This was one of the adult blockbusters of 1985 when the Golden Age was drawing to a close. It was the directorial debut of Thomas Paine, who'd been working on the mainstream side of the movie industry and remains active in the adult part of it to this very day, and presented one of the best possible combinations of plot and porn ever concocted. The always underrated Tish Ambrose delivers a career performance as Jill, mother hen to a handful of call girls used (and that is the right word for it) by wicked Robert Bolla for corporate blackmail schemes. The other girls are fan favorites all, ranging from an unusually sweet and sensuous Amber Lynn to the elegantly debauched Rachel Ashley, hot off her triumph on Edwin Durell's EVERY WOMAN HAS A FANTASY. Most memorable though is the multi-award-winning Sheri St. Claire (Bob Bullock's object of obsession in Chuck Vincent's VOYEUR) as new kid Babette who soon learns the ins and outs of Bolla's set-up the hard way. Though the story's involving, it may disconcert some viewers that there is occasional violence to be found, sometimes in conjunction with the sex. Nowadays the adult industry tends to avoid such mixture for legal reasons and I understand that the current video version omits some of the nastier stuff that befalls St. Claire's character even though I always felt that none of it was gratuitous and indeed essential to understand that character's evolution. Ah well... This should in no way discourage you from seeking out this beautifully made, very well-acted adult classic, a tribute to days gone by when the 'adult' tag meant more than just explicit sexual content.
3 Reviews
Excellent porn drama
Woodyanders30 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Sadistic businessman J.W. Sheeves (a spot-on slimy portrayal by Robert Kerman) runs a prostitution racket that he uses as a means for corporate blackmail. Complications ensue when mother hen hooker Jill (winningly played with sweet charm by fetching blonde Tish Ambrose) decides to leave Sheeves after falling in love with traumatized Vietnam war veteran Winston Fields (a fine and sensitive performance by Eric Edwards).
Writer/director Thomas Paine brings a surprising amount of potent dramatic substance to the meaty story, astutely captures the misery and loneliness of prostitution, keeps the intricate and engrossing narrative moving along at a steady pace, and delivers an exciting rescue set piece at the thrilling climax. This film further benefits from an ace cast of Golden Age porn favorites: Rachel Ashley as the ruthless Morgana, Amber Lynn as the conscience-stricken Tanya, Sheri St. Claire as naive and vulnerable rookie Babette, Herschel Savage as brutish henchman Louis, Harry Reems as the stressed-out and overworked Bill, and Jamie Gillis as sleazy creep Dan (who likes to play baby). The sex scenes are quite arousing and energetic. Tom Denucci's glossy cinematography provides a pleasing polished look. The neatly varied score alternates between elegant piano and pulsating synth. Highly recommended for fans of vintage 80's hardcore fare.
Writer/director Thomas Paine brings a surprising amount of potent dramatic substance to the meaty story, astutely captures the misery and loneliness of prostitution, keeps the intricate and engrossing narrative moving along at a steady pace, and delivers an exciting rescue set piece at the thrilling climax. This film further benefits from an ace cast of Golden Age porn favorites: Rachel Ashley as the ruthless Morgana, Amber Lynn as the conscience-stricken Tanya, Sheri St. Claire as naive and vulnerable rookie Babette, Herschel Savage as brutish henchman Louis, Harry Reems as the stressed-out and overworked Bill, and Jamie Gillis as sleazy creep Dan (who likes to play baby). The sex scenes are quite arousing and energetic. Tom Denucci's glossy cinematography provides a pleasing polished look. The neatly varied score alternates between elegant piano and pulsating synth. Highly recommended for fans of vintage 80's hardcore fare.
Great Performances Make the FIlm
Michael_Elliott26 December 2019
Corporate Assets (1985)
*** (out of 4)
J.W. Sheeves (Robert Kerman) is running a secret prostitution ring when one of the ladies (Tish Ambrose) falls in love with a former solder (Eric Edwards) and wants to be with him. That's not going to sit well with the sadistic Sheeves who has ways of dealing with those who want to leave him.
CORPORATE ASSETS isn't the greatest adult movie ever made but it might feature more plot than any other one out there. There's a lot going on through its 104-minute running time including what I mentioned above but there's even more subplots and strange happenings. If you're a fan of the genre then you're certainly going to find this to be a well-made film with several great performances.
The film has several things going for it including some great performances from the cast. Both Ambrose and Edwards are very good in their roles and both are required to do some real acting along the way. Kerman was also wonderful in his role as the pig and then you've got the likes of Amber Lynn, Harry Reems and Sheri St. Claire. The scene-stealer has to be Jamie Gillis who plays a complete creep here and the pervert scene here is without a doubt the best in the movie.
*** (out of 4)
J.W. Sheeves (Robert Kerman) is running a secret prostitution ring when one of the ladies (Tish Ambrose) falls in love with a former solder (Eric Edwards) and wants to be with him. That's not going to sit well with the sadistic Sheeves who has ways of dealing with those who want to leave him.
CORPORATE ASSETS isn't the greatest adult movie ever made but it might feature more plot than any other one out there. There's a lot going on through its 104-minute running time including what I mentioned above but there's even more subplots and strange happenings. If you're a fan of the genre then you're certainly going to find this to be a well-made film with several great performances.
The film has several things going for it including some great performances from the cast. Both Ambrose and Edwards are very good in their roles and both are required to do some real acting along the way. Kerman was also wonderful in his role as the pig and then you've got the likes of Amber Lynn, Harry Reems and Sheri St. Claire. The scene-stealer has to be Jamie Gillis who plays a complete creep here and the pervert scene here is without a doubt the best in the movie.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews