This week we take a trip back thirty two years to 1987. What was the year like? How much do you remember? The 1980’s were quite a decade so let’s take a look back and see what it was like.
As always we begin with the cost of living. The average yearly income was $24,500, the average cost of a new 3 bedroom house was $92,000, and new cars averaged $10,300. However, you could buy a brand new Hyundai for just $5,200, a car that also got an unheard of, at the time, 38 mpg. At the gas pump a gallon of regular was still below the dollar mark at 89 cents. In the supermarket a pound of bacon was $1.59 and a dozen eggs 65 cents. For the kids, a Talking Alf was $70 and a kids NASA walkie talkie set $20. (Imagine what they are worth now!) Some of the news headlines in 1987…..….. The USS Stark is attacked on May 17th by an Iraq Air to Sea missile which is called “an accident” and 37 US Sailors are killed……..In the UK, Margaret Thatcher is elected as Prime Minister for the third time……..Hurricane force winds hit much of the South of England killing 23 people and causing 7.3 billion pounds in damage……….In the U.S a rare earthquake 5.0 on the Richter scale, affects 14 states in the Midwest and parts of Canada………..The Fox Network makes its broadcast debut……….It is the year of the big scandal involving Televangelists Jim and Tammy Bakker……..Work on the “Chunnel”, under the English Channel connecting the UK with France begins…….Disney begins the construction of their latest Disneyland, this one in France………The Food and Drug Administration approves the anti-AIDS drug AZT……Lovers of cats have a brand new product called Kitty Litter…….There is also the debut in grocery stores of a new drink called Snapple.
Among the top Hollywood films in 1987 were Dirty Dancing, Wall Street, Good Morning Vietnam and Three Men and a Baby. In pop music hit makers included Michael Jackson, Fleetwood Mac, George Michael and U2. On TV a new show “The Simpsons” debuts. Also popular on TV that year were Wise Guy, Hill Street Blues, 21 Jump Street, Alf and L.A. Law. Among the celebrities we would say goodbye to were actor Lee Marvin, entertainer Liberace, comedian/actor Danny Kaye, dancer/actor Fred Astaire and actor/comedian Jackie Gleason.
The porn industry was now mostly headquartered in California and a big European push is underway. More new technology with cameras, special effects and lighting enhance film making. AVN and XRCO industry awards shows are still relatively new to the industry. 1987 produces some solid adult films such as the one we take a look back at today, “Hands Off”.
Hands Off – Plum Productions – Director – Anthony Spinelli – Cast – Shanna McCullough, Tracey Adams, Keisha, John Leslie, Mike Horner, Rex Nemo
This is one of those classics from the golden age that slips under the radar often in conversation, but definitely belongs among the porn classics. Director Anthony Spinelli, who did films like “Talk Dirty to Me”, “Sex World” and “Nothing to Hide”, rises to the top with this dark, erotically charged, moody, dramatic film.
The film stars Shanna McCullough as a woman who has climbed to the top of the business world. The rise comes at a great cost to her personal life. What creates the mood and darkness of the film is she begins to have very visual and startling sexual fantasies. These are brought on by a series of persistent and unending calls from a mysterious admirer. At first the calls don’t do anything to or for Shanna. But as the calls persist they begin to get nastier and filthier from this mystery man. They begin to play with her mind and the sensual, wild fantasies she begins to have. She is determined to find out who the person behind this bizarre behavior is and why he has chosen her.
As this story moves along it brings to life these fantasies. The six sex scenes that take place cover everything you could think of with both men and women. Spinelli creates a well devised series of events of desire and debauchery allowing his cast to give some outstanding performances not only sexually but dramatically allowing them to play it bigger than it is. It all works into the plot very realistically as the viewer is taken on a moody, dark and erotic ride.
Ms. McCullough is absolutely delicious in her role, looks superb and delivers a tremendous performance with all of the mood changes, sexuality and what comes her way towards the end. The pace of the film as it moves along towards its ending makes it really difficult to see who the more excited one is when the caller and Shanna finally and she discovers who this mystery caller has been all this time the connection becomes immediate. They get into one very down and dirty, all consuming, passionate encounter that is totally off the charts!
You get a good story line, great cast, some superb dramatic moments and sex scenes that are definitely heavy sizzlers. Spinelli’s knack for drawing the best out his cast shows off very well and the cinematography creates an even more erotic and dark canvas. Now that this film is available on DVD “Hands Off” is truly a golden age classic that should be seen and enjoyed, so look for it.
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN
