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Title:
Midnight Blue Collection: Volumes 2 & 3: Porn Stars Of The 70’s &
Celebrities
Region:
Zero (NTSC)
Genre:
Talk Show
Host:
Al Goldstein
Feature
length: 120 minutes each
Extras:
Pop Up Text Comments and “Al’s Adventures On Demerol” By Scream Queen
Linnea Quigley – (Celebrities Volume Only)
Languages:
English Two-Channel Monaural Sound
Subtitles:
N/A
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 24 each
Sound:
Two-Channel Monaural Sound
Year
of DVD Release: 2006
Home
Video Distributor: NY After Midnight Through Blue Underground
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
The
world has changed a lot since 1975 when Al Goldstein, the publisher of
“Screw” launched the Manhattan public access cable talk show “Midnight
Blue.” The show itself was produced a shoestring budget and was intended for
Adults with interviews with Adult Film Stars and mainstream and cult celebrities
alike. In many ways Al Goldstein can be credited as a pioneer for bringing Adult
Entertainment into the mainstream. It is easy to take for granted programs
broadcast on cable and satellite television from networks like the Playboy
Channel or public access programs like “Talking Blue,” which airs in LA as
well as the innovations Howard Stern brought to radio and for 11 years on E!
Entertainment Television. There are even programs broadcast on Internet radio
such as KSEX. America is in many ways a very repressed country. If you don’t
like something then shut the TV or radio off and take responsibility for what
comes into your home is the battle cry of those who have experienced a backlash
over the years from various public entities and special interest groups. With
the current political climate in this country, I wonder if a show like
“Midnight Blue” could ever even air on public access TV. I am still
surprised at ran as long as it did from 1975 to 2002.
These
DVD volumes are compilations from the show focusing on 1970’s porn stars on
one DVD and the celebrity guests who appeared on the show on another. The TV
spots on both DVDs are probably raunchier than the content of the programs and
certainly a bit humorous with ads for escorts, phone sex, gay bathhouses, and
swingers clubs. Most of the TV spots are from the 1970s before the AIDS epidemic
hit.
The
two best interviews on the “Porn Stars of the 70’s” volume feature Marilyn
Chambers, who had garnered recognition for the combined appearance of her role
in “Behind The Green Door” and as an Ivory Snow Girl. She also appeared in
an early film of Canadian Auteur David Cronenberg entitled “Rabid.”
Truthfully, Ms. Chambers has such a nice earthy sort of beauty to her that just
to look at her natural beauty can be infatuating. There is a nude ballet that
she is featured in that is bizarre though she is a dance professional as well
and I’m not talking about lap dances here.
Seka
was my other favorite because of her beauty, complete self-confidence and
uninhibited nature. I always thought she was Swedish and was surprised to learn
she is part Native American and part Irish. She loves receiving facials from her
male partners after sex and ironically enough there are still people out there
who believe that semen is good for the skin. Scientifically this has never been
proven. Porn Actor Jamie Gillis is interesting to see interviewed if only
because he appears so normal. Anyone familiar with Adult Films may notice that
some of the talent seems to change as the hundreds of films go by and I’m not
talking about physical enhancements or more comfort before the camera. What I
mean basically is the behavior or persona of the “players” becomes
increasingly detached and more or less some seem to become almost like a shadow
of who they were. Now this could merely be character development for the fans
that rent the films as much for whom the women are performing with since
onscreen chemistry in adult films is just as important as it is in mainstream
entertainment. Recognizing Jamie Gillis from films he has appeared in throughout
the 1980s and early 1990s and then seeing him interviewed in the mid 1970s, the
difference in the way the man carries himself seems like a contrast of day to
night. He’s almost unrecognizable.
The
better of the two volumes is the “Celebrities” DVD, which features the
alleged Barbara Streisand stag film that Midnight Blue aired despite doubts of
it’s validity. The quality of the film is so poor that it might as well be one
of those “alien autopsy” videos that crop up once in a while that everyone
comments on as being very realistic, but no one seems to be able to authenticate
or determine scientifically that it is a hoax. Yet in our heart of hearts we
know it’s fake, but because no one authority has officially announced that it
is indeed a hoax, the viewer is always left with some lingering question of
“what if?” It’s not Barbara Streisand in my opinion. Other celebrity
videos that have been authenticated are the Rob Lowe video that nearly ended his
career and one with Belinda Carlisle. Funny thing about watching the Rob Lowe
segment is after all of the amateur celebrity adult films that have since
surfaced featuring the likes of Paris Hilton or Pamela Anderson with some rock
star lover, I have to ask would anyone even care if the Rob Lowe video surfaced
today? Another interesting clip is a backstage video with The Go-Gos where
Belinda Carlisle clearly looks out of it to say the least as band members toy
with the idea of some form of sexual contact with what I think is a roadie or
something, who ends up masturbating on camera in front of the girls before
passing out off camera. Arnold Schwarzenegger has a discussion regarding his
description of the “pump” body builders get from working out as being like
having an orgasm as he mentioned in “Pumping Iron” while pictures of Arnold
posing nude are intercut on screen.
In
terms of celebrity appearances the best is Gilbert Gottfried who steals the show
with Al Goldstein in stitches. Gottfried as a comedian has been described as a
“like it” or “hate it” sort of thing, but anyone who has listened to his
appearances on The Howard Stern Show will agree (if they like him) that he is
among the best regular guests on the show especially when he starts riffing with
Artie Lange. While films have not been able to place Gottfried in a role that
takes advantage of his comedic genius outside of a cameo here and there, I think
as a stand up comedian, Gilbert Gottfried is among the best working today.
I
also think Goldstein’s interview with underground comic artist R. Crumb is
great because of all the people I’ve seen Goldstein interview on these discs,
Al looks genuinely impressed and even in awe of the comic artist, which makes
for one of the more interesting interview clips on the disc. Other must-see
interview guests include Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, Russ Meyer, and Tiny Tim.
Another highlight of both discs are Al’s rants targeting Howard Stern, Donald
Trump, Sean Penn, and Jack Nicholson. The text popup video like factoids,
gossip, and trivia are a must to have enabled while watching the DVDs because
they add a dimension that improves upon the program as a whole.
Digitally
mastered from the original ¾ inch videotapes, the quality of the picture is
mixed in part due to the low budget of the program as well as the natural
degradation of the tapes that has occurred over time. Yet somehow I think
“Midnight Blue” in crystal clear high definition quality video would remove
much of the show’s gritty flavor that makes viewing these time capsules all
the more nostalgic and entertaining. Both discs are presented in their original
(1.33:1) broadcast aspect ratio with two-channel English Monaural Sound that is
remarkably clear of any analogue background noise or hissing. Some footage shot
by Scream Queen Linnea Quigley of Al Goldstein on Demerol (3:22) is included on
the “Celebrities” volume as a bonus feature. The interactive menus on both
discs are well rendered and easy to navigate.
“Midnight
Blue Collection: Volume 2: Porn Stars Of The 70’s” and “Midnight Blue
Collection: Volume 3: Celebrities Edition” will debut on DVD-Video at
retailers on and offline on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 courtesy of NY After
Midnight through Blue Underground. In addition “Midnight Blue Collection:
Volume 1: The Deep Throat Special Edition” is available in stores on and
offline now. All three are sold separately.
©
Copyright 2006 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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