Porn films closest to "real" movies

Airola · February 18th, 2012, 10:15 PM

When talking about movies, people usually separate porn films from any other genres. To some extent they are right. I'd say at least over 90% of all porn films ever made look and feel like cheap amateur movies and really big part of those are just some videos of people having sex (comparable to a home video where someone has taped birds eating food in their backyard).

So, when people talk about "real" movies, they usually mean films that have plot, believable acting, picture quality that's something else than something shot straight on video, believable set decoration, good use of lighting etc etc etc...

Back in the 70's and the 80's the fact that the movies were shot on film made them look a bit more like real movies but bad acting, bad lighting, bad set decoration, bad script and bad filming revealed them to be something "less" than movies of other genres.
Nowadays there are some expensive and not so expensive plot-based porn films which are said to be porn's equivalent to real movies, but to my eyes those too look more like amateur videos even when shot at HD quality and adding special effects to them (Pirates, for example). They aren't even at par with some of the cheaper erotic thrillers made straight to cable TV or DVD.

Which porn movies look and feel like "real" movies? Which ones are closest to them?
I'm always glad when I encounter porn films that nail me to the screen and makes me not wanting to skip the "talking" parts.

Here are some examples I've encountered:

American Desire
Definitely one of Lasse Braun's best films.
Robert Kerman and Veronica Hart are acting very well as usual.
The scene between Robert and Lysa Thatcher is one of the best scenes in porn, ever.
Also, one of the best uses of music in the history of porn: Alpha by Vangelis plays during that scene.

Breaking It
It's really sad this one is a Traci Lords movie and heavily relies on her acting because it's hard to find as it can't be sold, for example, in the US and as far as I know there aren't any versions that replace her parts (that would make the movie worse though).
Anyways, although the whole story is focusing on sex and it clearly is a porn film, it could very well be a mainstream sex comedy from the 80's, although perhaps cheaper than most. John Leslie makes a tremendous role as a teacher who tries to fight the seduction and Paul Thomas is a fantastic host in this somewhat episodic film.
This one also shows that Traci already knew how to act. Some of her adult films depict her "just as a porn actor" but she does surprisingly great job here. No wonder she was able to continue acting after leaving the porn business.

Coed Fever
Really believable setting and some great actors. Annette Haven and Samantha Fox raise the production value to the roof.

Little Girls Blue
Could be a real school film. There are also a few surreal sex scenes that are very well thought out which don't make the film to be just a cheap "art" film but bring a believable edge to depicting a fantasy in a person's mind.

Through the Looking Glass
This one blew my mind. The theme music is fantastic and would be believable in any 70's mainstream movie. Harry Manfredini made some music to it. I don't know if he did the theme though.
I'd say this one has the best ending and end credits any porn film has ever had.

I know there are lots of films that are highly appreciated and culturally important but which I just can't put on my list, like Deep Throat, New Wave Hookers or Café Flesh. I can appreciate them but they just don't have the feel I'm looking for in this topic.

doyle · October 8th, 2012, 07:20 PM

Through the Looking Glass? Yes, definitely. I remember walking into this nearly 30 years ago - and having to pee frequently The damn thing scared me!
I think it was the trip-to-hell sequence that did it.

**Schwenck** · December 23rd, 2017, 12:01 AM

While I love 'Breaking It' I wouldn't put it in the category 'close to a real movie'. As Airola says, it is very episodic - a series of short incidents spliced together..

There is the porn Alice in Wonderland, which seems to work as a movie. (Was there an expurgated version?)

**FrankDobe** · December 23rd, 2017, 02:18 AM

1001 Erotic Nights Annette Haven at her best

**Yomino** · March 12th, 2018, 01:06 PM

To me, being a french man, i can highly recommend Michel Barny's movies from the eighties, start of 90s. I'm especially thinking about "Deux belles garces" which tell the "battle" between two sisters to get Daddy's inheritance. There is Joey Silvera in this film. And well, the movie is really well made, good acting, good shooting and some fun.
Also, "L'éducation d'Anna" (available in english on the Internet) has a very good plot. It stars Keisha and french actors. Lets not forget "La femme en noir" in which Roberto Malone asks a director (Christophe Clark) to shoot a film for him so he can realize and old fantasy. There is Tracey Adams in that one. I can also recommend "Liaisons coupables", a story of a guy who cant fuck his wife or something like that.

**brk549** · March 12th, 2018, 01:23 PM

Joanna Storm could have made mainstream.I think she really liked to screw but she was a good actress,better I think than a lot of mainstream today.Some of her movies weren't that bad either.The director with the long grey hair could make a good actress look like a complete idiot and could really screw up a movie.I think he directed Shauna Grant when she started.

**Yomino** · March 12th, 2018, 01:53 PM

Exactly ! I was about to add to my previous post "Crazy with the heat" (also known as "Sex Asylum") where Joanna plays a business woman married to Eric Edwards. Seeing his wife gets a bit weird, he brings her to a clinic for treatment. But she gets under the control of a wicked nurse who implanted something in her brain that gets her sex crazy (something like this, i never really understood ). The last scene when she's supposed to be cured is...almost frightening.

**brk549** · March 12th, 2018, 03:08 PM

I think there's no question Traci could act because she was acting full time both on screen and off for those years she was in porn.If you see her and Christy doing the impersonations in Battle of the Stars she was pretty good and I think it was a mix of Ginger Lynn and Christy Canyon she did in her sex scenes with the moaning and the breathing.I don't think she fooled every one but they were making money and hoped they didn't get caught.I said it before and got deleted but I think she was smarter than the people she was working for.

February 18th, 2012, 10:15 PM	#1
Airola Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 96 Thanks: 45 Thanked 3,254 Times in 92 Posts	Porn films closest to "real" movies When talking about movies, people usually separate porn films from any other genres. To some extent they are right. I'd say at least over 90% of all porn films ever made look and feel like cheap amateur movies and really big part of those are just some videos of people having sex (comparable to a home video where someone has taped birds eating food in their backyard). So, when people talk about "real" movies, they usually mean films that have plot, believable acting, picture quality that's something else than something shot straight on video, believable set decoration, good use of lighting etc etc etc... Back in the 70's and the 80's the fact that the movies were shot on film made them look a bit more like real movies but bad acting, bad lighting, bad set decoration, bad script and bad filming revealed them to be something "less" than movies of other genres. Nowadays there are some expensive and not so expensive plot-based porn films which are said to be porn's equivalent to real movies, but to my eyes those too look more like amateur videos even when shot at HD quality and adding special effects to them (Pirates, for example). They aren't even at par with some of the cheaper erotic thrillers made straight to cable TV or DVD. Which porn movies look and feel like "real" movies? Which ones are closest to them? I'm always glad when I encounter porn films that nail me to the screen and makes me not wanting to skip the "talking" parts. Here are some examples I've encountered: American Desire Definitely one of Lasse Braun's best films. Robert Kerman and Veronica Hart are acting very well as usual. The scene between Robert and Lysa Thatcher is one of the best scenes in porn, ever. Also, one of the best uses of music in the history of porn: Alpha by Vangelis plays during that scene. Breaking It It's really sad this one is a Traci Lords movie and heavily relies on her acting because it's hard to find as it can't be sold, for example, in the US and as far as I know there aren't any versions that replace her parts (that would make the movie worse though). Anyways, although the whole story is focusing on sex and it clearly is a porn film, it could very well be a mainstream sex comedy from the 80's, although perhaps cheaper than most. John Leslie makes a tremendous role as a teacher who tries to fight the seduction and Paul Thomas is a fantastic host in this somewhat episodic film. This one also shows that Traci already knew how to act. Some of her adult films depict her "just as a porn actor" but she does surprisingly great job here. No wonder she was able to continue acting after leaving the porn business. Coed Fever Really believable setting and some great actors. Annette Haven and Samantha Fox raise the production value to the roof. Little Girls Blue Could be a real school film. There are also a few surreal sex scenes that are very well thought out which don't make the film to be just a cheap "art" film but bring a believable edge to depicting a fantasy in a person's mind. Through the Looking Glass This one blew my mind. The theme music is fantastic and would be believable in any 70's mainstream movie. Harry Manfredini made some music to it. I don't know if he did the theme though. I'd say this one has the best ending and end credits any porn film has ever had. I know there are lots of films that are highly appreciated and culturally important but which I just can't put on my list, like Deep Throat, New Wave Hookers or Café Flesh. I can appreciate them but they just don't have the feel I'm looking for in this topic.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

October 8th, 2012, 07:20 PM	#2
doyle Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: East Coast of US Posts: 435 Thanks: 5,820 Thanked 2,754 Times in 383 Posts	Through the Looking Glass? Yes, definitely. I remember walking into this nearly 30 years ago - and having to pee frequently The damn thing scared me! I think it was the trip-to-hell sequence that did it.

December 23rd, 2017, 12:01 AM	#3
Schwenck Vintage Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 724 Thanks: 22,659 Thanked 9,745 Times in 726 Posts	While I love 'Breaking It' I wouldn't put it in the category 'close to a real movie'. As Airola says, it is very episodic - a series of short incidents spliced together.. There is the porn Alice in Wonderland, which seems to work as a movie. (Was there an expurgated version?)

December 23rd, 2017, 02:18 AM	#4
FrankDobe Vintage Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: last thing I remember was falling down somewhere Posts: 13,151 Thanks: 112,373 Thanked 104,719 Times in 13,100 Posts	1001 Erotic Nights Annette Haven at her best

March 12th, 2018, 01:06 PM	#5
Yomino Vintage Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: France Posts: 603 Thanks: 12,569 Thanked 9,190 Times in 581 Posts	To me, being a french man, i can highly recommend Michel Barny's movies from the eighties, start of 90s. I'm especially thinking about "Deux belles garces" which tell the "battle" between two sisters to get Daddy's inheritance. There is Joey Silvera in this film. And well, the movie is really well made, good acting, good shooting and some fun. Also, "L'éducation d'Anna" (available in english on the Internet) has a very good plot. It stars Keisha and french actors. Lets not forget "La femme en noir" in which Roberto Malone asks a director (Christophe Clark) to shoot a film for him so he can realize and old fantasy. There is Tracey Adams in that one. I can also recommend "Liaisons coupables", a story of a guy who cant fuck his wife or something like that.

March 12th, 2018, 01:23 PM	#6
brk549 Vintage Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,122 Thanks: 20,220 Thanked 7,178 Times in 1,046 Posts	Joanna Storm could have made mainstream.I think she really liked to screw but she was a good actress,better I think than a lot of mainstream today.Some of her movies weren't that bad either.The director with the long grey hair could make a good actress look like a complete idiot and could really screw up a movie.I think he directed Shauna Grant when she started.

March 12th, 2018, 01:53 PM	#7
Yomino Vintage Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: France Posts: 603 Thanks: 12,569 Thanked 9,190 Times in 581 Posts	Exactly ! I was about to add to my previous post "Crazy with the heat" (also known as "Sex Asylum") where Joanna plays a business woman married to Eric Edwards. Seeing his wife gets a bit weird, he brings her to a clinic for treatment. But she gets under the control of a wicked nurse who implanted something in her brain that gets her sex crazy (something like this, i never really understood ). The last scene when she's supposed to be cured is...almost frightening.

March 12th, 2018, 03:08 PM	#8
brk549 Vintage Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,122 Thanks: 20,220 Thanked 7,178 Times in 1,046 Posts	I think there's no question Traci could act because she was acting full time both on screen and off for those years she was in porn.If you see her and Christy doing the impersonations in Battle of the Stars she was pretty good and I think it was a mix of Ginger Lynn and Christy Canyon she did in her sex scenes with the moaning and the breathing.I don't think she fooled every one but they were making money and hoped they didn't get caught.I said it before and got deleted but I think she was smarter than the people she was working for.