Have your say about 1980's porn....

[80spodcast]

Thanks for a great reply spoonman2

You make a very valid point, and it is a very good reason why I joined a subject specific forum to get some more info, and also become educated in the subject more from people who are more informed than myself.

My initial question does seem rather heavy handed and with antiquated views, and I'm pleased that you've pointed that out to me. I will indeed look more into what Nina Hartley is doing

[spoonman2]

80spodcast-

Glad my reply was of some use! As to the rest of your initially posted question...

I think the 80s in porn represented a certain stage in its development as a business. The 70s liberal hopes that porn would go "mainstream" and censorship would entirely collapse had been dashed; that is, anti-porn social formations had failed to prevent porn existing but had succeeded in keeping it marginalised, a situation which has continued and seems to be currently worsening again. So the 80s is the period when it becomes more recognisably commodified and corporatised, compared to the spirit of the "Golden Age" 1970s in which it was more amateurish and counter-cultural.

This is really a process we see with all new market sectors; think of the amateur internet of the 1990s compared to the corporate web of today. Or 1980s computer games as a cottage industry, compared to corporate big games of today. So, in porn, the 80s is really the point when it becomes "product" on a corporate model. Thus in my opinion, you get somewhat better quality, at the expense of the more freewheeling spirit that seems to come through in old porn loops from the Golden Age. It's the period when the girls start to get a particular "look", that becomes ever more stylised through the 90s. It's interesting to compare to the 70s loops, where many of the girls are rather ordinary looking, and look as if they really did walk in off the street, make a porn loop, then wander out again to get on with their lives, rather than it being a kind of career thing.

If the 70s was the time when all sorts of players, mostly "small" were trying out what worked and what didn't, the 80s was the maturation of the industry when the most profitable structure had been found by that trial and error, and it was fit for the bean counters in suits to take over. As happens with all new industries.

Another parallel would be the more "amatuer" and ad hoc atmosphere of 1960s thru 70s rock'n'roll, compared to the corporate rock of the 1980s onwards.

[80spodcast]

Thank you once again for all the informed info folks, it really is much appreciated.

We start recording in a couple of hours, and I'm just in the process of putting some notes together.

There will of course be some 'banter' about porn, but the info from here will help to balance that out and hopefully give listeners something to listen to that they weren't initially expecting when we announced this subject.

[banquomerc]

Great thread-I have been interested in former porn stars from the 80s because it really wasn't that liberal of a time or a remnant of the hippy 60s or mid-70s; also, that puritanical slant is intriguing to most of us who went to college and raised families-the porn star still fascinates as it was a leap from the rails to probably get in and most leapt back into some society or quiet suburb. Some, a few, more than we think? may still struggle with that earlier choice and permanent imprint on the web. In a way, their choice stood still which may haunt some today. My choice to find would be Dana Kunath-Bridgette Monet and I'll check back for questions or even requests for the bit I know....

[blondifan]

Originally Posted by 80spodcast

Thank you once again for all the informed info folks, it really is much appreciated.

We start recording in a couple of hours...

With all respect, three days is barely enough to form any kind of overview. I'm not sure if any of our respected VIP members who may have been active in this era have even viewed this thread, or would care to comment,... and to date I haven't heard back from admin, let alone the sites owners?

Originally Posted by banquomerc

Some, a few, more than we think? may still struggle with that earlier choice and permanent imprint on the web. In a way, their choice stood still which may haunt some today...

I would think so, even for those who have successfully disappeared. Very few (if any at all?) received anything in the way of royalty payments when DVD was introduced, let alone the internet.

I keep thinking of this excerpt of a PM from one of our potential new VIP's

... to protect her (our) two kids (Kids are very mean these days).

and question my existence here, as i feel i care.

[garmando]

The best looking women in the industry were the 1980's. The fourth or fifth women in a porno from that era could probably be headliners today.

[zombie123]

Tend to agree with the comments above on 80's porn. Attractive girls dressing up and looking good (with great hair. As time rolls on porn seems to get nastier (bigger cocks slamming into hardened professional sluts / more anal / more humiliation). The 80's seemed more erotic and less hardcore imo. The 'Classic' Club / Mayfair / Escort sets of the 80's are much more enjoyable than later years imo. I'm sure the 80's produced a fair amount of low budget stuff, but the trend for long term Paul Raymond afficiendos seemed to veer off of the original 'fun & sexy pretty girls' path towards a more tattoo'd, shaven, eastern european (cheap) & amateur direction. I like looking at decent looking girls in lingerie showing off nice bodies rather than the later 'any old dog who is happy to be used for a few quid' which prevails nowadays. Camcorders and the Internet mean it's become a lot easier to post any old rubbish out quicker now, instant availability is there, quality goes out the window.

[tygrkhat40]

The way that porn went "mainstream" in the 80's was its availability. Before then, if you wanted porn movies, you either had to know someone who could get them, or risk mail order which could lead to rip-off or arrest from the postal authorities. Plus you had to have a projector, a place to set it up, etc.

In the 80's, the advent of the VCR allowed people to have a dedicated place to watch their porn and video cassettes were easier to store than films. Changes in the postal regulations allowed for easier mail ordering and the proliferation of video shops meant that most places had an adult section as well as the family stuff. Plus dedicated adult stores also carried tapes, so in the 80's the 70's dream of porn theaters competing with mainstream theaters was gone, so people brought it home.

And it was the porn industry that made VHS the dominant format for video over Beta. Hollywood saw what kind of money the porn biz was making and decided to go with VHS as well.