a future –it’s no surprise that today’s porn is either corporate, soul-less, gimmicky porn or amateur smut (the countless straight ‘influencers’ barely showing their cocks and ripping off their gay viewers on OnlyFans).
I met Jerry in 1998 at the Taft building on Hollywood and Vine. I was editing my 2nd movie with Adam Rom (DESIRE, JOURNEY TO ITALY 2), he was editing with his trusted editor, Andrew Rosen. But we had known each other for a few years before then: Jerry entrusted me with a number of interviews for “Manshots”. With Derek Cameron, Ryan Block, Eduardo, Sam Carson, Blue Blake, Steve O’Donnell, Hawk McAllistar, Eric Kovac, Chad Connors… An experience I’m grateful for and one that gave me a better understanding (and a deeper appreciation) of the talent before the camera.
“Manshots” interviews with the pioneers remain –to this day– the only serious efforts at documenting porn’s rich and diverse history. From Scott Masters to Toby Ross, from Cadinot to DeSimone and Coletti. With Jerry we lost today a peerless director. And with him the memory of porn as an art form. As a Weltanshauung. Farewell.
Filippo and Lucas
Filippo Romano and Lucas Foz in the final (and sizzling-hot) scene of L’ELISIR D’AMORE. HD-upscaled at LucasKazan. Download it today
2021 Ettore’s OnlyFans
Ettore Tosi‘s private page keeps growing. Currently in the top 3.3% of all creators, Ettore promises more content and HOTTER in 2021. Keep watching!
A quarter century ago…
As 2020 comes to a close, I think of my first two porn ‘screenplays’: COMING OUT BI (1995) and THE PORNOGRAPHER (1996), both for the late Gino Colbert. Both … a quarter century ago. Different industry, different everything (Chad Conners, Bret Winters and JT Sloan –three of my all-time faves– grace the cover of “The Pornographer”, Vince Rockland the cover of “Coming Out Bi”)
LucasKazan, Euforia and Riccardo Scamarcio
Did you know that a clip from CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA/A SICILIAN TALE was featured in Valeria Golino’s “Euforia”, screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018? Riccardo Scamarcio jerks off to it on his iPhone. Check out the ‘thank you’ credit at the very end.
Sicilian Boys 2 on Nakedsword
Sicilian Boys 2 lands on Nakedsword. Up close with six Sicilian newbies
New Player
With Flash soon to be phased out, LucasKazan has finally transitioned to html5. Check it out on ANY devices: desktop, Android, iPhone, iPad. And make sure to have the latest OS/browsers.
Quando torneremo a baciarci
Quando torneremo a baciarci • when we’ll kiss again (with Covid finally defeated and our way of life restored). Pictured here are Filippo Romano and Giorgio Salieri in scene 4 of L’ELISIR D’AMORE
Sexcursions 8 debuts on Nakedsword
Ettore Tosi’s SEXCURSIONS 8 debuts on Nakedsword: 3 countries, 9 newcomers… reality porn at its best.