The lion’s share of porn movies you’ve seen reviewed on this site were made in a studio with a dozen or so people milling about, a hair-and-makeup station at the ready, and a lunch room full of delicious Costco snacks. But don’t forget our pornographer friends who get hookers from Craigslist and a cheap motel from Travelocity.
“Third World America: Koreatown” is an unpolished movie for sure, but the POV from Joe Pusher is just a few steps above street level, and is almost refreshing in its depiction of the frank sex for cash exchange porn really is, stripped of all agendas, including empowerment, art, rebellion, or love.
It is tempting to feel sorry for everyone involved; Joe’s gut hangs over the foreheads of his partners, each of whom is just a little too something in comparison to her ready-for-prime-time porny counterparts—a little too heavy, a little too awkward, a little too drug-addled, a little too sullen.
Pusher has watched (and directed) a lot of porn featuring women you might never see again. The video is full of instruction: “Look at the camera,” “Smile like you just won the lottery,” “Look at the camera!” “Don’t look at me,” “Keep your pussy open.”
He often forgets that the women have already introduced themselves, and he asks them for their names again, their ages, their heights and weights. Women like Fallon answer the same question the same way.
“I’m from Dallas, I’m here in L.A., I really like to suck cock,” she says, brushing her hair out of her eyes constantly.
So even though there is no script, everyone is working from scripts they learned from watching porn or dealing with johns.
Unlike exceedingly raw and sordid movies like the “Crack Whore Confessions” series, in which the John/filmmaker draws interesting stories from his hookers while getting blown in his undershirt, Mr. Pusher needs to work on his interview skills; these women are more attractive than crack whores and appear irritated by his repetitive questions.
The best (or worst) example of this involves an 18-year-old (she says) named Fi.
Fi is a champ, attacking Mr. Pusher’s uncircumcised junk with hooker efficiency. For some reason, however, Pusher insists on asking her to remember the names of friends to give a shout-out to while she’s blowing him, as if this would be flattering to them.
“Um, Nora?” she says. Then, getting back to the subject at hand, “This is a big cock.”
Another 18-year-old, Kathleen, just stares at the camera while Pusher fucks her. He has made her say that she only wants to fuck Joe on film, and he promises her escorting work.
It is very awkward to watch, but it is fascinating in its lack of embellishment and its illustration of the simple mechanics of prostitution-as-porn. That said, there are nice moments, such as when the chopsticks come out, or when a woman named Jessica swallows by accident.
After all this time I finally understand that movies like this are not porn at all, but hookers caught on film. If my wife gets me a prostitute for my birthday, I promise you I won’t film it (actually, after watching this movie, I’d probably regift it).
Buy “Third World America: Koreatown” here
Previously on Porn Valley Observed: “Crack Whore Confessions—Heeere’s Edie”; “Crack Whore Confessions” now available from Samuel French; Hollie Stevens is my whore
See also: Third World America, Joe Pusher
Gram Ponante is America's Beloved Porn Journalist
