Technically set in the realm of George V, DOWN ON ABBY is nonetheless an excellent example of my favorite form of erotica, Victorian pornography. Using many familiar players from his long history of gonzo videos for Britain's Harmony Films label (notably his ongoing YOUNG HARLOTS series), director "Gazzman" succeeds in creating the detail and atmosphere of British erotica from 100 years ago in a genre rarely seen anymore, apart from the even better Anjali Kara opus PORTLAND MANOR.
A rack jobber or mindless porn addict would automatically slough this DVD off as part of the meretricious "porn parody" sub-genre currently cluttering if not dominating the marketplace. That would be a mistake, because ABBY can rise (or fall) on its own merits, not as a mindless clone or ripoff of the hit TV series. In fact, despite the vast talent pool, Gazzman did not bother to cast an American porn actress in the video, even though the TV show prominently features our Elizabeth McGovern as an American.
Cast is headed by local favorites Jasmine Jae and in the title role of her stepdaughter Lexi Lowe, contrasting their fake and natural big breasts. That is an ongoing mix that gives the porn an interesting subtext: nearly stealing the show in a smaller role as Abby's sister Fanny is bountiful but extremely fake- breasted pale English rose type Jasmine James, who appears only in a threesome opposite footman Clarke Kent (as Master Bates) and former YOUNG HARLOTS star Jess West -here playing an older character, Lady Grace Stiffie.
Set in the teens or '20s, action takes place in Bottomley Manor, an imposing mansion seen in long-shot for transitions between scenes. Its interior, dining room, drawing room, kitchen and four-poster bedrooms, is authentic looking and atmospheric as a backdrop for the nearly wall-to-wall sex action. Literally lording it over the place is Ben Dover (an iconic British pornographer in his own right) as Lord Will Grabhem, Jae's husband.
A well-designed initial scene shows Grabhem's eccentric sexual habits, as he customarily has his butler Smallcock (Tony De Sergio, a fixture in Chatsworth porn here in the States, and not as obviously resembling Brit favorite Steve Coogan this time out) service wife Jae while he watches. This scene gets the show off with a bang, and very stylishly relies on distorting wide-angle, low-angle closeup photography which magnifies De Sergio's member as well as (unnecessarily) making Jae's huge breasts sometimes fill up the entire frame. Scene climaxes literally with masturbatory voyeur Lord Grabhem coming over to cum on those breasts before Smallcock's money shot on the Lady's belly.
DVD box trumpets filming in Super 35mm, a likely falsehood, as I cannot imagine that cinema process developed in the '80s by Stanley Kubrick's brilliant d.p. John Alcott (for movies like GREYSTOKE) being used to shoot porn that will never see the darkened interior of a cinema. If true, however, this could mean an IMAX (since Alcott developed the process for visual clarity and ease of blowups to 70mm) porn film in the future (a much more thrilling concept than the horrible attempts at 3-D since the '70s).
Storyline is kept to a minimum, as Gazzman clearly knows what his gonzo audience has come to expect. Film revolves around a dinner party the Grabhems are throwing for friends Lady and Lord Stiffie (latter played in a supporting part by Ryan Ryder, not overacting for a change). While Lady Stiffie is involved after dinner in the aforementioned threesome with Clarke Kent, a sort of orgy takes place with Ryder nearby in the dining room humping Abby.
Lexi as Abby is featured earlier on in an arousing threesome with Kent and De Sergio. Rounding out the complement of 5 sex vignettes are two other well- performed scenes: Jae in a lesbian encounter (featuring glass dildo) with her chambermaid Missy (Ava Dalush, who has also crafted a strong American porn career), plus bountiful Emma Leigh as the cook and Cathy Heaven as another maid servicing chauffeur Demetri XXX. In this scene redhead Emma, though she doesn't look like her, strongly suggests the overall appeal of Christina Hendricks, and I for one would like to see her spotlighted in a Hendricks (read: corset/fancy lingerie/tight business suit) role. Heaven is an anal sex specialist, but despite many opportunities Gazzman eschews any ass action in this video.
It is the details that matter here: elaborate jewelry, period costumes and hairdos, and especially the authentic British accents of British talent. Gazzman takes the usual understandable (though lamentable) liberties that do stick out and detract from the overall experience, namely tattooed and pierced women (nose rings, clit rings) with shaved vaginas, and the fake undergarments especially stockings mixed in with the period look. Dalush is wearing ultra-high-heeled laced boots that suggest John Willie illustrations (a plus) rather than period credibility.
Credits are poor in the opposite direction of usual porn: IMDb lists the end credtis order which is wholly misleading and almost random; Jasmine Jae rightfully receives topbilling in the opening credits, which customarily should be referred to for billing purposes. Listed in both is an extremely dubious, highly placed credit for Big Bad Dave, a portly Timothy Spall wannabe who has a bit part as the manor's gamekeeper - a couple of lines in a pointless scene that could have been deleted, yet he is billed high above major players. Ridiculous.
With the sex always impressive and topnotch (though again the lighting is consistently anachronistic - John Alcott might roll over in his grave to watch it) photography credited to "Paul D", DOWN ON ABBY is a winner.
