Memoires of a Chamber Maid

Eric Edwards is among the most talented and recognizable charter members of Adult Entertainment's hall of fame, but this donning of the filmmaker's hat is as successful as it is unexpected. I've seen a couple of other Edwards-directed features that are strictly routine, but the care and creativity shown here is amazing. One other must-see Edwards-helmed title is the romantic fantasy "Soft Warm Rain".

Edwards shares credit with co-scripter Rene Summers, who also appears on screen in a supporting role. The subject matter is Victorian erotica, my favorite porn genre by far and one that has not been done to death, only a handful of titles released over the years. This one seems to have been lost amidst drek that dominated the marketplace in the '80s, as it does in the gonzo 21st Century so far.

Key element is casting Krista Lane as the leading lady, a romance novelist who moves into an old house with a reputation of being haunted. It's the best role of Krista's career and she makes the most of it.

Familiar story material balances two time frames: back in 1887 for the exceedingly handsome ghost played by Brandon, an obscure but interesting performer whose only other IMDb listed credit is also opposite Lane in Paul Thomas's "Robofox". Present-day has Lane at her typewriter (looks like an old Brother portable electronic) fighting writer's block on her latest challenge to Jude Devereaux.

In the attic she find's an old book, the title manuscript which is a romantic diary of an 1887 resident Molly Mae, well-played in flashbacks by Shanna McCullough. Krista identifies with Molly and soon is transcribing the flowery (and dirty in the old Victorian "sheath", "priapus" and other purple prose format) text to become her new book titled "Memoirs of Molly Mae", plagiarized.

The feature's format closely resembles a Veronica Hart-directed clunker named "Chasing Destiny" which was shot 20 years after Eric's video. But he hits all the right notes: Lane not only identifies with Molly but in essence takes her place as Molly's lover Jason (played by Brandon) keeps reappearing in 1987 to sweet talk and hump our Krista.

Fleshing out the story is a motley group of characters in Jason's 1887 household. While Molly is merely a lowly chamber maid, working with delightful Ona Zee who affects a fun accent as Greta O'Brien, housekeeper and house humper; Nick Random humorous as lord of the manner Cromwell (good name for him); Robert Bullock overplaying delightfully as Jason's lecherous, conniving older brother; and finally Summers as cute little distant cousin Cindy.

Instead of incest, Edwards has the family sharing, so that a BDSM oriented Zee in full corset and fetish regalia not only birches Cromwell but has a strong three-way with him and son Bullock. All of them keep the porn-speak during sex strictly in character, with Ona yelling repeatedly "Aye!", "Aye!" instead of the modern "Oh, God!" or "Right there!" exclamations.

Story is resolved quite elegantly, retaining its uber-romantic content for both Krista and Shanna's love affairs with the same fellow, while adding the necessary fantasy "Twilight Zone" element that leaves the viewer satisfied. Lane is beautifully photographed, her acting top-notch and overall contributes to a realized work of art, rare in porn and a lesson in its simplicity to all current gonzo practitioners working in Adult on how it should be done. So it didn't make a fortune - I contend that XXX content of this quality could easily rise to the top if properly marketed, even in these current unenlightened times.

Eric Edwards directs an adult "couples" feature in which author Krista Lane finds an old diary of erotic stories and awakens naughty spirits. This one is really well done, the performers do a good job and Edwards manages to present legitimately tender sex scenes that would be expected with this adult genre. If there's any knock it's the era and budget from which it was made deprives it from the visual lushness it deserves but what's here is good if maybe lacking a bit in the heat department for those conditioned to more traditional hardcore.