I just wanted to open a discussion on Paul Thomas, former porn star and AVN award winning director (2005-Jenna Jameson is The Masseuse). I hear a lot of people speak of Paul Thomas as a porn genius and the closest thing the industry actually has to a true director. But, I actually believe Thomas' work is VERY, VERY similar to that of director Henri Pachard's (AKA Ron Sullivan), maybe even imitative.
I believe the reason why so many people like Paul Thomas' work is because his films actually have plots and storylines which everyday, ordinary people can relate to, thus paritally erasing the border between one's wildest fantasies and one's mundane reality. BUT, wasn't this what was so scintillating about Pachard's work? Take, for example, Pachard's Taboo: American Style series (the best adult films ever made IMO). These films depicted a sexually deviant upper class American family whose patriarch was ironically played by Paul Thomas. Furthermore, in Paul Thomas' On Trial series, Henri Pachard played the judge overseeing the eponymous trial regarding pornography and First Amendment rights. Hmmm....
I apologize if these initial thoughts are inarticulate, but this is a forum for posting, so I would appreciate any comments. So, I guess what I would really like to argue is that Thomas' films seem more like homage to Pachard rather than original works of brilliance.
I agree that adult films with storylines about the "real" issues of "real" people often connect with audiences on a very special, very personal level.
As a fan of Paul Thomas, I'm not sure his work strikes me as an homage to Henri Pachard. "Bobby Sox," for example, was very uniquely PT.
It's important to remember that as one of the best actors of the Golden Age, PT worked with alot of the influential, story-driven feature directors of the time, including Henri Pachard but also the Mitchell Bros, Edwin Durell, Robert McCallum, and F.J. Lincoln.
Thank you, Daniel Metcalf Wicked Pictures
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arthur Deactivated User
165 Posts 9/04
Posted - Mar 11 2005 : 7:47PM
Paul Thomas deserves credit for being in the industry for so long. As a director, I think he falls into the category of those who have kind of stuck to the same formula year after year. I think he's missed the bandwagon towards the more adventurous stuff we've seen over the last few years.
As Daniel said, Paul Thomas got his start as an actor in the early seventies and I think that through that work, when he moved to the director's chair he was able to bring in aspects of adult film making that he learned and observed over the years. I don't doubt that there is influence in his work from Pachard as well as others like Jim and Artie Mitchell (probably more from Jim than from Artie), Robert McCallum, Alex de Renzy, Bob Chinn and the other above average adult film directors that he worked with. However, I think that is as far as it went, influence as I feel that Thomas's films are his own. I think that his holding on to some of the stylings of the classics is what has made him the popular director that he is now.
After seeing a few of his movies I have noticed that he is one of the few directors who actually manages to balance plot and porn really well. His sex scens fit in to the plot, and yet his plots tend to be a bit more than the usual feature fare. If you watch The Awakening, you can see his style really come out, although the script is really bizarre (thanks to David Stanley). Stuff like HeartBreaker works just as well, and maybe a bit better since he seems to really like the more soap opera type plots. I just hope he keeps up with his past efforts, because I just saw Last Girl Standing, and while it was a very good movie, it was not really what I expect from Paul Thomas.
Well, things seem to be moving lately, if the rumour that "Chuck Lords" is a new moniker for PT is true, as implied on various websites & message boards. I couldn't determine it on the BTS of "Hard Candy ", but Lords productions are more inclined towards all-sex, with just the slightest pretense of a set-up (bachelor party, sorority sex) but no storyline. Even the camera angles are more gonzo-friendly (you know, these wide-angle close-ups ?) and he inserted some interviews between the sex scenes. And the BTS for "Hard Candy" & "Panty Raid " had all girls masturbating for the camera. He's still searching his marks, and I was much more satisfied with "Candy" than with "Panty". As for his more classic features, I second earlier remarks that, like most creative persons whether in mainstream or erotica, he was influenced by his contemporaries, and features were reigning when he began to direct. He seems very comfortable with couples' drama that end on a bad note, which may or may not be a personal issue he's trying to solve. I have no idea how much input a director has over a script. "Sweetie Baby " has gone unnoticed but was impressive.
It's very hard to write an upbeat, feel-good script that has both strong narrative drive and hardcore sex. Frustration, disatisfaction, and unfortunate consequences meld with sex much more easily.
IAFD, supporters of beastiality. Just say no. 7564 Posts 11/02
Posted - Mar 14 2005 : 6:14PM
Yes, the same is true for me. I wrote the following in an old thread in the poll forumEdited: I have read a couple of times that Paul Thomas is hardly interested in shooting the sex scenes and that in fact he sometimes leaves the room and lets the cameraman figure it out. Is there somebody here who has been on a Paul Thomas set (preferably more than one) who can tell me how much of this is true -- if any of it is true at all?
Coyote22 said: "Snakes! The only thing that I am afraid of and it is those icky things. Man nothing is more freaky! well that and a large women in a string bikini"
DB you're a tease, I'd love to know the films. I feel much the same way, I really like Facade but Bad Wives left me cold. Marissa has some nice moments.
tdingle wrote
I swear my reality ain't mundane -- it's really, really nice...
Films like Facade work as entertainment for me on a couple of levels. There's enough narrative structure to make the sex plausible without having to suspend disbelief too radically -- well not including the pizza boy scene -- there's a conflict in the story that needs resolution, the acting required is not so complicated that it taxes the performers -- they can actually carry a line or two and to a certain degree the "characters" are not completely one dimensional. There's also some pleasant sex -- mostly shot well, in reasonable light between attractive and enthusiastic performers and there's even a little humour. It has its faults but it's certainly watchable.
Very 'hit and miss'. What Walter said about him being absent for the sex scenes could be true. It makes me wonder if he's absent for the entire movie in some cases.
Justine: Nothing to Hide 2 was great, I loved almost everything about it.
The Heiress was the worst, for reasons too numerous to list.. but it's SO bad that I kinda like it, in a weird way.
Oh God, DB, we're really on the same wavelength. I just wanted to submit a review for "The Heiress" and totally destroy the film. Actually, I kinda like the 1st scene with Stephanie Rage, if only for the fact that her partner (Damien Cashmere ?) has a dick that's bigger than his arm, but the rest was so baaaaaaaaad. I even wonder if he really had sex with Samantha Strong at the end, or maybe the reason why there's no pop shot is that because she fell asleep? "Jamie Loves Jeff 1 & 2" are much better. But I still think I'm gonna review "Heiress" one of these days. Scathing reviews are a blast to write !
You just know it's bad when even Randy West uses an alias
Can't wait for your scathing review on this cult classic, VT. Now that you mention it, that guy DID have a rather large johnson. I might give it another chance viewing.
In her book, Christy Canyon said that the Vivid girls had to suffer through hours of sex if Paul Thomas liked them. So I assume he's watching. Christy said her scenes were always done within half an hour because Thomas found her "boring". LOL
As flattering as your comments about P.T. paying homage to any influence my past feature films may have had with Paul's own work, I can't say that I agree with you. I think P.T. is about as unique a filmmaker this genre will ever know.
However, if there are any factors seen in P.T.'s stuff that somehow signal some kind of similarity, perhaps it's the result of the camera work. Most of P.T.'s films are shot by my son, under his nom de porn, Ralph Parfait.
I had a lot of influence with my kid's work when he was just getting started, and long before he became the name he's chosen to sign his work with. But that was several years ago, and for the last fifteen years or so, Ralph Parfait has had far more influence on me and my own work, than I ever had on him.
Meanwhile, and just prior to my son moving out to California, between 1986 and 1988, Paul Thomas became my principal producer. We shot around thirty or more productions together before Paul took to directing his own stuff, and we went our separate ways.
I still miss working with Paul Thomas to this very day.
Well, I really can't argue against one of the people who is actually under discussion. And, after reviewing what everyone else has said, I will make a less narrow claim, which is that I definitely do notice something similar with your work Mr. Pachard and with the work of Paul Thomas. I won't go as far as to say that it is obedient homage, but I will say that there is a general ethos, for lack of better words, within both your work and Mr. Thomas' work.
I just saw Les Bitches, and I have to say, Paul Thomas is still got his touch. Now, if only Vivid would up the quality of his DVDs. Is a decent picture to much to ask? Someone needs to remaster some of his older movies, and release special editions or something(I would really like to see a cleaner version of The Awakening).
Since the amazing large amount of films released under his name and the great quality range I often wonder if Paul Thomas really directs all his films himself. Probably he works like the masters of European painting back in the old days. Rembrandt didn't have the time to paint all portraits himself. He had a whole bunch of assistants who had to paint in his style.
Nonetheless Paul Thomas is the most important porn director of the nineties.
I've just watched a R-rated trailer for "Sextet" (I think on adultdvdnow) and though I'm not a Tawny Roberts fan at all, it definitely looks amazing. This will be my first introduction to long-time member Steve Holmes (at least I think I've recognized him).
One good feature is better than several average DVDs with no story.
Seduction is very important in a feature, especially when a directory works toward a story that is credible.
Personally speaking, I have a slight foot fetish and I like to see seduction, a story and some butt cleavage. For the most part (if not all the time) Henri Pachard has hit the proverbial nail on the head.
Paul Thomas is good, but I found that Henri Pachard had a knack for pushing the envelop in the best way.
With me, it's a must that the director give attention to ladies wearing strappy heels or be barefoot (to appeal to the foot fetish market witout just using the stripper heels in a scene). Several times I've seen Paul Thomas just allow females to wear boots or anything as if to say, "hey wear anything". However, the more niche markets each DVD can tap into ... the more money the DVD can earn. Not to say one can please everybody, but success is in the details.
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Kitty Marie ... is sexy, white ass with a big sexy booty ... Kitty Marie
I also agree that Paul Thomas has a knack for making great movies and terrible movies. For example, P.T.'s "The Enchantress" had hot sex, good production values, a great cast (except for Blake Palmer) and a good storyline, while his movie "Endlessly" is dull, horribly edited, with terrible sound and picture quality, and boring looking performers. It still kind of baffles me.
If Paul Thomas found Christy Canyon to be so "boring", why did he use her on so many of his films?
And can anyone think of any movies where Paul had sex with Christy besides "Erotica Jones"? I know he was in several with her (Ginger on the Rocks, Sore Throat, Comeback), but can only think of that one where they had a scene.
Paul Thomas has indeed been known to waslk away from his sex scenes -- but he's hardly the only one. IN fact, some ALL-SEX directors walk away from their sex scenes -- or somehow manage the miracle of "directing" from the opposite coast from the one where the shoot is going on.
Anyway, Thomas has a wonderfully thin skin when it comes to criticism -- when I was writing the review column for SCREW back in the first half of the '90s, I would arrive in the morning ocassionally to late-night drunken, high rants on my office voicemail after he had been enraged by my latest review of his not-very-dramatic dramas of the period. I know the editor of HEVG used to get them, too. Now I guess lucky reviewers have to settle for e-mail from JJ when they don't praise him hard enough.
By the way, if nobody else has the balls, I'll call Thomas a hack.
I don't know, Ashley. Who HAVE you emailed? BTW, you call me "Clark" when I'm your elder, I offer you the same respect by dispensing with your psuedonym. But what's the problem? "Ashley" is a fine name, don't you like it?
As for your opinions of my movies -- glad you watch them, btw -- feh. You're entitled to your opinions. Glad you liked my bathroom set ideas from the BCP series well enough to try to get VT to let you recreate the DAC vibe, though -- I take that as flattery.
BTW, the meaning of "I shot an arrow into the air" on the makeup thread was that I wasn't referring to your work with my musings on the psychology of the slather-it-on crowd -- you just took it personally. What's really, really fun about baiting you is that you're so friggin' full of yourself you think that when people are discussing gonzo porn they MUST by extension be consciously talking about you!
Now, whaddya gawn do, run me over at the Metro Station with your Escalade? Work on the temper. I suggest meditation. Or learning how to use Soundtrack a lot better.
"What's really, really fun about baiting you" this phrase says it all, dont antagonize me, you dont know me well enough to judge me or my movies. done...taken to email....
Edited by - julesjordanvideo on 7/9/2005 10:25:23 PM
Edited by - julesjordanvideo on 7/10/2005 1:22:04 AM
Why would knowing a director (or any other artist), well or even at all be a prerequisite for "judging" (such a loaded word these days) a director's work?
I can see how it might enhance one's understanding or appreciation, but it's not like we can sit on the couch next to each person who buys our DVDs and explain how each scene/shot/frame is informed by who we are are and all that we've experienced.
It's that Eminem posture, T.C. It's big with kids of all ages these days. Though more en pointe, how do YOU feel about P.T.'s work? I admit to not having seen what's been touted as his career best these last couple years -- but then I remember hearing similar hype about that horrid JEKYLL & HYDE shot in Europe, & much further back, stuff like BONNIE & CLYDE that I just thought was not very good despite sizeable budgets.
If you held a gun to my head and demanded I name a Paul Thomas title, the best I could do it guess. Familiarity with the director's life story may not be required to pass judgement on his work, but at least a passing familiarity with his work usually is, so I don't have an opinion on the work of Paul Thomas, or Jules Jordan either. They both seem to be doing well enough without my approbation.
What's really, really fun about baiting you is that you're so friggin' full of yourself you think that when people are discussing gonzo porn they MUST by extension be consciously talking about you!
Jules, you offer such a nice little display of fireworks for such a small investment of teasing, I half don't blame DAC for needling you. Considering the ROI, likely it takes him more effort to resist needling than to come up a with a new barb that will get a rise out of you.
I mean for pete's sake, Jules, this is the Feature Side . Nobody, or at least nobody important reads the feature side. Don't you have a really big, really nice car? The NWS says it's picture perfect in LA. Take a drive to the beach or something.
Chico is alive and well and shooting. Just not posting as much due to some other ventures on the other side of the hill. I haven't even been on this board for a long time. Trust me, I'm going bonkers this month and a new Boogie Nights will be posted. Skronker, eat my caca :)
I recently bought the double-disc DVD set of "The Masseuse" (which gave me a chance to watch the magnificent original, which I've never seen, as well) and I still think P.T. shows the skills that he did on her earlier productions. However, during interview segments, I have to admit there's something creepy about this guy, to say the least. During an interview, he talks very slowly without any emotion and during outtakes, you can hear him doing a complete 360, yelling at the top of his lungs to tell some crew person to shut up. Jenna Jameson and Justin Sterling make fun of this a lot on the commentary track, as well. The guy just kind of strikes me as an asshole, but I've never met him, so I guess I can't judge him.
