ART OF ADULT – Porn Classics Revisited – “Matinee Idol” – VCA – 1984

This week we go back thirty seven years and see what living was like back then, the news of the year and more. How much do you remember from 1984? We will also be taking a look at a very special porn film from that year. What makes it special is that it was one of the last to be done on film as the video craze had overtaken the industry. Now let’s take a look back at 1984.

The average income was $21,500 a year and the average cost for a new home was $86,000. A gallon of gas was over the $1 mark at $1.10 and you could buy a Chrysler New Yorker  for just $13,045. If you were going to a movie, a ticket was just $2.50. For the kids little girls could have Twirly Curls Barbie for just $10.99 and the boys could get an A-Team rideable van for $69.99. In the news headlines for 1984 the re4cession is in full swing as 70 banks fail and close. The AIDS virus is discovered by a French doctor. The Summer Olympics are held in Los Angeles and are boycotted by the Russians. Virgin Atlantic Airlines begin flights from the UK. Apple introduces the MacIntosh computer. Sony and Philips introduce the first commercial CD players and Sony introduces the first 3 1/2″ computer disk. The Space Shuttle Discovery has its maiden voyage. Genetic fingerprinting, called DNA profiling is developed and put in use.

In the world of entertainment in 1984 among the hit movies from Hollywood are The Terminator, Terms of Endearment, Ghostbusters and Gremlins. In the world of music the big names are Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Wham!, Duran Duran and Tina Turner. In the world of TV in 1984 among the big hit shows were Magnum P.I., Hill Street Blues, Dynasty, Cagney and Lacey and Cheers. Some of the celebrities we lost in 1984 were musician Count Basie, actor Richard Burton, McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, singer Marvin Gaye and entertainer Ethel Merman.

In the world of porn in 1984 there were a lot changes. Videos had taken over and there was a new look beginning with the females with breast enhancements and the clean shaved look. New advances in technology were lending itself to sharper looking films. 1984 also produced some great films including Scoundrels, Nothing to Hide, Sexcapades and the one we take a look at today, “Matinee Idol”.

Matinee Idol – VCA Pictures – Director – Henri Pachard – Cast – Jesie St. James, Colleen Brennan, Kay Parker, Angel, Tigr, Laurie Smith, John leslie, Herschel Savage, Dave Friedman, Elmer Lavino, Ray Michaels.

This film may not be one the greatest classics of porn but it is a very important one on several fronts. To begin with it was one of the very last adult films to be shot on film. The video craze had come in and literally taken over the business and would change porn completely. Adult theaters were closing down at a rapid pace, so a porn movie shot on film had few places to be seen. But producer Dave Friedman was going to go out in a blaze of glory with this final film on film not only with a top name cast, but director in the much heralded Henri Pachard. Another thing that was centered around the making of this film was the fact that one of the top female stars of the time, Shauna Grant, was to play the role of Daisy. On the day that production was to start Ms. Grant shot herself to death with a shotgun. Production was halted for a few months and when it resumed a new starlet, Angel, had been brought in to take on the role.

In addition to all that, by the time the film finally was released two of the stars, Jesie St. James and Colleen Brennan had retired from the business altogether rather than fight the new video wars in porn. John Leslie would go on to act in a number of top films but would turn to directing and become one of adult’s top directors right  up until his death in 2012. Herschel Savage, relatively new to the business at the time would go on to carve out quite a big career in porn that still is ongoing today. Another of the film’s stars, Kay Parker would continue on for a few more years playing more mature roles as always and still maintaining her star status that is legendary today.

The film itself is one of those that is great porn but also great cinema. Friedman wrote this as more of a celebration of the industry and what was, how it was and carried it off in great style. It is the story of an adult movie producer, D.A. Kuntz, who’s Sensational International Studios is plagued with all kinds of problems. His big name male star (John Leslie) is having a major feud with his leading lady (Jesie St James). They can’t seem to settle their differences so the only solution is to find a couple of new performers to do the scenes with. Sop with that in mind Ms. St James comes (cums!) to find that her pool boy (Herschel Savage) can do a lot more than clean pools very much up to the task. In the meantime Leslie regains his readiness to get on with things in the person of Angel. So now things are all set, as both stars have the replacements and filming can begin.

But unfortunately there are more problems and things don’t work out with the new stars. The fact is as they begin to do the scenes, Savage and Angel find they have a serious attraction for one another and fall in love. They decides to quit the film and go off to make a life for themselves. This leave Leslie and St, James still having their differences while Kuntz and business partner H.D. Cox carry on tearing their hair out trying to get this movie done. There is more to all this and some of the scenes are just tremendously carried out with a cast that could really act, deliver lines with realism and believability. The sex, and there are eight scenes, are all decent and a couple of them really have some steamy sizzle.

Overall, this is a very solid piece of film making that is now available on DVD and I would definitely recommend trying to find “Matinee Idol” for a couple of reasons. First the star quality that is in the film and second because it is an entertaining film not just for the sex but the overall enjoyment of a good movie. So be sure you check this one out.

There is one interesting note and another reason to get this film. Producer Dave Friedman, Jesie St. James, Collen Brennan, Kay Parker, Shauna Grant, John Leslie and Herschel Savage are all members of either,or both, the AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame. Just another reason to find this one.

Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN