I bring this question up because as a reviewer for Adult DVD Empire, it's sometimes difficult to determine what effect (if any!) all our bitching, raving, moaning, fawning, scoffing, praising or nit-picking has on the studios and consumers who read these critiques.
There is, I admit, a certain pretentiousness and conceit when it comes to judging the work of others. And certainly, there is such a thing as invalid and unfair criticism...But I will leave that topic alone for now...
What I want to know is, do our reviews matter? Do they influence how a studio may make their next blockbuster video, or are we (the reviewers) just engaging in yet another form of masturbation?
Inquiring minds want to know...
I appreciate any feedback or responses (or criticisms, for that matter!).
I feel and I know, reviews have an impact on a group of customers, they won't purchase if the reviews tell them to avoid, I know that for a fact. In the real world, I have worked a few years in the retail business, and people always came up to me telling me if this looks good or not, just asking my opinion, if I told them no, they took my word on it and never purchased! My family and friends always take my word for it, and that makes them happy. I don't like deceiving people, and many can see that coming from me; that I am legit. I can use this for my reviews.
If there is a reviewer out there, who people follow and love, and feel they are compatible in the same tastes, I gurantee you that the companies lose those customers all thanks to the reviewer.
Actually, your repy did remind me of a few instances where I learned that reviews were read and considered by the studio people. At the AVN convention in January, Director Bud Lee had told me that Asia sometimes cuts and pastes reviews of his work (like LADIES NIGHT OUT or CENTERFOLD ) and sends them to him by e-mail. My Editorial Director lets me have it when a studio representative catches an error I make in a review, and Jeff Krull has stated that the Empire Review of THE DINNER PARTY did prompt him to consider remastering the title.
Whenever I learn that there is SOME reaction to a review (good, bad or indifferent) that is written and posted, I am, at the very least, relieved to know that a consumer's lowly opinions are being considered.
We get feedback from the studios from time to time about the reviews posted here. There are definitely a few studios and studio reps that do listen to the comments here. It's a shame that these few individuals are the exception rather than the norm.
Diesel, from a consumers point of view, yes, reviews matter. If someone I trust tells me that a dvd stinks-it will take an awful lot for me to buy something. Further, if someone I don't know tells me that there's a technical flaw with a title (ie: like with Toshiba players and Evil Angel dvd's), I will hold off until I hear otherwise. I've been burned many times-too many-to ignore the warnings I've seen. I've read a few of your reviews and made a purchase based on what you wrote-if that helps you any. I wish some of your colleagues were a bit more real with some of the Venus Video reviews though...
On the other hand, if I see someone praise everything they watch-I can't help but wonder if they are either a) only watching or reviewing the best stuff or b) they have no ability to discern the good from the bad. I've seen several examples of both traits.
From a reviewers point of view, if someone likes what I write and trusts my opinion enough to ignore the studio hype and rent before buying a title I pan, cool! I wish more people would review stuff so I may get a better idea about other dvd's. If this is a form of masturbation-warning others-I will gladly accept an award for both (masturbation: mental and physical).
Conceit: naaaa, most of the reviews I've read don't make me think the reviewer was conceited. In another thread, I commented on Drew's posting about how many hits our reviews got. I admit that it surprised me at how many times our reviews are read (now, if people would just use the freaking links to support ADT) and the price search applied. If any of the reviewers here start acting stuck up or putting on airs-the rest of us will probably have a few things to say towards them. I can't speak for Dvd Empire's reviews though (no information).
Notice which reviews are on top of the popular lists? Jake Steed Little White Chicks etc #8 and #9. Do you know what that means!?! That means my two reviews (Yes mine ) got read by hundreds of people!!! How many bought??? We never will know, but the chances are great of customers purchasing those titles.
So tell me if Jake Steed didn't get good cash in his pockets thanks to those titles, and more importantly, thanks to me.
I am positive, that when many readers read the reviews, they said "Oh I gotta get this!" and purchased it in the online store.
Also those two titles are fucking hot.
[Link]
sonic Deactivated User
1178 Posts 12/99
Posted - Apr 18 2001 : 1:48AM
P.S: The review popular/50 of all time list page created by Drew, is a perfect example of showcasing which reviews are on top and you get a figure on how many get read, that equals to customers and their wallets. So you see, I feel reviews have a HUGE impact on customers if they take their word for it.
Remember....I got into buying titles without looking thanks to Rog's reviews. And all I needed from this great reviewer was a yes or a no according to his ratings. If I wouldn't follow Rog's word, I wouldn't buy, that equals to a less customer. Not to mention if I buy, I like spreading the word on how the title was hot, that equals to even more customers which are really my friends.
Reviews most certainly make a difference to me as I try to budget myself on what I spend on enterainment. I also have my own personal tastes and favorites starlets and I look to see what the reviewer thinks of her performance. I take this into consideration greatly when I am deciding whether or not to buy a title. An example of this was when I first got into Tera Patrick and was looking for a good title of hers. At the time which was about a year ago that was Nice Rack 4. At the time I only had a vcr. I had read the review Rog did for it and liked it and so I went with his opinion and bought the title and I was not disappointed. I like to read as many reviews as I can also trying to find a title that someone may just be apeshit about and that sometimes gives me the idea to try someone new. So everyone keep posting the reviews they do make a difference. Thanks.
How influential reviews are, I don't know. I've written quite a few and have no idea if they make a difference, or if they're even read. Of course, I haven't really solicited feedback, either. Something I think is important to keep in mind is that a review's purpose is more than just giving consumer information. Only half of those who read reviews--at least in mainstream criticism--do so because they're looking for advice on how to spend their money. The other half of the readers are just looking for entertainment. They want to know if someone else agrees with their opinion of a movie they've already seen or they're just looking to read something about a subject that interest them. In our case, they might be looking to for a laugh, or maybe even for someone to say something about porn besides who cums on who.
When you do get feedback from the studios regarding the reviews, do you pass them on to the writers? For instance, if I wrote a review and said, "ANAL EATER #46 sucks! Paula Pussy just lies there like a dying trout whenever she gets fucked by John Stallion!" and Studio B Entertainment thought that my review was full of shit, would you let me know so I could correct (or further support) my comments?
Believe it or not, I would love to know what a studio like Caballero thinks whenever I rag on them for a crappy DVD transfer (8 TO 4, for example) . Even if they thought that I was a no-nothing geek who has no other life other than to bitch about dirty videos (just like my wife tells me), I would at least like to know that there is some consumer dissatisfaction with their products.
As a reviewer, I hope they're read! I normally get an e-mail every week or two either asking for more information on movies, complaining about the review, or thanking me for the review. Every so often I get an e-mail from somebody involved in the movies or from the studio, which I really value. They're normally nice enough to let me know why the problem I compained about happened and answer anything I mentioned wondering about in the reviews. My reviews are done somewhat because it's a great way for me to relax at the end of the day and take my mind in a cmpletely opposite direction. If they care enough to e-mail me about my reviews (and I consider myself a little guy even though I guess I'm in the top 15 on RAME), then I figure they care a lot about their work and I try to reward that caring by checking out more of their stuff. It's a great feeling (even the hate e-mail since some of them are kind of funny) knowing that my reviews are being read.
As a consumer, heck yes they matter. There's a lot of crap out there so I almost always check to see if there's a review either here, on RAME, or on the Empire before I buy a title (unless the studio has proven itself already). I sometimes will pick up a few titles from a new studio just to add them to the review list here if they're on sale cheap and star somebody I like regardless of the rating but not often.
Funny that you mention this studio. Steph and I had a meeting with the owner of Cabllero about 6 months ago in his office. I can't think of a nice thing to say about the meeting. We tried to emphasize that the stuff they were putting out was crap. People really didn't like it. We also learned that they don't have internet access in the offices at Caballero. (Hell, only a handful of employees have computers on their desks.)
I can honestly say that they don't care what their consumers think. We were recently told that Caballero is going to be changing their ways and putting out better DVDs. I doubt that this is due to consumer feedback and reviews on the internet. I can only assume it's because (like Sonic says) if you put out shitty product you will lose customers. This market-driven type of feedback may not be as immediate as what you get from a review but it's far more painful when it hits the bottom line. I hope they follow through and start putting out better product. They have one of the best libraries of back catalog items in the business.
In more general terms, I don't get the studio feedback, Steph does. I know she's received phone calls from a few people along the lines of (as an example) "Who the fuck is Houston Don? I want to talk to that son of a bitch!" She handles the situation in whatever way she can and eventually turns the situation into something positive.
Diesel, in regards to studio complaints being forwarded to us-I don't think Steph wants to do that. We've discussed it in general terms before but she didn't think it would be a positive thing. Perhaps she's trying to protect us.
I started adding the "contact me link" to my email at the bottom of my reviews awhile back for this reason. If someone at a studio/a fan/anyone with an axe to grind wants to discuss the relative merits of a review and/or my parental lineage, they are more than welcome to email me. I have also, in the past, offered to discuss anything bothering someone via phone/carrier pidgeon/whatever other means someone wanted to-I got very few takers. I have seen a few attacks on the forums though...
Drew: "In more general terms, I don't get the studio feedback, Steph does. I know she's received phone calls from a few people along the lines of (as an example) "Who the fuck is Houston Don? I want to talk to that son of a bitch!" She handles the situation in whatever way she can and eventually turns the situation into something positive."
Steph can always refer them to me except she knows that I respond in kind to whatever is thrown my way. If someone is just mad and ranting, I'll dismiss them like I would any unthinking child whereas if someone wants to hold a rational discussion on the relative merits of a release-I can do that too.
As long as some of the companies feel it's okay to offer crap for the same $25 as the better stuff (and I don't mean things that vary from viewer to viewer), I'll be willing to point out the relative value of it. That's why I make such a big deal about technical values in my reviews. The best porno in the world, if mastered improperly/taken from a bad source tape/is edited to death/or has skanky looking meth clinic rejects for the majority of the cast, is not going to receive a "5". That's why it's cool that Steph acts as a filter-if a company really cares about their releases, they'll listen to her and act accordingly.
But let's not forget that our reviews aren't necessarily the literary equivalent of Consumer Reports. (We can't line up different movies at the same time and compare video quality and such; at least I can't.) But when the reviews are looked at in NUMBERS they matter. If Dream Quest is reviewed by 10 people, and most of the people gave the movie a 4 or a 4.5, the movie is probably very good. Even if someone should have put a 4.5 instead of a 4 (i.e., the review's not perfect or completely accurate to the movie's worth), the number of reviewers fix the oversight and one gets closer to the movie's worth the more reviews there are.
I think studios do listen. I feel like the adult industry is much more in tune with the consumer than "Hollywood" is. At least some of the better studios are, like Wicked Pictures.
Hey, Diesel, Who's Spooky? That guy's? gal's? reviews are growing on me. Adult DVD Empire is by far the best "web store" on the net that I've found. You got a good thing going over there.
One more thing: without reviews, I would have purchased a lot of crap and missed out on great stuff because I blew all my cash on crap. Especially with Adult movies, consumer reviews and such are a must.
The question, to me, is why are you writing reviews?
In my heyday of writing them, this was my reasoning: it's something I can do to give back. Back in 94-95 when I was going fullsteam, there wasn't the wealth of resources out here, and over in alt.sex.movies the reviews really helped you out in that if you wanted a Ginger Lynn movie where she took it on the chin, you'd read the reviews to find out if she did or not.
We never felt that we had to impress upon the studios to make better product and to even consider it now, I think, is the highest form of egostism.
I write to help my fellow fan. I maintain my websites to help my fellow fan. I could give a crap about what the guy at Caballero thinks; I just know that maybe what I write will save some guy a couple bucks or point him to the movie he's seeking.
This is also why I settled on the scene-by-scene nature of my reviews -- people aren't watching porn for the suspense of findng out what appens next; they want to see Starlet X do Sexual Act Y. So I'd try and clue them in that Starlet X did take it up the ass, etc.
Did I think that my review was going to influence the way companies put out their product? Hell, no. I still don't.
If we actually had any impact, Leisure Time would be out of business.
But to seek some of fame for reviewing porn movies and thinking you're changing the world doing so? You've got to be kidding.
We have a saying around the newsgroup, "An educated consumer is the industry's worst nightmare." So I try my best to keep people educated. In the past, it was with my reviews, these days it's maintaining the websites...
I'm glad everyone takes it seriously enough to try and get things right, but some of this "change the industry" polemic is (IMHO) ludicrous.
I write reviews for the fans. And my main purpose is to help others find what floats their boat without unnecessarily blowing their bankroll. The scenes are the core, and I try to speak of the scenes that made me give the movie a good rating.
But at the same time, I think the reviews could be read by studios with an eye on improving the product. It seems to be that studio's do that to some extent. But it's not the reason I write the review. Us porn fans got to help each other out with reviews or we'd all be broke, at least the ones who purchase.
I would like to point out an instance that really made a change for the better. A while back a lot of reviews/posts mentioned how annoying the big black camera icon that showed up on certain Private DVDs was awful. Private read the reviews and responded. Now the icon is smaller and can be turned off! I applaud that. I've been trying to get ALL of Private's titles on DVD. I only wish they could turn them out faster. It takes several months from the VHS release until the DVD is out. But I can't complain, they put out the type of product I really love and they listen. As far as reviews go I'm always skeptical of good reviews, but I do appreciate the reviews that let me know what product to avoid - and explain why. And if the studios can't handle the truth that's their problem. They need to either put out better product or they will suffer. Nothing worse than buying a title on DVD to find out the VHS version is better. [Erotic Visions comes to mind] That practice has got to stop.
To be honest a good review doesn't mean as much to me as a bad one does. I realize reviews are subjective and that what the reviewer likes I may not. However, if the reviewer points out a lot of problems with the movie then I may not even bother to rent it much less buy it.
Jeff/Adult Movie FAQ, I respectfully disagree with you. While my main concern for writing reviews is to assist the fan, not all of whom want a splooge by splooge accounting of a movie, I keep an eye towards the production company too.
Is it egotistical to think some of the companies pay attention? I don't think so-you can look for the remarks from Evil Angel, Wicked, or Adam & Eve as three examples. Each have recognized problems raised in reviews and forums and has worked to correct them. Just because low end companies like Leisure don't listen doesn't mean we should pretend that none of them do. It's not about seeking fame and fortune-none of us have indicated any desire to cash in our modest efforts for something bigger and better-it's about helping people. I think we do that-however much or little.
On the other hand, I agree with you that an educated consumer is the industry's, as a whole, worst nightmare. If I point out how lousy a dvd is, how edited, how the advertised star was just in an add on scene-it may well influence how many people buy the dvd. Over time, small influences add up. Do I envision myself as a star maker/breaker? Heck no but apparently enough people take what we write seriously enough to get grumpy about it. If we had no impact, why would they worry so much?
Then you're doing this for your own eggrandizement then. So you can say to whomever "Look what I did. I changed the industry."
In my experience a majority of the readers I have been in contact with want to know who does what to whom. I have yet to meet someone who wants to blow 30 bucks to be "surprised" to find out that his most favorite star shows up in a non-sex role.
I think it is egotisitcal to to try and get reactions from those companies because you know they're around. It's like talking too loud about your car at a party so the person next to you can ask "Oh, you have a Mustang? Cool."Bravo for them. (And I mean that.) It's nice to see a company listen to their customers.
But it's not just because someone says it that they jump, either. There has to be a business reason. I'm not sure that a single review on ADT or RAME, etc. can move a company to action; it might plant a seed, but there has to be a compelling business reason to do so. I am sure Private got a lot of letters about their camera icon in order for them to spend the time and money to redesign their product.
Plus, I'd expect Wicked, A&E and EA to do what they're doing -- they've always been pretty pro-consumer oriented. Wake me up when Extreme, Vivid or Leisure Time starts taking notice of these crusades...
Allow me to end by quoting from the FAQ I maintain, it pretty much sums up my thoughts:
- - Begin Quoted Material - -
Are we taken seriously by the industry professionals?
I think we are taken as seriously as fan mail. Well, allow me to let Bill Majors, a real live industry professional, comment:
The answer is that they DO read this news group. However, IMHO, most of us tend NOT to regard things here as the bottom line. We all have one other form of research that works even better -- it is called the marketplace. That is what we pay VERY close attention to.
Examples?
Many here have been vociferous about natural tits and NOT wanting big ones. The results? Sorry -- when a gal gets bigger, so does her pocketbook and that of the producer. Anal scenes? Some like them some don't, but the marketplace right now is very hot for them.
I could go on, with complaints about boxes not representing what is inside them. But when the producer makes a dud, and we all do from time to time, the glitzy box has been shown to sell the tape and recover investment. These are just everyday practical considerations for those of us in the business.
I enjoy reading what you and yours write. However, I don't think I would allow it to replace the business judgement that over 20 years has placed our firm pretty much at the top of the heap when it comes to the specialized product that we produce.
Yet, some studios and performers do review what goes on at RAME to keep misinformation to a minimum.
For example, after several posters contributed to a list of studios and their divisions, Brush Creek studios (a gay studio) corrected some of the information contained in the posts.
In a more infamous example, after RAME posters discussed the Jeff Browning underage acting controversy, Browning contacted several posters by email to warn them against libel and slander -- even tho no one was libeling or slandering him by reporting the facts. :-).
I agree that writing porn reviews as a way of cultivating a professional reputation is kind of silly. If I wanted recognition I wouldn't be using a screen name in lieu of my real one. I'm happy being a fan. Those who want to make a difference, though, have my blessing. Good luck to you, but I just don't have the energy to do it myself.
My reviews are not the blow by blow kind, and as a result I'm convinced I'm the least popular reviewer around here. But I've said it before, I doubt anyone has as much fun writing as I do. I'd like to say my first priority is looking out for the consumer, but to be honest with you, I'm just entertaining myself. If someone else is entertained, too, then that's a wonderful thing. Every once in awhile someone will have a kind thing to say about something I've written, and it's really flattering when that happens. I may have impacted a small handful of purchasing decisions, and my comments might have even been mildly interesting to someone on the inside. Ultimately, I just hope those who take the time to read these things don't feel like their time has been wasted. That's really all I can hope for.
For me, the most important part of a review has to do with the quality of the disk as far as picture and sound. Basically is is any better than a VHS copy of the same title.
The second part is a quick rundown of the scenes. Who is with who. Usually I am buying a title because of who is in it. I am not a big fan of girl/girl scenes, so if the only scene that the girl that causing me to buy the disk participates in is a girl/girl, then it is kind of a waste of monay for me.
AVN used to be pretty good for these two things, but not anymore. Sometimes I think that the AVN reviewere watch the credits and one scene on the movie, because that is all you get.
As far as whether the reviewer liked the movie or not, I don't really think that influences me one way or another. Porn is so subjective. Unless I find a reviewer who has the exact same likes and dislikes as I do, I don't think that I am going to let someone else make the decision as to whether I am going to like a movie or not.
I also have an advantage over many others. I have access to a few very good adult video stores that rent and sell both VHS and DVD titles. So, usually I will have had access to a title before it is available on DVD (and probably have already rented it if I am considering a purchase). If it is a day and date release, and I am questioning if I want to own it or not, I will usually rent it first. It may cost me an extra $2.50 if I end up buying it, but every purchase that a rental prevents pays for 8-10 more rentals.
For us British Porn Fans, reviews are essential, as they are the only informed way we can make our choices about what films we want. Many sites only do small thumbnails of front covers of disks/ tapes, and as we all know, the cover and the content seldom have much to do with each other. When you buy a disk, you need to know that you're going to like it, and I for one would like some prior warning that the disk I've just bought isn't going to be full of anal bondage and squirting. Quite apart from the legal side of things (the people who run the UK think such things should be banned), they don't appeal to Yours Truly. If it wasn't for ADT and RAME, I doubt if I'd bother risking buying any adult DVDs I didn't know personally (from their severely cut British version).
To Trunks: Thanks for the kind words...Spooky is a fellow reviewer on Adult DVD Empire, and I'm proud to say that I taught him everything I know. Just kidding. Actually, he a good guy who knows his stuff.
TO Adult Movie FAQ: Actually, when I said I would love to know what Caballero thinks, I meant from a consumer's viewpoint. Caballero has been turning out suck poorly mastered DVDs on a systematic basis, that I cringe whenever I see that a favorite video of mine is released under their DVD label. If NIGHT TRIPS 2 were released by DaViD (like they did with the first three Andrew Blake films), then we probably would have gotten a less defect-ridden transfer than what Caballero does (By the way, DaVid did a mediocre job with those films, but it is still better than what Caballero did).
There is no doubt that it would be extremely egotistical to believe that a few reviews can "change the world" (which is what I was alluding to in my first posting about pretentions and conceit), and if I implied any hope or belief that writing a negative review on a crappy DVD would make a studio change its ways, then of course, I would be incredibly naive. But I write reviews for two reasons: (1) to vent my spleen as a consumer whenever I find out that I just forked over a couple of hard earned bucks on a piece of junk; and (2) to recommend to other customers videos which I think are worth watching, and to help separate the wheat from the chaff.
I would hope that anyone who takes the time out to write an informed, articulate and well-rationalized critique of any creative product, or work of art (term used advisedly) does it because they have a love for the medium, and that they want to see it thrive and improve. Before I began writing for Adult DVD Empire as an In House Reviewer, I frequently sent in my own "Customer Comments" which was non-commissioned work performed gratis because I just wanted to speak my two cents worth as a customer and as a fan.
Since the adult entertainment industry is so ghettoized in the first place, it is unreasonable to expect too much in the way of art to come from the video companies. But if complaints aren't voiced, and if fellow consumers aren't informed, there is NO way of expecting a better (or changed) product from the studios.
If we wanted to write reviews only for our own self-aggrandizement, then we would be better off discussing more mainstream forms of entertainment. I doubt that any reviewer expects fame or fortune (or public acceptability) from writing about dirty movies. Which is why as Diville points out, we all write under a pseudonym.
DIESEL
[Link]
sonic Deactivated User
1178 Posts 12/99
Posted - Apr 18 2001 : 9:55PM
I also wanted to say this, and it's probably my last post in this thread because I already spoke my words, and perhaps this is off topic, but the reason I also read Rog's reviews is because he sometimes expresses a sense of humor. When I read a review, I want to laugh and have a good reading. But sometimes I read these straight up reviews that sound dark with no sort of life. Just "he fucked her she fucked him and blah blah blah"
I believe that providing some sense of humor can brighten things up. And who knows for there what happens.
AMF, if I am a small part of a much larger group that helps to change the industry in some small way-so be it. It's better than becoming jaded that "no one listens" and become part of the problem. I'm just glad that you haven't hit that point yet.
I have yet to "try and get a reaction" from any of the consumer friendly companies either. If they comment, cool. If not, cool. Just because I'm interested in what some of them have to say about criticism doesn't mean I'm a raving egomaniac. As far as Extreme, Leisure or Vivid-none of them make much that I'd consider at full price anyway. There are other companies that might at least consider what we say-even if just from a fan level. Believe it or not-some companies listen and react.
I suppose those that tilt at windmills-even as part of a larger group-will have to accept that some people are meant to attempt change and others willingly accept whatever is placed before them. I am one who isn't afraid to speak my mind and let the chips fall as they may. It's not about any single reviewer or review either. Collectively, RAME and all it's affiliates can make a difference. If that's egotistical...
We've all missed another part of the equation too. The stores that sell stuff listen to us as well. If a store listens to us, they may-AND HAVE-had sales to get rid of stuff that's panned. Again, contribute or don't: just don't attack those of us who make an attempt to better things. Thanks in advance for all your hard work.
I agree with Sonic about the humor part of a review. I like to think that the person who is writing what I am reading cared enough about what they were watching to give an honest take on what they viewed and humor is a good way to do that. I just hate the guy 1 puts penis into girl 2 and girl 3 licks guy 1's balls, boring. Let me know what they looked liked were they smiling and acting like they were enjoying themselves. I have tried to do that in the few reviews I have done and am always reading as many as I can to try and determine what I want to buy and also if I do anymore reviews what kinds I would like to write. Everyone will have their own style and that is good too.
I appreciate all the thoughtful feedback to my original question...
But I was also hoping that studio representatives like Jeff Krull, Stephen Forem, Wit Maverick, David Crawford, Trisha Devereaux, Edward Solis among others would add their $.02 worth as to how they respond to reviews (artistically, or as to the bottom line)...
Reviews are essential. No review is bad. If I cant find a review for something - either here or at Adult DVD Empire or Google or somewhere - i probably won't buy it. Particularly for generic porn. If it's some sort of kink that not too many videos have or has stars that I know/think are hot, I might consider it but otherwise probably not.
Bad reviews are just as helpful as good reviews. If something gets a 2.5 or 3 out of 5, I may still consider it for one of the above reasons or if it costs $5-15 - I say 2.5-3 out of 5 because at some point, no matter how cheap a movie is, it's not worth it, so I think 2 or under is that point. Even if I don't consider it, I probably will consider a different video that gets a good review so the seller still gets my business. If I don't find out that something is a dud until watching it, I may be wary next time. Of course, if I find that a movie that stinks got a 4 or 5 out of 5, that won't earn trust any quicker.
Diesel, this is a great question and I was always meaning to respond. Before becoming a member of this site I was rather frustrated with the lack of reviews. Adult DVD Empire was the first site I bought from (I am Tallyman as a member). I got frustrated that I could not find a review and I did not understand how Empire has ratings for movies that have no reviews. I think that reviews do matter, but I would like to see more perspectives(I am a fan of perspective). For instance, we have several reviews for Zazel on this site. Most are good, but one is bad. Reading all of those reviews allows the consumer to better decide. In fact I would probably prefer that everybody write a review, no matter how short, just to give their feelings. You don't have to write the detailed reviews like astro, HD, and sometimes myself. Just give your basic viewpoint. Don't buy something just cause I say its good. We may have different tastes. But, if I could stop just one person from buying a Dirty Debutantes DVD, then I feel like I have done my part.
I'll make love to you in your sleep, and Lord knows you'll feel no pain, cause I'm a million miles away, but at the same time I'm right here in your picture frame --from Voodoo Chile by Jimi Hendrix Endorphin's Lair FREE THE WEED
Hmm... I had to go and look at those reviews to find out if good and bad here reflected the reviewer's opinion of the movie or Endorphin's opinion of the quality of writing. I'm betting on the first, although...
This reminds me of the fact that once upon a time I used to enjoy reading reviews of porn videos that I usually couldn't get my hands on. A matter of geography, that probably has influenced my perception of the whole reviewing process.
Perhaps this is why I am not so much interested in reading the enumerated descriptions of couplings, because that kind of review/specification is mainly useful for the "shopper" who wants to know about the ingredients that go into the making of the product he is buying, and basically the product needs to be easy to pick up from the friendly neighborhood store. On the other hand, someone who is less familiar with the genre in question might find a subjective description and analysis more helpful.
On that note, this site (straight link did not work) has some reviews that I find entertaining as reading matter, even if they might not influence my buying habits. (At least in this case: from the clips I have seen I am not convinced that this Kovi character is much of an auteur.)
Speaking of Private directors, at one point I considered writing a review of their Odyssey 2001 DVD from the point of view of comparing the visual styles of the directors featured, but decided against it on the grounds that this would be seen as more self-indulgent wankery than anything informative.
Porno movies, sexy videos, xxx. Adult DVD Talk at your service. 6409 Posts 11/99
Posted - May 19 2001 : 11:18AM
Reason, self-indulgent wankery is as good a reason as any. Reviews don't just have to help shoppers, entertaining reads are always welcome. In fact, I'll be posting a very funny piece from Endorphin as soon as I finish formatting it. Also, thanks for the link to xmag - we're building a porn info search engine of hand picked sites - it will be a nice addition.
As far as the question at hand, reviews are key not only in making shopping decisions, but also letting people know they're not alone in their likes and dislikes. We all write reviews for different reasons. Generally, I am only inspired to write a review when I really like a DVD and want to share that. Though I can see how it would be more fun to write reviews of really crappy porn :)
Great topic!! As a reviewer for Adult DVD Empire, I hope that my reviews make a difference. Lord knows that relying on boxcover photos or the silly blurbs put on the back of the DVD cases doesn't always help when picking some material to choke the chicken to. Such material is not always indicative of what one will find inside. Case in point, my review of Lost Angel. Basically, not a bad compilation flick but the boxcover description would lead you to believe it was a plotted movie starring Katie Gold.
Basically, when it comes to reviews, I believe that sex can only be done in so many ways. It isn't necessary to say that someones cock went into someones pussy, etc., or describe every sex act with specificity. (That is a given) An overview or quick rundown of the action will suffice (e.g. suck/fuck, BJ, anal, etc.)Therefore, I believe it is important to focus on aspects of the film that make it better (or worse) than run of the mill porn (e.g. were the girls particularly hot? Are the performers new? Does someone have a particularly great technique, give a great performance, make great sounds, etc.? Was there a certain exciting situational aspect to the setup? How was the sound, video and directing quality, etc.) For example, we all know the stunning Tera Patrick and I was blown away by her in my review of [ invalid url ]
On the other hand, a bad review can hopefully save somebody some money and steer them towards better product. (Of course, the bad reviews are always the most fun to write. (e.g. Ed Powers Takes Philadelphia)
Glad to join the discussion. Keep up the great work, Diesel!!
Watch for my reviews on Adult DVD Empire.
Joe Blow
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banned user Deactivated User
Chicago, IL 25 Posts 5/01
Posted - May 19 2001 : 1:38PM
Hey Joe Blow,
Have you seen any of Spooky's reviews they are terrible. The guy gives 4 1/2 - 5 stars on every dvd. His reviews are very misleading. One thing I would like to point out also is when reviewing a RAW DVD there isn't ever a high standard. So your review of Lost Angel wasn't that necessary, but everyone has the choice to voice their opinion.
Well, although I should mind my own business (but what else are Forums for?), I would like to state that I think Spooky's reviews are excellent, and that some of his raves happen to be precede some recent bestsellers, including SKY'S DAY OFF, which did not become such a hot item until after his review came out. And it turns out that he was right! It's a damned good video! I am not saying that there was a cause and effect here, but only that I like Spooky's work as well as Joe Blow's.
The least I can hope for in any review is that someone, somewhere discovers a new gem of a video that I wanted to rave about like THE TEASE , or else avoided a DVD which never deserved to see the laserlight of day such as GIRLS ON FIRE or SURVEILLANCE SEX .
Of course, it is more than inspiring to see any review gather feedback from a studio insider, whether good or bad (unless it's to point out all the embarassing mistakes that a reviewer has made...which has happened to me often enough...).
Diesel
Check into DIESEL'S DEN on Adult DVD Empire for a report on Tara Monroe, Francesca Le and Selena Steele!
Porno movies, sexy videos, xxx. Adult DVD Talk at your service. 6409 Posts 11/99
Posted - May 19 2001 : 11:57PM
without being argumentative, Sky's Day Off has an alluring cover, it was on sale at empire for less than $15, and it received positive reviews all across the board. while i think most reviews do influence the market, rarely does one review determine the success or failure of a product.
"without being argumentative, Sky's Day Off has an alluring cover, it was on sale at empire for less than $15, and it received positive reviews all across the board. while i think most reviews do influence the market, rarely does one review determine the success or failure of a product."
To which I reply, you are correct. I didn't mean to say that because of Spooky's review that the movie began flying off the shelves, although I sure as hell implied that, didn't I? I just meant to say that he spotted a good product when he saw it. Sorry about the poor phrasing.
Diesel
Check into DIESEL'S DEN on Adult DVD Empire for a report on Tara Monroe, Francesca Le and Selena Steele!
Porno movies, sexy videos, xxx. Adult DVD Talk at your service. 6409 Posts 11/99
Posted - May 20 2001 : 10:52AM
Diesel - I actually realized what you meant after I shut down for the night. I was going to edit my post this morning, but I got up late and you already quoted me :)
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banned user Deactivated User
Chicago, IL 25 Posts 5/01
Posted - May 20 2001 : 1:05PM
Diesel,
I know you have to stand up for Spooky (the crappiest reviewer on the planet) because he is on the ADE team, but c'mon you can't tell me Sky's Day Off was actually worthy of 5 stars. I actually purchased it because it was $16.99. I am glad it was only that price and not higher. Sky's Day Off is a complete waste of space. Odyssey hit a new low with this one.
I like Spooky personally (through e-mail correspondence) and he and I have often discussed the merits of a particular DVD, even where we greatly differed in opinion . So my reply about him of course wasn't just professional. I also think that "Dr. Mabuse" writes excellent reviews as does "Southerner." On this site, Diville and Saki write some exhaustively insightful stuff as do many others...
Anyhow, I guess the answer to my original question is that reviews can make a difference...good, bad or indifferent.
Diesel
Check into DIESEL'S DEN on Adult DVD Empire for a report on Tara Monroe, Francesca Le and Selena Steele!
I think that's a case of having different porn preferences. I'm in the process of writing a review for Sky's Day Off, and while I'm not going to give it a 5/5, it's pretty good and on par with the Shane's World/Slumber Party/Pornological predecessors. It's also, from a DVD standpoint, one of OGV's best DVDs to date.
Saying that it's a waste of space leads me to believe that you don't care for the style of the porn. Saying someone is a bad reviewer because he can't write is a lot different from saying that because you disagree with his likes & dislikes. That's cool if you don't agree with him, but until everyone likes and dislikes the same things in porn, calling him the crappiest reviwer because of that is wrong.
And, no offense to OGV, but Sky's Day Off is hardly the low bar. Over the years, I've seen some truly crappy series distributed by Odyssey, and there's no way I would lump that title in with the swill.
Evil, I don't even know Spooky but I've seen far worse reviews than his. Look up the recent review of Just Jill by Patrick Riley sometime and you'll see how weak a guy who WRITES BOOKS does reviews. My own experiences with Empire's reviews has been that two of them wrote good reviews and the others that I read were less than awe inspiring. I haven't read each of the reviewers there-maybe I will when we can selectively do so. I'm not going to say who's reviews I like there because I don't want my friend here getting a swelled head.
Brawn, different strokes for different folks. I don't think the reviews at Empire are supposed to be complete in every way reviews you'll see elsewhere. If I'm shopping there and I see there's a review, I'll check it out-purely out of curiousity. If it's one of the guys that liked the Venus releases, I'll immediately discount anything they say-as though I were reading a review written in the Bizarro Universe (obscure Superman reference). If it's one of the few I trust there, it may sway me to get it-this has happened before.
Heck, if I had my way, the one mandatory thing every review should have is a statement about the technical qualities. I like some of the more popular reviewers a lot but whenever they have nothing about the picture quality, sound quality or dvd transfer in the body of the review-I avoid the title like the plague.
Diesel, I caught your meaning on Sky's Day Off. My take on such things is that if a site, like ADT, puts a review on the front page-many people tend to check it out. If it has a popular star in it, people tend to check it out. If Empire, or another company puts a title on sale, people tend to check out whatever reviews they can get ahold of. You could get Empire to have a "reviewer sale" and lower the price of anything your guys liked and it would get people interested in a review.
That said, on this site, there is plenty of variety in reviewing style. If someone has a style you don't like-avoid their reviews. (you can also send them email if they include it and tell them why you don't like a review or the style)
Me hate Dyanna Lauren because she am good director! Me give good review so she no direct anymore. Diesel watch Vivid if Dyanna directs video because me hate it!
See? I do understand Bizarro-speak.
Diesel
Check into DIESEL'S DEN on Adult DVD Empire for a report on Tara Monroe, Francesca Le and Selena Steele!
While I agree that some of the self-important tones that some reviewers take on are egotistical, let's face it: some of the folks on the newsgroups who would condemn that have, at times, taken themselves far too seriously and have accorded more importance to their views than they deserved.You're right, there are a lot of people who are only interested in the objective descriptions of sexual acts. But speaking as someone who buys porn for the purpose of getting off (let's be honest), there's a big difference between "Jenna takes it up the ass" and how she does it. Porn is chaos theory in practice: you can take the same performers and the same act, and every different take will have a different result.
So while I don't mind the play-by-play, it doesn't serve as a public service without some subjective commentary to go with it. Given the choice between, say, one of Lenny's reviews, and nothing, I'll take nothing--I can probably make a more intelligent call on whether I'll like the video by the boxcover.
But again, I'm in the minority.
So would Vivid...but that's never going to happen. However, it does have some measure of impact with studios who do care about their product. And maybe that's all anyone could hope to expect: a few changes here and there, rather than "changing the world."Absolutely. And whether you give reviews that look like box scores or ones that look like open letters, you're helping to educate consumers, right?
I agree with Saki's comments. I don't think that reviewing porn movies are supposed to equate reviewers on the level of a David Horowitz or Ralph Nader. Sure, all reviewers are guilty of some sort of high-mindedness or pretentiousness at one time or another, but I'd like to believe that most critics take the time to review porn out of their love for the medium.
However, I do think that publicly taking studios to task for a shoddy product is necessary to assure that other customers won't get screwed, as well as providing a "public service" announcement rightfully blacklisting rip-off videos.
Diesel
Check into DIESEL'S DEN on Adult DVD Empire for a report on Tara Monroe, Francesca Le and Selena Steele!
Diesel, I never doubted that you'd know the reference. Something about your various posts and reviews told me that.
Saki, your chaos theory comment is interesting. I may use that in a review soon. I don't think you're in the minority regarding what types of reviews you like either. Having read a few porn related newsgroups for awhile now, I think your observation on self importance is well stated though. I've seen blistering attacks on Asia Carrera for not regularly screwing black guys, Jill Kelly for being an "old hag", movies being considered shit because condoms were used and/or a woman in a scene didn't take a facial, etc.
Without beating a dead horse, I think, for example, a company would do well to consider comments made by some reviewers. Read one of Astro's reviews and you'll know if the picture quality sucked or not. You'll learn if it has forced commercials-universally hated commercials too-and how it impacts a rating. Would it take a lot for a company to listen and maybe act on a suggestion, no it wouldn't. Wouldn't it make sense, given the competitive nature of porn with all it's releases?
Steph, you are right of course. Wicked is responsive to constructive criticism. Evil Angel, A&E, and others are too. If the comments some of us make fall on deaf company ears, so be it-the better companies can still learn from others' mistakes. ADT is a great place for company's to learn in a much friendlier, yet non-insulated environment. Keep up the good work.
