Producer, Director, HBO/Cinemax, International Award Winner. 75 Posts 2/10
Posted - Jan 12 2011 : 7:45PM
It seems there are two basic camps when it comes to how porn parodies are scripted; emulate or deviate. I'm very curious as to what fans of porn parody prefer? Do you prefer a parody that sticks very much in line with the original material; sets, story lines, nearly perfectly cloned depictions? Or, do you prefer parodies that use the original as a basic template but venture off into new territory, darker themes, lighter themes, similar characters but with new or different depth of character and/or story lines? I'm very curious. If a poll was taken what would the preference be?
Good topic. Well, first and foremost, I'm still anxious for someone to find a cure for "the parody plague" but, considering that no end is in sight, I'd rather watch original takes on recognizable material than dull clones. I think the term "parody" conjures up ideas of spoof, exaggeration or distillation of a pre-existing source. I personally find that dull unless, of course, the people creating the parody are extremely talented satirists. I mean, a good XXX parody shouldn't be a glorified remake with the plot changed just enough to accommodate sex scenes. Nor should an XXX parody be nothing more than an otherwise standard "porn" where the sets and costumes a reminiscent of another film or TV show (which is what most porn parodies are). I think the nature of a parody always depends, in part, on the nature of the source material. Satirizing things which were supposed to be funny (i.e. sitcoms) seems kinda stupid. The results end up being nothing more than a juvenile exercise in making fun of "old" things or trotting out a bunch of supposedly kitschy references. I almost immediately dismiss XXX parodies of comedies. As for "parodies" of serious source material, making a successful comedic send-up would be fine, as long as good filmmaking doesn't get lost between bland and overlong sex scenes. Making a "serious" parody of a serious film or TV show often results in the end product comes off like a low-rent remake or continuation. However, I'd like to see some quality homages to well known films or televisions series, not done as remakes but rather like how Brian DePalma referenced Hitchcock in films like DRESSED TO KILL, SISTERS, and BODY DOUBLE in which the film is clearly based on pre-existing materials but exists more as a recontexualization or re-use of those materials rather than simply a copy. Anyway, those are my 4 cents. I hope some of what I'm saying makes sense.
Both. I like the sets to emulate those that you are familiar with. The cast to emulate the characters. As for the story, I like it to go in it's own direction, but not out of the realm of what would fit for the original source material had the original show writers been perverts. I'll use Not the Bradys XXX as an example. I watched way too many episodes of this show when I was younger. I was never a huge fan, but the place I grew up in didn't have cable and it was on one of the few channels that we got. The parody had amazing sets and cast. But the story didn't work. It was too far out of the realm. Cindy with the biker felt forced. And the whole porn film set felt too much out of their world. Especially for a show with innuendo that has been read into it over the years. Another example is '70s Show: A XXX Parody. This is a show where there was fucking and people trying to get fucked all the time. Yet somehow the plot they came up with didn't fit the feel of the show at all. If you are going to do a parody of a show, it's going to have to work as a perverted version of that show if seen without the sex scenes. I want a new story. If I wanted to just see a rip of an original episode, I'd just watch the original episode. Then the sex scenes need to fit in. Not every character has to fuck in the parody. Some can be non-sex roles. Not a parody, but a reimagining, Malice in Lalaland was amazing. This one blew me away. Since it wasn't a parody but was a re-imagining of a familiar story, they were able to take the story where they wanted and there was no need to keep it true to the original. Malice, while in ways similar to Alice, was her own character. A parody that I thought worked really well was a genre parody made by Wicked years ago, Camp Cuddly Pines Powertool Massacre. The characters were their own and instead of forcing it to try and follow a familiar story and make the sex fit in instead they lampooned several horror films. So far I haven't seen any of the parodies that truly work. I think it's because the people who are going to be drawn to a parody are fans of the original material or people who ended up watching the program a lot, even if they aren't raving fans and the people writing them haven't seen enough of the source material to make it work with the right balance of familiarity and perversion within the existing characters as they are known to viewers. Added characters for the sake of the parody are fine, shows add characters for an episode or two all the time. There may be some parodies out there that do work, there are many I haven't seen. And I also don't want to put down the directors and writers making these parodies. A parody is a hard thing to do right and the ability to properly do one may not exist within adult film budgeting. And I will say that there has been noticeable effort in the parodies I've seen to emulate characters and sets.
I've only written a few reviews of these xxx parodies; I would say that your best bet is to emulate, then integrate the sex scenes. If you deviate too much in a certain direction, you might lose the crowd that bought the parody because of their familiarity with the original source material. And isn't that the crowd that would want to watch/pay for said parody in the first place? And if a few takes-on-past-source-material (reimaginings that deviate so much so that they nearly stand as something original) sneak in there then that might please the John Lyonses and the Flashes and the T0MBOnes out there.
At this point, I'll take *anything* that doesn't have 45min sex scenes where the sexually repressed mom character is deep throating in 5mins with no conversation.
Producer, Director, HBO/Cinemax, International Award Winner. 75 Posts 2/10
Posted - Jan 13 2011 : 6:24PM
I've been battling this a lot lately. The minute you impose a 20 minute sex into a narrative driven show you've thrown a huge monkey wrench into the works. It's impossible to maintain suspense, emotion, vibe or whatever you're story is doing. I'm contemplating adding an additional sex scene, adding dialogue and story elements, then reducing the overall length of the sex scenes a bit, so it's less obtrusive. Sometimes 'less' feels like much more. I think this is also why the few parodies we've done have been challenging and why I asked the original question. I got both heat and acclaim in reviews for 'Official Friday the 13th Parody' and it was very frustrating for me because we went to great lengths to make it all look like a real movie; shot in Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, cinema-style production in every way, etc. but I think what happens sometimes is the endless sex scenes (to get the running time up where the distributor wants it) really throws the whole thing off balance. If you take the sex out of 'Official Friday the 13th Parody' or 'Official Psycho Parody' there are a lot of original, genuinely very cool/twisted moments. I think they get lost a bit when we're coming out of the sex scene and the viewer has to switch gears. Psycho is littered with ultra-twisted characters and the show we're finishing now 'Official Silence of the Lambs Parody' is even MORE twisted. I hope people watch these for the sex and maybe even a second time to chuckle at the characters. So I'm challenging myself to try to create the best mix possible -- again referring back to my original question. I'm not going to do a bucket load of parodies as we've got some extremely cool features on the horizon, but I'd like to have a better gauge on what the parody fans are craving, for the ones we are doing. Will Ryder, Lee Roy Myers, Mike Quasar and a few of the other guys doing really good work have been very successful at their choices, but many of those are comedies to begin with. I'm doing a few of these heavier 'thriller-ish' classics and it seems like people really love them or don't care for them, very much based upon the two different camps. So which camp dominates?
^ Hey Gary, I'm actually glad you came by and asked. That's my big issue with parodies and features in general, I think shorter scenes is definately the way to go. For example, I started writing this "Beetlejuice XXX" script just for fun and I noticed the issue of injecting any sex into a complex plot like that. By abbreviating the sex scenes down to around 12-15 minutes, you don't keep the audience detached from the plot as long, plus you get just the good parts rather than the whole package. My other solution was to infuse the sex into the plot itself. Make the whole story revolve around the sex rather than interrrupt the plot for it. The sex scenes seem so out of place normally that I figured if you were to just make it a relentlessly horny plot to begin with then it becomes a bit more natural and fluidic. So my idea is Deviate. Keep the theme and charactors, but change the plot to suit your needs. That's my take anyway.
Totally. Also, it's not just about length -- even though most older scenes are shorter, there are many that stretch over a long period of time but are narratively interesting in and of themselves whether it's because the sex scene is "interrupted" by narrative elements, or the characters/narrative develop through the sex (this is possible to do in sexual/physical ways as well as verbal). And then there are those rare, long scenes like the Jamie Gillis scene in Babyface 2 where it's just an awesome, erotic, and engaging sex scene. I actually bought the Fri 13th parody and it wouldn't play on my dvd player. I will have to watch it on the laptop instead. Bummer. I will definitely get the Psycho parody, too, especially if b&w is an option. I'm glad you're taking a darker approach -- diversity is good. To answer the original question, I think the only way to really create something original, artistic, and clever is to deviate -- but that doesn't mean it can't look and feel like the original text. Lampooning the original is one way of deviating, but it doesn't have to be all for laughs, as you clearly understand. If it bears no relation to the original, of course people are gonna be pissed off, but I like modern updates on old classics (modernized adaptations a la Passions of Carol). Or, for example, changing the characters/plot to subvert the original text's sexist/racist/whateverist elements. There are tons of ways to deviate and still manage to satisfy that basic "OMG it's a ____ parody! Lolz!" attitude. Those people will probably buy it based on a dvd cover anyway.
I question for you regarding this. Does it cost the distributor much more to include a 2nd or 3rd disc in a release? If not, why don't you have two cuts on the release. One, the cut the distributors want and a second disc with a cut with shorter, tighter sex scenes that don't disrupt the flow of the film. That way viewers can decide which cut they want to view.
Producer, Director, HBO/Cinemax, International Award Winner. 75 Posts 2/10
Posted - Jan 14 2011 : 1:31AM
A second disc can increase the price point a bit but it's usually an offering of a lot of bonus material. As a secondary version of the same material it would be a tough sell. I doubt many other than extreme purists would buy into that. (I'd love it of course but there is good reason I'm not in sales! Artists can be pathetic accountants!) 'Official Psycho Parody' is an exception because of its classical nature. Adding a second disc with a B&W version made a lot of sense but for most titles a simple reworking of the content wouldn't translate into $$$. Back on topic -- I have to say i was hoping to hear a lot of votes for 'deviate'. I get claustrophobic having to stay within the lines. I don't paint-by-numbers very well! I love the idea (which I've been exploring lately) of giving these established characters completely twisted skeletons in the closet. By way of example-- I made Marion Crane a deviant who can't control her sexual impulses when she's in the presence of, 'stuffed people'. It caught Norman Bates completely off guard and he really pushed her buttons when he figured that out. And yes... I've got some heat for giving Jason V. flesh eating jizz, and it was a bit campy in that respect but it was so fun watching the Masseuse (Sara Sloane) react to such a bizarre twisting of the tale. By the way (sorry to venture off a bit) I got some flack for having Rocco Reed killed by the arrow through the throat in Offical Friday the 13th Parody. That came from the original 'Friday the 13th" (Kevin Bacon) and that's exactly how he got killed. And the reason everyone else was killed by flesh eating jizz in my parody is because there were women present... if I'd killed off Rocco with flesh eating jizz (he was alone in the scene) then that would make Jason GAY... right? See... I did think that one out before we shot it!
Porn parodies should emulate. The ones I've liked have been both enjoyable and sexy all at once. But they all have mostly emulated the original shows or movies. I'm on the lookout for more homages, less lampoons. I do like how someone pointed out that plots should be more focused on sex. Seinfeld springs to mind, and Seinfeld XXX 2 in particular, the $100 bet episode made into a porn parody. But that is why situational comedies are ripe for porn parodies and horror films...aren't. Now Mr. Orona you have been tasked with making parodies out of horror flicks for Zero Tolerance. Sex and violence is always an odd mix. I liked how Sex Files 1&2 did it, but those are no Friday the 13th. Still, I don't see why Jason would need flesh-eating ejaculate. He can still be a psychopath out to kill teens after they fuck like rabbits. If your parody looked more like an homage to the original, I'd buy it, and that said I like the sound of Silence of the Lambs. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I prefer twisted over silly.
Over the past few years, I've reviewed a bunch of Wicked features and I usually commend them for deviating from their five-sex-scenes-within-a-story structure. When it happens. I bring up this matter because THE OFFICIAL FRIDAY THE 13TH PARODY has a similar story/sex scene structure and Gary's major deviation from the original (the burning sperm shot from this strange looking schlong) actually resembles the structure of a gonzo title that I reviewed called LITTLE LATINA CUM QUEENS (2008) where a milky dousing from a fake dildo follows every sex scene. So, I guess the trick is to surprise the viewer with the structure of your parodies and upcoming features. A viewer will welcome something erotically charged whether it's a stip tease or something as extreme as a blow job instead of the mindset that expects yet another sex scene. Mix things up a bit within a narrative that makes sense and you'll have yourself some happy campers. T0M
Just another bare bum in the shiower 1739 Posts 12/04
Posted - Jan 14 2011 : 7:44PM
Generally I prefer strict emulation and keeping in character, but a few wild deviations here and there is fine with me if the deviations are clever and are required for the purposes of an outrageous sex scene. I wish sex scenes in genuine features would go back to being 6-10 mins in length. Extended versions of the sex scenes can always be an added feature on the DVD.
^ When a porn actress keeps in character (EDIT) during her sex scenes, there is nothing better. I was super disappointed that Tori Black did not keep in character as a stunning Catwoman in the Batman parody but I've been liking Andy San Dimas in most of her roles. Lexi Belle manages to stay in character for the most part but her roles don't seem to be all that challenging. Keep them in character!
My past is a foreign country. Most things are different there, including word usage. 503 Posts 12/06
Posted - Jan 16 2011 : 3:21PM
There have been few if any XXX Parodies produced (Parody = "a humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing.") unless you prefer to call all these XXX Parody labeled films "laughable." I could agree with that. An example of a real XXX parody, that comes to my mind was not even called a parody. The film "8 To 4" I would prefer that producers/directors consider doing 're-makes' (a more recent version of an older film) or more accurately 're-writes' of popular mainstream movies or TV series. Emulate the characters and story line and script it with short hard core sex scenes (emphasis on short) that are inserted where appropriate and flow with the story line. Select from those films and particularly those TV series that generated sexual tension among the characters. Maybe soap operas, although I doubt that porn viewers watch 'soaps' and vice versa which would make for a very, very small audience. An XXX example might be the XXX film "Vista Valley PTA" although that's a stretch as far as the storyline is concerned. I would think a mainstream film like "Body Heat" (Kathleen Turner/William Hurt) would be a good candidate for an XXX re-make. This approach would probably present copyright problems and the audience would be too small for it to be profitable. It might attract more (new) couple viewers, although it would be a marketing challenge to reach that audience. Then again, with the help of the Internet, maybe it would become a classic like Deep Throat. Right, sell that to the producers.
In porn the term "parody" is first and foremost used to prevent copyright infringement suits.Totally agree. That's the reason the X-Files parody worked so well. The audience of the TV show had to wait for years before Mulder and Scully first kissed. And now they finally made love in the "parody" (which wasn't a parody but a very well done x-rated TV episode).
My past is a foreign country. Most things are different there, including word usage. 503 Posts 12/06
Posted - Jan 16 2011 : 8:48PM
For me that scene (it was at the end) was the only scene worth watching and it was about twice as long as it should have been. Contrary to what one would expect of 'first timers' they went through the usual series of sexual calisthenics found in a typical Gonzo flick. I edited the scene, reducing its run time by almost 50% and added the X-Files whistle theme in the background at three different points (when they changed positions) in the scene.
BOTH If you strictly emulate its painting-by-numbers. But to be able to successfully deviate you need to establish the subject by emulating. A good parody reflects on its subject. It gives the viewer a new perspective on an old subject. Film history is full of sexually charged dramas. For example: Billy Wilder's "Sunset Blvd." is the perfect template for a dark MILF drama. "Sunset Blvd." was Wilder's statement on the Hollywood industry. Give us your statement on the Valley industry. Norma Desmond as an 80s feature film star who lives reclusively with her butler in her big mansion full of awards, posters and video tapes. Time stands still in this mansion. And every day Norma waits for the phone to ring. Suddenly Joe Gillis, young mope, who wants to break into porn, drops in and a relationship between two desperate people begins. The drama evolves as Joe meets Betty Schaefer, young porn starlet.
I actually think they have pretty much saturated the market and need to start going into parodies of commercials. Think about it: movies and TV have been done. Now commercials. How about the "Flo" girl from that auto insurance company or the classic memorex commerical?
When I think of parodies then I get the image of a serious film or TV show that has been given a comedic twist. Airplane would be a good example. They took the basic idea of a disaster in the sky movie and made one of the best parodies that I've ever seen. This is why the idea of porn parodies has always escaped me because I can't understand why you'd want to watch porn for a good laugh. Now if you take the original material and give it a porn twist then you could have an amazing piece of porn cinema. I think someone mentioned giving Body Heat a porn twist and this was done in 1983 with Bodies in Heat. That was not a parody but someone using the original material adding some hardcore sex to it. I'm glad that parodies seem to sell so well but I don't want to see Fred Flinstone F..G Wilma nor do I want to see Marge give Homer a BJ. How about if you take a film like last years Black Swan and give it a porn twist. I'm sure that you could go a long way in making a great porn movie. I nominate Tori Black for the part played by Nathalie Portman.
My past is a foreign country. Most things are different there, including word usage. 503 Posts 12/06
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 12:09PM
I haven't viewed that specific video but here are some comments from a review of the hard core re-make by Imperator. ======================================================== Bodies in Heat (1982) Another porn spinoff of a then contemporary mainstream hit, in this case "Body Heat". ... The plot is unconvincing and by the end borders on the ludicrous. ... A decent choice for a couple and certainly a good film by any standards, but still nowhere near the expected standards of the Golden Age. ======================================================== "The plot is unconvincing and by the end borders on the ludicrous." Why would that be the case? I would expect the plot to be the same or very close to the same as the original mainstream.
^The only reason I can see where the plot would almost have to vary from the original material is that there simply wouldn't have had enough variation in the sex scenes if they hadn't done that. I wish I could remember the complte plot line but it wasn't one of my favorite so I only saw it a couple of times and that was a long time ago.
My past is a foreign country. Most things are different there, including word usage. 503 Posts 12/06
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 10:58AM
This is starting to drift Off Topic but I wanted to follow-up on pat362's last post. Here is a synopsis of "Body Heat" ==>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082089/synopsis There are two good looking women and three men (main characters) all involved in each other's lives. There is adultery, seduction, blackmail, murder & money. It wouldn't seem to me that it would be very difficult to insert hard core sex scenes into a story line like this one. Two women and three men equals six straight sex scenes. There is even a point at which the prerequisite lesbian scene could be included. A sub-plot could even be added to allow for additional sex scenes if necessary that would not alter the main plot at all.
Producer, Director, HBO/Cinemax, International Award Winner. 75 Posts 2/10
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 7:33PM
I agree that a Parody of Body Heat would be a natural the only problem is that DP released a non-parody "Body Heat" this year as an original feature. There would be too much confusion to do a parody of the original Body Heat at this time. I'm curious, there have been recent announcements of parodies coming this year in which the story lines will pick up "after" the conclusion of the original stories. In essence 'sequel' parodies in which an original sequel was never produced. This would be extreme deviation since they're really not following any previous work except for pre-established characters and I'm assuming some connection to the original through plot. How do these forms of parodies sit with the masses?
^None of the parodies I've seen have been a direct sequel to any film, but a growing trend is continuing a since-ended series. Home Improvement XXX: A Porn Parody starts with the kids off to college, according to their description. I believe this is a deviation, and sort of continuation, but somebody correct me otherwise.
Producer, Director, HBO/Cinemax, International Award Winner. 75 Posts 2/10
Posted - Jan 21 2011 : 1:40AM
[/quote] Did anyone over at Zero Tolerance consider having Jason use that big scary machete he had to kill the boys but use toxic creampies to kill the girls? If the murders had carried out like this it would have made the movie much more enjoyable and realistic as a horror porn IMHO. Sex and violence are controversial and somewhat taboo, but it has been done succesfully on several horror porn features; so why couldn't Jason have been a rapist/murderer? It would not have been out of character for such an evil and demented abomination to track those girls down after stalking ans scary the life out of them and then fucking them to death with a forced creampie using his monstorous dick. [/quote] I very much appreciate your thoughts. I can see where your expectations came from. I had to make a very serious choice on the direction to take the show. Explanation follows; The rapist/murderer scenario would have put us on thin ice with respect to distribution. I try to keep the HEAVY violence away from the sex since we never really know for certain (in the US at least) who might opt out of distribution due to questionable content. It's such a moving target that it's nerve-wracking as a Producer/Director at times. When Tabitha Stevens did the suicide suspension in our film SANATORIUM I was very concerned that some nutty zealot out there would cry foul... but if you watched it you would note, no sex was involved in that scene even though it's very real. BTW "Official Silence of the Lambs Parody" is dark and twisted like the original. In this instance I was faced with what to do with the girl in the well since I didn't want to chance the 'serial killer (Buffalo Bill) raping the girl' kind of violence. So I put a spin on this where she takes control and turns out to be a... (okay can't give that away). But don't worry it's not campy. I opted for perversions in this one. Doing Horror/Thriller parodies is very challenging in this respect. The basic subject matter is violent. So I'm trying more and more to keep the screenplays in line with that but with respect to the addition of sex I'm skewing the characters to be much more twisted with freakish, psychologically interesting, personalities so that the sex stems from subconscious impulses, these really twisted carnal archetypes, instead of the kill, kill, kill mentality. It's sounding more and more that emulation is the preferred parody-type. I'm sure Will Ryder, Axel Braun, Lee Roy Myers and other parody veterans out there knew this long ago. I was just curious as to how the parody fans would line up.
pornography wasn't sex but fantasies of an impossibly hospitable world 12377 Posts 9/07
Posted - Jan 21 2011 : 2:57AM
I prefer the 70s films that were 'unacknowledged' take-offs of films and even TV series but deviated from them often in significant ways. For example, Coming of Angels only slightly resembles a Charlie's Angels episode, but is much, much darker. More ambitious takes on arty films like how V: The Hot One based itself on Belle de Jour would also be cool. Of course I realize that kind of take-off may not be commercially viable at this time, but fairly serious porno-versions like The Sex Files 1 and 2 are quite good, as it is well shot, reasonably and even in some cases surprisingly well-acted and the sex scenes are pretty well integrated and sexy. I think it would be a good idea to have a 'party version' cut that has shorter sex scenes (I noticed they did this for the WKRP parody and a few others) and then a longer cut for those who want to wank. Couldn't both edits fit on one disc with a different play option in the menu?
But...how bout DARK ANGELS and DARK ANGELS 2? I really like those movies because they're nice and bloody (a rarity in modern XXX). DA 2 was released by Digital Playground. I don't think they're having distribution issues. Edited by - john lyons on 1/21/2011 3:17:29 PM
Or the ultimate parody, TAKE OFF, by Armand Weston. If ANY contemporary porn studio were to be willing to pull off a production like that, I'd be very, very happy. Even if it's shot on video.
Gary: Sorry I missed this thread earlier, or I would have conveyed my thoughts much sooner--And I thank you for the opportunity, for THIS is a GREAT question for we porn patrons to "vent," imho. As I stated in the "Silence Of The Lambs" thread, you have a real WINNER there, Sir, and I once again congratulate you for "Silence" is as good as it gets in porn parodies. And WHAT made your treatment of the original classic main-stream film so perfect to me, is that you did NOT deviate from the stage/costume setting, characters or the plot of one of the BEST main-stream films ever. Think about it this way, Sir, millions of people paid even more millions of dollars to see such all-time classics as "Psycho," "Friday the Thirteenth," and so many more, BECAUSE they were fascinated with both the character portrayals and the story line. Then, why in the Hell should anyone want to do anything different in a "steam stream" presentation?-- EXCEPT create the sexual heat, with which main stream productions can only hint, and thus, a really good porn treatment can turn out an even MORE realistic product, imho. I have coined a term for the parody that deviates from the original classic and that is POORADY!-- or, as someone once said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." In conclusion, and after relishing "Silence," I am convinced that your directorial genius in hard core parodies and other adult feature genres has only just begun, and I wish you all the BEST in whatever future endeavors the Orana-Stephens team has in store---MY reward will be in watching them, and ALWAYS HOPING!!
I just finished watching Vampire Sex Diaries (review coming sometime this week), and I'll readily say that as long as it's made with that kind of care and quality I don't really care if it emulates or deviates. "I do not as a rule seek advice about food from thin people..." - Jeffrey Steingarten
Just another bare bum in the shiower 1739 Posts 12/04
Posted - Feb 27 2011 : 11:57PM
Two recent excellent parodies were the Silence of the Lambs and the Scooby-Doo ones. The Superman one had promise, but was extremely light on (and basically pretty silly) in the script department.
^ I tried to watch Superman -- turned it of during the James Deen/Kristina Rose scene. No one fucking in character, barely any plot/script. Bah. What a disappointment.
Producer, Director, HBO/Cinemax, International Award Winner. 75 Posts 2/10
Posted - Feb 28 2011 : 7:45PM
No problem danl. I was nom'd for best director at XRCO and they spelled my last name 'Orono'! I think I'll change my last name to something like 'Smith' or 'Jones'. They'll never get those wrong. Good Thoughts! Gary O.
Just to give another vote on the original question: I prefer the deviate option. Let the movie being parodied provide context -- characters, milieu -- but leave it as a jumping off point. Ideally, any work -- parody, porn, whatever -- should strive to be its own original creation (even given the difficulty of being truly original when "everything" has been done before ). Also, by all means shorten the sex scenes. Frankly, I am always bored by long sex scenes, no matter where they appear. But, especially in features, they completely disrupt the flow. As a devout fan of 70s and 80s features, I am well accustomed to short (and yes, admittedly, sometimes too short) scenes, but they certainly allow for better narrative. This allows the product to actually be a movie, and not a bit of filler between sex.
I would say both also. I do think you have to stay a lot nearer the original material with the television parodies. I think you can and should stretch more with the movie parodies though.
I don't have a definite opinion about emulate or deviate, since I haven't yet watched a complete hardcore porn parody. To me the most important part of the writing is the title. If it's a formulaic Not ______, the Official XXX Parody, I pass automatically. Edited by - charn on 4/5/2011 2:03:57 AM
Producer, Director, HBO/Cinemax, International Award Winner. 75 Posts 2/10
Posted - Apr 5 2011 : 9:05PM
I fully understand that your knee-jerk reaction would be to pass on specific titles that are somewhat ridiculous. Consider though, that often we producer/directors do not create the titles. That's left to the sales/marketing departments. A better tact might be to find producer/directors you like and stick with them regardless of whether the title is silly or not. You may be pleasantly surprised. In other words if my next movie is an epic masterpiece with the most amazing story/sex/production value in the history of adult movies, it would be a bummer if you gave it an instant "pass" just because it was titled "The Official Lawrence of Arabia XXX Parody." Maybe just put your hand over the title text and imagine it's not there. Good Thoughts -- Gary Orona
^ I have to agree in in spite of desiring something more creative. Consider some of the lame titles given to some good/great adult films of yesteryear. A lot of them are very generic and not descriptive of the content at all, but the films themselves are quality. I don't blame the films themselves, I just chalk it up to trying to appeal to as broad a mass as possible. That said, I do wish we lived in a culture that demanded more than these generic titles. We don't, and I can live with that if the content of the dvd is good.
