Self-reflexive porn movie is a bit too inside for most audiences, as it strives to be (comedically) about the porn movie business but lacks any semblance of sincerity.
I attribute the failure here as likely caused by two contradictory personnel behind the movie: John T. Bone, a director who was more comfortable with gonzo crap (see so many of his cheapo movies) while dallying with mainstream R-rated (and pretty good) movies on the side, while producer Jerome Tanner was dedicated to story-oriented material.
Tongue-in-cheek story deals with porn producer John Leslie as Joel Cairo (a movie buff reference to Peter Lorre's memorable character in the classic film "The Maltese Falcon"), working on a pet project that is autobiographical, based on his own past sex life. He loses his leading lady (Renee Summers) when she finds out that she can't have a double for explicit sex scenes, and then his leading man (to play Cairo), Randy West, who is also a key investor in the project.
West drops out because he believes Cairo's wish to make a romantic porn movie is out of touch with audiences' love of gonzo, all-sex content, and that he wants to give a gonzo performance, nothing mushy. The scene where he tells Cairo off and walks out on him demonstrates what's wrong here - we have a comedy that is romantic in its orientation, and even has very brief, concise sex scenes -just what West's character objects to as blatantly uncommercial.
The comedy here isn't funny or incisive. Several porn scenes are very poor fantasies with execrable special effects -more incompetent than artistic. So one is left with a schizophrenic movie -not the John T. Bone gross/gonzo movies but more like a failed attempt at artistry. Cast including Leslie give sincere performances, but the storytelling is facetious and often insulting.
Sole positive element emerging here is casting actresses with big, natural breasts, a relief from the fake silicone content of its era. Even here there's a miscalculation: casting Rachel Ashley and Rachel Ryan in the primary roles, when they are actresses so similar looking as to create confusion that is counter-productive. Keisha in a supporting role easily steals their thunder.
And what the hell does the title "The Night Before" mean in terms of the story?
I attribute the failure here as likely caused by two contradictory personnel behind the movie: John T. Bone, a director who was more comfortable with gonzo crap (see so many of his cheapo movies) while dallying with mainstream R-rated (and pretty good) movies on the side, while producer Jerome Tanner was dedicated to story-oriented material.
Tongue-in-cheek story deals with porn producer John Leslie as Joel Cairo (a movie buff reference to Peter Lorre's memorable character in the classic film "The Maltese Falcon"), working on a pet project that is autobiographical, based on his own past sex life. He loses his leading lady (Renee Summers) when she finds out that she can't have a double for explicit sex scenes, and then his leading man (to play Cairo), Randy West, who is also a key investor in the project.
West drops out because he believes Cairo's wish to make a romantic porn movie is out of touch with audiences' love of gonzo, all-sex content, and that he wants to give a gonzo performance, nothing mushy. The scene where he tells Cairo off and walks out on him demonstrates what's wrong here - we have a comedy that is romantic in its orientation, and even has very brief, concise sex scenes -just what West's character objects to as blatantly uncommercial.
The comedy here isn't funny or incisive. Several porn scenes are very poor fantasies with execrable special effects -more incompetent than artistic. So one is left with a schizophrenic movie -not the John T. Bone gross/gonzo movies but more like a failed attempt at artistry. Cast including Leslie give sincere performances, but the storytelling is facetious and often insulting.
Sole positive element emerging here is casting actresses with big, natural breasts, a relief from the fake silicone content of its era. Even here there's a miscalculation: casting Rachel Ashley and Rachel Ryan in the primary roles, when they are actresses so similar looking as to create confusion that is counter-productive. Keisha in a supporting role easily steals their thunder.
And what the hell does the title "The Night Before" mean in terms of the story?