The Pornographer
Picture:
C+ Sound: B- Extras: C+ Film: B-
Is there
still a real XXX sex business as there was, or has it been overrun by amateur
tape making? Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights (1997) supposes that the
industry collapsed somewhat as VHS and Beta took over from 35mm film and
imploded the industry as we knew it.
Yet, there still is a Billion-Dollar sexploitation industry on tape and
now DVD alone. Though not offering more
about the transition, writer, producer and director Doug Atchison picks up in
latter days of tape-only in The
Pornographer (2000), which offers a shy lawyer’s entry into the business.
That
lawyer (Michael DeGood) enjoys such “productions” and also has a major problem
relating to women. He likes girls, but
does not know how to relate or talk to them.
Instead of making a healthy transition into relationships, he decides to
take an ill-conceived step into trying to produce his own sex tapes with “more
of a story”. His loneliness is sad, then
gets twisted as a sexploitation producer (Craig Wasson) starts to influence his
attitude into one of manipulating women.
One
particular girl he thinks is special is Kate (Katherine Cain), an authentic
down-to-earth, southern gal who has the usual problems and no more boyfriend. She is very sexy without trying, so should
this “innocence” be spoiled for profit if she can be manipulated, or should she
be left alone as is? An old-school
female sex pro is moving behind the camera and wants other action to start he
own company, which could either mean more money or a dead end.
The story
and set-up are better than expected, as most films on the subject are a
disaster, but this film still eventually falls short, because story conventions
limit the many intriguing issues the film brings up. At one point, I was reminded of John Travolta
in Brian De Palma’s incredible Blow Out
(1981), where al the men have dark reasons for exploiting the women, who have
no idea the gravity of the situation.
Though only doing the film sound, Travolta’s character is doing sexed-up
Horror film cheapies. There is no
mysterious murder here, but for what is here, the cast is generally convincing,
even when the story does not.
The full
frame image was shot on film, but this transfer is a bit soft, though
cinematographer Christopher Mosio avoids many clichés of the business the film
covers and the silly semi-nude camera reveals that have become a part of bad
filmmaking since. The Dolby Digital 2.0
Stereo has Pro Logic surrounds form the original Ultra Stereo theatrical analog
sound, which is not bad, but not as clear as it could be. Extras include the trailer, three versions of
a scene to show its development, the trailer, and a commentary that involves
all of the principals that is not bad.
DeGood should
be given credit for keeping his character ambiguous and naïve, so we never love
him or hate him, but the film also feels non-committal in what it is trying to
say and to avoid saying. Some of the art
film press thought is was interesting, and they were right, but The Pornographer ultimately fails
because it simply does not know how to go all the way.
- Nicholas Sheffo
