This week we travel back forty years to 1982. The 80’s were another decade of change and a lot of positives for the future. If you were around then, what do recall from that year?
First, as we always do, we’ll take a look at the cost of living. The average income was just $22,000 a year. The average cost of buying a new 3 bedroom home was $88,000 and the average cost of a new car was $7,900. A gallon of gas was inching towards the $1.00 mark at 91 cents, and we thought that was ridiculous! You could buy a new outdoor gas grill for $250, a Sony 19” color TV for $500, a portable cassette tape recorder for $50. For the kids, a full set of 20 Matchbox cars was $25 (imagine what they are worth today). A postage stamp was just 20 cents. Some of the important news headlines in 1982….…One of the largest cash robberies in history took place in New York City when $9,800,000 is stolen from an armored car….. Tylenol capsules laced with potassium cyanide kill 7 in Chicago……The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC is dedicated…….The first issue of a brand new newspaper, USA Today, is published…… Disney’s Futuristic Park EPCOT opens in Orlando, Florida………Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, is opened to the public as a tourist attraction……..The Weather Channel makes its debut……..Music CD’s make their debut in Japan and soon will be the new way of music listening in the U.S……..It is also the year we are first introduced to the “Smiley” emoticon.
In the world of entertainment, among the hit Hollywood movies were Porky’s, E.T The Extra Terrestrial, On Golden Pond, Annie and Chariots of Fire. The big music makers in 1982 included Michael Jackson and “Thriller”, Olivia Newton-John, Lionel Richie and Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder with “Ebony and Ivory”. Thriller would go on to sell 30 million copies. In TV land the most popular shows include Knight Rider, Dynasty, Hill Street Blues and Magnum P.I. Among the celebrities we lost in 1982 were former actress Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco. Also leaving us were actor Henry Fonda, Negro League and ML baseball star Satchel Paige, jazz musician Thelonius Monk and actor/comedian John Belushi.
In the porn world more and more production shifts to California. The home video craze was on the horizon and would change porn forever. New looks on some female stars began to appear.1982 gave us some great adult films like the one we take a look back at today, that became a true classic, “I Like To Watch”.
I Like To Watch – Caballero Video – Director – Paul Vatelli – Cast – Lisa De Leeuw, Little Oral Annie, Patricia Manning, Anna Pierce, Mike Horner, Dave Cannon, Herschel Savage, Kevin James, others and introducing Bridgette Monet.
Not only did this film become a classic, it was also the debut of Bridgette Monet that would make her a major adult star. The title says it all as Laura (Bridgette Monet) peeks in on her Aunt Leticia (Patricia Manning) and her lover Phillip (Herschel Savage). Leticia, who is a fashion designer asks her protégé Kim (Little Oral Annie) to call a plumber. Then we have the maid Gretchen (Anna Pierce) peeping on Kim with the plumber Mark (Kevin James). Kim shows the maid it can be better with a woman. Laura is peeking on them and frustrated her boyfriend Michael (Mike Horner) doesn’t want to have any sex. She is comforted by Leticia’s client Linda (Lisa De Leeuw). Initially peeking, Linda’s husband Montag (David Cannon) eventually switches roles with his wife and gets it on with Laura.
Visiting Laura, Michael is jumped by models Honey (Elayna DiSantis) and Cinnamon (Linda Shaw). Leticia’s fashion show finally gets underway but meanwhile, as Michael’s experience has restored his passion, he finally offers himself to Laura telling her things have changed and it will all be better. In the meantime there are other little sub plots and storylines that fit in well with this production as it moves along at a good pace.
It is a very erotic film with some exceptional performances. There is Little Oral Annie at her talented best and the electricity between Lisa DeLeuuw and Bridgette Monet is off the charts as they are being watched by Lisa’s lover. Making it even better is the acting which is way above average giving the film plenty of reality. In addition to the voyeuristic story there is also some comedy thrown in here and there that also fits well within the film’s frame work.
The direction by Vatelli is well paced, the settings and production values are excellent and the cinematography is top notch. As for the cast, as we said, this film made Ms. Monet a star, but Lisa De Leeuw became a major star herself and the very talented Little Oral Annie lives up to her name. On the male side, both Mike Horner (as Don Hart in this film) and Herschel Savage would go on to have huge careers in porn for many years.
It is a true classic in every sense and available on DVD. “I Like to Watch” is definitely one from the golden age I highly recommend getting hold of and enjoying.
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN
