Review

A small gem of a porn, this marks future award-winning director Wash West's early foray into all-male smut. Here going by the last name Westmoreland, this one really struck my fancy.

Now, "fancy" is not what will pop into your mind when seeing this. The video was shot over the course of just a few hours in a crumbling warehouse somewhere, conveniently fashioned as a porn locale. (Watch during the opening credits as a huge chunk of plaster plummets from the ceiling onto the set.) The director does some quick "talking head" interviews with various cast members as the action whirls throughout. And whirl it does. On and on and on.

There's really no plot to speak of, and describing all of the sex that occurs would be next to impossible without droning on for a day or so. What is here is surprisingly hot: plenty of group action, twosies, threesies, etc. Lighting appears to be all natural, as do the performers. No one gawks at the camera, and if this thing was choreographed, it sure doesn't look it. It's one big free-for-all fuckathon, and a damned pretty hot one.

My main complaint - and it is a very valid one for those thinking of buying this video - is the DVD transfer. It's pretty bad. Shot on tape in late 1995 and on a shoestring, director West made terrific use of both his burgeoning talent (co-shot with photographer Rick Castro) as well as the setting. The crumbling walls add to the flavor of fun and depravity. However, the transfer is pretty wretched. (I'll wager the master looks a lot better than what we're subjected to here.) Artifacting and pixilation are evident like mad, and the sound isn't all that great either. Granted, this ain't exactly Gone with the Wind we're talking about, but a little bit of clean-up wouldn't have hurt.

There's also the problem with the title: Taking the Plunge is what's on the cover; the video's credits read as Take the Plunge. Whatever. And that cover art? One of the more hideous ones I've seen. However, the great moody score by the director's brother is a huge plus.

If you'd like to see not only a for-the-most-part very hot experimental porn flick but get a glimpse at a future powerhouse talent in his early stages as well, take the plunge and pick this up.
-Keeneye Reeves