Defend Our Porn

Studio: Evil Angel
Director: Belladonna, Christoph Clark, Jules Jordan, Jonni Darkko, Rocco Siffredi, John Leslie, Raul Christian, Jazz Duro, Jay Sin
Cast: Avy Scott, Belladonna, Dana DeArmond, Eva Angelina, Holly Wellin, Jack Venice, James Deen, Jazz Duro, Jules Jordan, Lexington Steele, Manuel Ferrara, Mark Wood, Melissa Lauren, Mia Rose, Mick Blue, Nacho Vidal, Naomi, Nikki Jayne, Rocco Siffredi, Sandra Romain, Sasha Grey, Tricia Devereaux, Derrick Pierce

Portions of this review originally appeared on Fleshbot

In April, 2008 Evil Angel founder and director John Stagliano was indicted on obscenity charges in the type of case that has become familiar to First Amendment watchers who are also porn consumers: several Evil Angel titles, as well as trailers for a Belladonna movie, were obtained in a United States county in which “community standards” seemed rigid enough to bring charges of obscenity. In 2009 the case will likely go to trial.

Notwithstanding (of course) that the titles in question arrived by request of someone over 18 years of age, as they did in dozens of more lenient counties throughout the United States, Stagliano now faces an expensive legal battle in a season that has also seen court cases against the more extreme JM Productions and Max Hardcore.

Defend Our Porn is a compilation DVD of scenes from every current Evil Angel director, as well as alumnus Jules Jordan. And it also features a brand new scene with Tricia Devereaux, Stagliano’s wife. Proceeds from the 16-scene, 10-hour, 3-DVD box will defray Stagliano’s legal bills.

What is remarkable about the Evil Angel case is that, though the company is undeniably hardcore, it is less so, and far more arty, than the year’s other porn defendants. A case against Evil Angel bodes ill for more mainstream adult companies.

So, as both a compilation “Best of” DVD and as a statement of rights, Defend Our Porn starts with a bang in a scene with the irrepressible Nacho Vidal from “Fashionistas Safado: Berlin.” No male performer can hold a candle to Nacho in the talking dirty department. “Why did you come here with underwear?” is one of his gems. Melissa Lauren handles this onslaught with fear and aplomb.

Then veteran director John Leslie presents a scene with Naomi. This scene is reminiscent of mid-90’s porn and Naomi is definitely the type of model who embodies that vibe and is beloved of fans of that era. Naomi, I am required to say, has an amazing ass. With it she coaxes a load from James Deen that I expect he is still proud of.

In an outdoor scene from Rocco Siffredi’s “Rocco’s Way to Love,” (I’m hoping this is a translation), Kelly Stafford performs in a headlight-lit gangbang. It reminded me a little of “Rebel Without A Cause” if that movie had ended the way I wanted it to.

“Do you want to see the throat fucking doctor?” a game Sasha Grey is asked in “Face Fucking Inc.,” a departure from the grainier previous scenes. What sets this scene apart is the Porn Valley-ness of the proceedings, clothing, and lighting, but Sasha Grey lends the scene star power and makes it memorable. Really, porn is about the people.

Nacho then returns with Avy Scott in a scene that would have been creepy even without the monkey.

Disc Two includes part of Belladonna’s return to guys, “Cock Happy,” as well as an Eva Angelina gangbang in which the 2008 AVN Best Actress is used most jubilantly. Mia Rose appears in a scene with Manuel Ferrara that establishes her as the anti-Teagan. Unlike the harder-looking or more Euro-style Evil Angel performers, the diminutive Rose is all Porn Valley, but uncharacteristically self-aware.

Disc Three includes a performance by the Unsinkable Sandra Romain (on a spotless beige rug). Belladonna returns deliciously in a scene from Jules Jordan’s “Ass Worship,” and, in the set’s one original outing, Tricia Devereaux comes out of retirement for a clothespinny scene with Derrick Pierce.

“I told you I was in love with my husband,” she says.

“That’s not what we’re talking about, is it?” he says.

Of all the great, blitzkrieg excerpts in Defend Our Porn, this final segment takes its time and benefits from it. Devereaux was nervous about this scene. She’s older, she’s put on some weight–all the things that make women uncomfortable, even in (or especially in) porn. But she looks great, of course, and, much as it is a signature pleasure watching all the teenagers flying around on the other discs, to watch grown women Romain, Belladonna, and Devereaux get (and give) the business in Disc Three is a real payoff.

Defend Our Porn is a fundraising effort but it is also a loadblowingly good value for all the diverse, quality porn it provides.

See also: Defend Our Porn