Dark is the Night – Wicked Pictures – Director – James Avalon – Cast – Kenna James, Kiara Cole, Seth Gamble, Nathan Bronson, Able Godshark

***** 5 stars

You have a multi award winning producer in Axel Braun, a veteran award winning writer/director in James Avalon at the helm of this production. Then add in Best Actress award winner Kenna James and multi award winning Best Actor Seth Gamble in the lead roles you know this will be something very special and filled with a lot of extraordinary performances and plot twists. To complete this dark, noir styled creation are the talented Kiara Cole and Nathan Bronson in defining roles that bring this all out psychodrama and edge of your seat story full circle. There is no doubt in my mind, this is an adult film that can, and will, become an instant classic people will remember ten or more years from now.

The story revolves around a married couple, James and Bronson, whose relationship has literally fallen apart in every way. They are in debt and the bills just keep piling up. Even at the dinner table you can see she is bored and fed up while he seemingly doesn’t care. Then there is the mystery about the gun and notepad with names and dollar amounts. Avalon’s camera work and lighting in these scenes sets the dark mood and tone. Living in this big house practically alone, James puts out a sign that there is a room for rent at the house. Enter Seth Gamble as a very mysterious stranger both in looks and mannerisms. He comes to the house, sees the room and without hesitation and very little interaction rents the room and immediately takes up residence in the house.

Everything about this stranger seems mysterious, but who is he? What is his purpose? Why has he come to this particular house? As these scenes play out, once again the camera work, lighting and deliberate timing add to all the mystery. Day turns into night and Gamble is just laying back on the bed, a very pensive, wondering look about him. At this point the husband returns home and wastes no time getting his wife in the hallway and begins having sex with her in a very rough, intense way. She doesn’t fight back, gives in and then she gets turned on and this continues. Gamble can hear the noise from downstairs and still has that wondering look. The sex continues from the hallway to the living room and when it is all done and the husband has gotten what he wants, that’s it. No love, no romance, just getting laid and getting his rocks off.

Next morning the two men meet at the breakfast table and it is distantly cordial, but you can see it in their eyes that something is not right. After breakfast hubby is off on business. But it is monkey business as he is off to meet his mistress Kiara Cole, who turns out to be a lot more than that. After a long conversation later that night with the lonely wife, Gamble and James begin to interact and feel more comfortable around each other, but still there is a mystery that surrounds everyone that has yet to be revealed.

Someone is following the husband to his mistress’s place and sneaking around taking pictures of the two of them getting it on. This entire scene in the subdued noir style lighting and camera angles gives the sex play between these two an even more intense look and feel as they go at it with full abandon. After that, time passes and late at night Gamble is a bar having a drink when the stranger with the camera comes in. He sits down has a drink, says nothing and passes an envelope over to Gamble that contains photos of the husband and mistress. It is at this point where everything suddenly begins to take twists and turns, along with more sex, with some heavy dialogue and mysteries still to be unraveled. Then it will all culminate with an ending that you never saw coming. So, now I will leave it all up to you to find out just how this drama ends and the surprises it will bear.

This is a very compelling, dark, moody storyline and plot and could only be done in this noir style of yesteryear. The acting is tremendous and award worthy, the cinematography, lighting and settings are exceptional and award worthy. It just won our First Choice Award at our 30^th Annual NightMoves Adult Awards Show this past Sunday. Everything about this film says award winner and should be a heavy contender at the AVN awards in January. James Avalon has created some fantastic films in his long career as a director and writer, and this may be his very best yet. Congratulations to everyone connected with the making of this instant classic. A job well done that adult film fans cannot afford to miss!

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