Kay Parker was one of the most beautiful women ever in adult film, and more beautiful than quite a few mainstream ladies. It feels wrong to see her in this grimy looking video format which barely bothers with flattering lighting or style. Even for the grotty VHS era, some of the shots, especially when she's emceeing a fashion show, are terrible. Her air in general doesn't feel right, probably because she knows what was a special time and place had come to a tacky end.
Beyond appreciating just how hard Billy Dee has to work to keep the movie pumping, the only other note of interest is R Bolla in the flaming gay role that repeatedly went to talent like Bobby Astyr. If Bobby had not been done, or just about done, with the industry, I wonder if he might have been brought in here.
There's something compelling about the very depressed, lethargic energy Bolla brings to the part, and what is clearly a transactional, one-sided relationship with Dee (who visibly recoils at his effeminate partner). Even if nothing is shown between the men beyond an arm touch, you rarely see a sexual relationship between two men in straight porn, even more rarely that it isn't played for laughs.
The scene where Parker struts in and converts Bolla while also servicing Dee should have been a fascinatingly camp turn on the idea of the '80s shoulder pad goddess having it all. Parker even has a great line when she says that she knows what men want, even when they don't know. That this type of fantasy seeing of the light happens not with the usual stud, but with a middle-aged man, is another element you won't see very often (if ever).
Unfortunately, the execution of the scene is extremely disappointing. Bolla spends the entire time with wood problems (I don't remember him having them in some of his other films by this late date, so I wonder if this shoot just wasn't great for anybody), leaving him to feel like a hanger-on and making Parker look foolish for even putting up with him.
There are one or two good moments when this awkward scene finally ends, seemingly with none of the three performers sure of where to go. Dee playfully punches Bolla on the arm and says "not bad." Bolla replies with, "Get out of my house," and everyone laughs. One of those pieces of porn where the setup is so poor you don't care about the actors breaking through.
