4.75
out of 5.00 -
Film:
5
Extras:
4
Video:
5
Audio:
5
-
6/10/2000
With the release on DVD of Jamie Summers' "Army Brat" Vivid Video continues to release its classics from the 1980s.
And why not? These ten year old (and older) videos play very, very well with the high end, educated "couples" audience that's craving for adult product without the negatives (physical abuse of the "Rough Sex" variety, and degrading acts like multiple anals, choking, spitting, "gaping" assholes, pissing in women's mouths, etc.) that are staples in today's porn--and is running the beautiful women out of the industry: Nikki Tyler, Racquel, Jenteal, Jenna, Chasey. These stars aren't just retiring to have babies or because they're too old; they don't want to perform the acts that get "awards" and praise by the porn establishment; and they won't stay in a business that doesn't appreciate them and their work. And, although there are always new girls coming into porn, there are few (if any) beauties among them.
And, as every good businessman knows, one sure-fire way to make money is to fill a void in the marketplace. So Vivid, VCA, Caballero, Coast-to-Coast, Ultimate and other companies with large video libraries from the 1980s (porn's "Golden Age") are trying to have it both ways: they won't criticize the lack of a "balanced" viewpoint by today's porn directors (they don't want to sound like they're "old" or not be considered "cool"); so they just re-issue old releases on the DVD format--which increases their profits because all they're paying for is the duplication cost to the DVD format.
Anyway, "Army Brat" has the same premise as Goldie Hawn's "Private Benjamin" with Jamie Summers--the "princess"/brat wife of Tom Bryon--seeking to add meaning to her shallow life by enlisting in the Army, where she helps ferret out spies.
This "sitcom" plot is about all a porn production needs: it allows for the set up of the sex scenes. Director Paul Thomas keeps the action moving, with members of his personal "repertory company" during the mid/late eighties: Jamie Summers, Gail Force, Nikki Knights, Kim Alexis, Joey Silvera, Tom Bryon and Scott Irish. The sexual pairings, possibly based upon whom the performers wanted to work with (now there's a concept absent in today's porn), work pretty well. Summers has her only boy/girl scene with her real life buddy, Tom Bryon. Scott Irish get Kim Alexis, and Joey Silvera gets to work with Gail Force. The girl/girl scene is provided by Jamie and Nikki, who performed several times together during this period.
Highlights in this production are both of Summers sex scenes. In the video opener with Tom Bryon, she looks gorgeous; her nineteen year old body tan, with firm high (natural) breasts--and just the right amount of baby-fat to show that her great bod is not the product of endless workouts in the gym. She is a natural heartbreaker! True to the premise of The Brat series, Summers lack of interest in pleasing Bryon--while looking so good--provides the reality element that men often experience when involved with a real life "Betty."And the sight of Summers on her back, with her legs resting on Bryon's shoulders, while he bangs away, is a total hard-on and worth the price of the DVD.
Likewise, Summers scene with Nikki is a standout. Both girls appear relaxed and in good humor. They obviously enjoyed working together. Jamie has one of the best lines in all of porn in this scene. After Nikki jumps on an army cart and spreads her legs wide for Jamie to go down on her, Summers say: "Subtle, but effective!" A standout image from this scene is when Nikki buries her face in a standing Jamie's pussy, with the Brat pumping her ass back-and forth.
Not to be outdone, Scott Irish (who would work with Summers in "Bringing Up Brat" where she turns in the best sex scene of her early career) and Kim Alexis turn in a hot scene. Kim, who has more hair around her pussy than most three-year olds have on their heads, is a cute brunette with just a little too much baby fat, but makes up for it with sexual attitude and "fun" value. She's clearly a good time in the sack.
Gail Force and Joey Silvera have a great outdoors scene, the impact of which is lessened by cutting it back-and-forth with two other sex scenes--which was the practice in the early days of porn.
The extras on this DVD have appeared elsewhere on Vivid DVDs released last year--but are still good. There is the Jenteal/Rocco Stiffredi scene from "Jenteal Loves Rocco" which is good, but clearly Jenteal was intimidated by Rocco's equipment. And, speaking of Jenteal: she would have been perfect to revise the Brat role if Vivid could come up with a clever script. (Instead she was given the "Stardust" series as her star-making vehicle, but that series never lived up to expectations.) There are also some hot scenes featuring Julia Ann and Nikki Tyler in the extras section, as well as the standard profiles of the Vivid Girls.
Recommendation: Very good DVD for couples, but the raincoat--"gimme sex sex sex"--crowd will hate it. Hopefully, Vivid will continue to release their early classics--and maybe even add some outtakes or extended versions of the scenes, and director and star comments. There's an audience out there for the kinder, gentler porn of the eighties.
By:
Derek