This week we go back 40 years and put up our original review in NightMoves back in 2000 when this film was just 16 years old and many in this film were still engaged in the industry. Not as well known as others from the 70’s and 80’s, but a porn classic nonetheless.

Matinee Idol – VCA Pictures – Director – Henri Pachard – Cast – Jesie St. James, Colleen Brennan, Kay Parker, Angel, Tigr, Laurie Smith, John leslie, Herschel Savage, Dave Friedman, Elmer Lavino, Ray Michaels.

This film may not be one the greatest classics of porn but it is a very important one on several fronts. To begin with it was one of the very last adult films to be shot on film. The video craze had come in and literally taken over the business and would change porn completely. Adult theaters were closing down at a rapid pace, so a porn movie shot on film had few places to be seen. But producer Dave Friedman was going to go out in a blaze of glory with this final film on film not only with a top name cast, but director in the much heralded Henri Pachard. Another thing that was centered around the making of this film was the fact that one of the top female stars of the time, Shauna Grant, was to play the role of Daisy. On the day that production was to start Ms. Grant shot herself to death with a shotgun. Production was halted for a few months and when it resumed a new starlet, Angel, had been brought in to take on the role.

In addition to all that, by the time the film finally was released two of the stars, Jesie St. James and Colleen Brennan had retired from the business altogether rather than fight the new video wars in porn. John Leslie would go on to act in a number of top films but would turn to directing and become one of adult’s top directors right  up until his death in 2012. Herschel Savage, relatively new to the business at the time would go on to carve out quite a big career in porn for himself. Another of the film’s stars, Kay Parker would continue on for a few more years playing more mature roles as always and still maintaining her star status that is legendary today.

The film itself is one of those that is great porn but also great cinema. Friedman wrote this as more of a celebration of the industry and what was, how it was and carried it off in great style. It is the story of an adult movie producer, D.A. Kuntz, who’s Sensational International Studios is plagued with all kinds of problems. His big name male star (John Leslie) is having a major feud with his leading lady (Jesie St James). They can’t seem to settle their differences so the only solution is to find a couple of new performers to do the scenes with. So with that in mind Ms. St James comes (cums!) to find that her pool boy (Herschel Savage) can do a lot more than clean pools, very much up to the task. In the meantime Leslie regains his readiness to get on with things in the person of Angel. So now everything is all set, as both stars have the replacements and filming can begin.

But unfortunately there are more problems and things don’t work out with the new stars. The fact is as they begin to do the scenes, Savage and Angel find they have a serious attraction for one another and fall in love. They decides to quit the film and go off to make a life for themselves. This leave Leslie and St, James still having their differences while Kuntz and business partner H.D. Cox carry on tearing their hair out trying to get this movie done. There is more to all this and some of the scenes are just tremendously carried out with a cast that could really act, deliver lines with realism and believability. The sex, and there are eight scenes, are all decent and a couple of them really have some steamy sizzle.

Overall, this is a very solid piece of film making that is now available on DVD and I would definitely recommend trying to find “Matinee Idol” for a couple of reasons. First the star quality that is in the film and second because it is an entertaining film not just for the sex but the overall enjoyment of a good movie. So be sure you check this one out.

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