Debbie Does Dallas: Collector's Edition Review

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Distributor: Raincoat Theater / Kitty Media / Media Blasters Edition Details: Definitive Collector's Edition DVD Movie Specs: Genres: Golden Age Classic, Feature Film, Barely Legal Run Time: 84 minutes Rated: X Release Year: 1978 Director: David Buckley (as Jim Clark) Written by: David Buckley (as Maria Minestra) Cast: R. Bolla (as Richard Balla), Bambi Woods, Robin Byrd (as Robyn Byrd), Arcadia Lake, Kasey Rodgers, Georgette Sanders, Rikki O'Neal (as Sherri Tart), Merle Michaels (Merril Townsend), Christie Ford (as Misty Winter), Eric Edwards, Jenny Cole, David Pierce (as David Suton), Jake Teague, Paul Hughs, Peter Morrison (as Peter Lerman), Ben Pierce, Tony Mansfield, David Morris, Herschel Savage (as Bill Barry), Debbie Lewis, Steve Marshall Release Specs: Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (dubbed) Subtitles: none Video: Full Frame, 1.33:1 Video Format: NTSC Format: DVD Regional Code (for DVD/Blu-ray): 1 (United States & Canada) Number of discs: 2

If one were to poll the average person to find out what the most well-known adult film titles were, likely you would get a list of two. Gerard Damiano's 1972 adult film Deep Throat and David Buckley's 1978 adult film Debbie Does Dallas. In the history of adult films, Debbie Does Dallas is not the best shot, the best written, nor does it contain the best cast. However, Debbie Does Dallas managed to combine just the right themes with just the right amount of innocence — and the right amount of lack of innocence — to become the seminal classic that it has become.

Debbie Does Dallas tells the story of the titular cheerleader Debbie Benson (Bambi Woods) who has been accepted as a Texas Cowgirl Cheerleader. However, she has to raise the money to get there. Her. cheer squad decides that they will all get jobs to raise the money so that all of them can go to Texas. They quickly find out that sex pays more than the jobs they have secured.

The sex scenes in the film are great fun. The cast as a whole does a great job with their roles and as it plays out Debbie Does Dallas feels like one of the softcore T&A films of the time that actually goes all the way. The sex scenes work hand in hand with the story, so the film feels like a complete film as it is shown, not like the hardcore scenes are shoehorned in to get in the sex. The story is cheesy but fun and certainly keeps the viewer entertained. One aspect that Buckley did with Debbie Does Dallas that isn't often seen at the time was that the titular Debbie doesn't have any sex scenes until the finale. So the viewer is kept waiting for the big score in the film.

One of the aspects of Buckley's film that makes it the enjoyable film that it is are the locations utilized in the film. The film offers locations that look better than one often sees within adult films, which itself caused the film controversy. The library, gym and sauna scenes were all shot, with permission, at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. The matter of contention being the Pratt Institute had given permission under the understanding that an educational film was being shot not a hardcore adult film. Of course, the ensuing controversy could only help Debbie Does Dallas since it kept putting the film in the newspapers.

The Pratt Institute wasn't the only controversy that hit the production of Debbie Does Dallas. Schoolday Productions Inc. (the film production company) and Pussycat Cinema (the theater that premiered the film) found the showings held by judicial order due to a copyright infringement lawsuit against both lodged by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in 1979. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders alleged that a uniform used in the film — and advertising material — looked strikingly similar to their uniforms. Schoolday Productions Inc. and Pussycat Cinema ultimately lost the suit and had to remove one and a half minutes of footage of the film to remove the hold on showings. While this likely cost more than Buckley would have liked, again the newspaper coverage was probably better advertising than he ever could have bought.

What is it about Debbie Does Dallas that keeps the film alive from generation to generation? Is it that the film was crafted just right to keep a hold on new audiences? Is it the notoriety the film gained when it first came out that keeps the name familiar? Or more likely, is it a combination of the two? No matter which one it is, Debbie Does Dallas is truly a fun adult film to watch and will entertain fans of the genre.

Media Blasters under their Raincoat Theater line through Kitty Media has done a great job with their Definitive Collector's Edition two-DVD release of Debbie Does Dallas. Debbie Does Dallas was shot on film and it looks as if Media Blasters utilized the camera negative for their release. Debbie Does Dallas is presented in the academy aspect ratio of 1.33:1 in 480p. The image quality on the release is good with nice colors and very minimal print damage, artifacts, and grain. The image looks a little on the soft side and blacks aren't always true black. So far, this is the best release that this reviewer has seen of Debbie Does Dallas.

Debbie Does Dallas is presented with the original English Dolby Digital 2.0 monaural audio track. The original monaural audio track sounds good with the dialog sounding clear at all times and no noticeable issues. Media Blasters has also included a remixed English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track for the film. The remixed track has some echoes and sounds rather tinny. The dialog on it is clear as well. There is also a dubbed Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 monaural audio track included on the release.

Media Blasters has included several extras on the release. The first disc contains the film and two commentary tracks. The first commentary is actress Robin Byrd from Debbie Does Dallas. The other commentary has film archivist and erotic cinematologist Adam “Trash” Tamberg and Phillip Charles Bernstene from TVX Films.

The second disc has the cable television version of Debbie Does Dallas that runs for 63-minutes. There is a 37-minute video interview with film actress Robin Byrd. There is also a photo gallery and the original theatrical trailer.

Debbie Does Dallas continues to be an extremely popular adult film even to this day and is likely one of the best known of all adult films. The story of Debbie, a cheerleader, is one that transcends time and remains as fresh then as it does today. Debbie Does Dallas isn't the greatest adult film ever made but it certainly is fun to watch. If you haven't seen it yet and you are a fan of the genre, it is time to correct that. Media Blasters has done an excellent job with their Definitive Collector's Edition two-DVD release of Debbie Does Dallas with a beautiful, albeit soft, image and great audio quality.

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