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When a movie opens with a series of stills accompanied by the
sounds of spanking mixed with stifled whimpers, it's reasonable
to expect something a little way removed from the girl-on-a-couch
norm. When that movie is in the hands of John Leslie - with lighting
by Jack Remy, no less - then the expectation is heightened. Then
we glance at the cast list and see the divine Sharon and the delightful
Mia Stone…I hope Mr Leslie is going to deliver here…
Katja
First off, however, the action begins in a dingy corridor lit by
a spotlight streaming through the bars. Sounds of freight trains,
helicopters and sirens create an oppressive and sleazy atmosphere
for an encounter between Katja Kassin and Michael Stefano. Glimpses
of what's to come (wet oral, anal, spanking) are cut up with shots
of Katja posing in clinging red PVC shorts.
The visuals settle to concentrate on the curvy German taking Mike's
dick - offered in time-honoured out-through-the-zipper style - right
down her throat. They kiss, Mike rims, spanks and fingers her, smacks
her little tits and then they get down to it. The light really highlights
her curves, no more so than a sensational shot when she bends to
suck his dick. However, the sex, including a lot of cowgirl anal,
does seem slightly monotonous and lacking in real zip and zest and
it's with some regret that I report that, as I usually like both
of these performers. A fleeting glimpse of the sticky conclusion
is cut up with the doggy anal, before we see it delivered in full.
Mia
Stone and Evelin
A leafy rural idyll makes for a sharp change of scene, where two
leggy girls in white stand in a horse-drawn carriage, teasing the
boys. It appears to be the same farm location seen in several of
Rocco Siffredi's movies. Good to see Mia again, being her effortlessly
sexy little self, in tandem with the slim and small busted Evelin
- her perfect pins in white stockings have some appeal to me.
However, the sex - the girls take turns fucking and sucking with
Thomas Stone and Choky Ice - is somewhat humdrum and while John
Leslie's camera takes good note of Mia's sexy curves and her visibly
horny contribution to the scene, Leslie's usual attention to detail
is lacking as he fails to note the key ingredient of any scene with
Mia, to wit, that oh-so-naughty gleam in her eyes. Too few shots
of the girls' faces, I feel, too much of the thrusting bodies. It's
a good-looking scene, with anal too for Evelin, and a pair of facials,
but it's only sporadically moving.
Sharon
Now, if it's good to see Mia once more, it's great to see the beautiful
face of Sharon (AKA Sharone, Sylvia Kalman etc, etc) lighting up
the screen. She looks stunning in a clinging, shiny red full-length
dress…and when she bends over…pass the oxygen, nurse! The scenario
involves her arriving at a house where Chris Taylor as some sort
of Mr Big figure holds court, with the assistance of henchman Bob
Terminator. Sharon is obliged to dish out a blowjob to Chris while
making eyes at Bob, a kinky little touch, repeated later, that lends
this scenario a little more to go on.
It is also blessed with the fantastic sight of Sharon slipping off
her dress and reclining provocatively on the floor while Chris quite
unnecessarily calls her a f'n bitch. Surely he must be spoiled;
otherwise he wouldn't affect the nonchalant posture that he maintains
for much of the scene. Perhaps that isn't the sole reason that I
sense that despite the way Leslie sympathetically highlights Sharon's
attributes, from her sumptuously curvaceous derriere to her flashing
brown eyes and razored cheekbones - one of the faces of European
porn, I'd suggest - there's a nagging doubt here. Sharon's commitment
outweighs that of her male co-stars, who have little charisma and
perform in a totally workmanlike fashion. It's possible to concentrate
on Sharon, I suppose, getting into it and smiling saucily now and
then, till she takes one load on her pussy and the other on her
face, but ultimately it feels quite disappointing.
Malitia and Miss Arroyo
There's more successful scene setting here via an unsettling soundtrack
of sex sounds and distant screams and a bold approach to lighting
that effectively highlights the curvaceous bodies of the two women
who tease the life out of a naked and caged Steve Holmes. This kinky
scenario first sees the lingerie clad brunette Miss Arroyo, and
then the hard-looking and hard-bodied blonde Malitia, her tight
ass busting out of skin-tight hipsters, posing and teasing the poor
fellow.
Steve finally gets some oral relief before fucking Malitia. Unfortunately,
while muffled sounds of pain and pleasure - the supposed goings-on
in other rooms in this darkened nightclub location, I guess - echo
eerily, there are only odd little moments of excitement, like Steve
pushing down on Malitia's arching back, for me to get into. Sure
everyone does their bit quite capably but there are two few shots
of the girls' faces, for example, for me to get a real feeling for
them as individuals. John does serve up some anal sex for Miss Arroyo
but his focus is clearly illustrated by Steve's come shot, delivered
onto the girls' toes and high heeled shoes. It's all about particular
shots - that butt, those legs, and certainly a fetishist's eye view
on big high heel shoes - and a certain style that looks good but
lends a certain remoteness to the action that makes it all seem,
to me at least, to go on for a long, long time.
Claudia
Thunder rolls as pretty blonde Claudia (first saw her back in about
Beautiful Girls 2, I think, which makes me wonder about when some
of these scenes were shot) is marched into a bedroom by a largely
faceless dominant guy, who turns out to be Mike Foster. She's abruptly
presented with a cock to suck. A little succulent head later, she
slips out of her clothes as a photographer snaps some shots and
John Leslie's camera lingers on her sexy curves. A second guy (Gary)
gives her his dick to suck while Leslie makes the most of the natural
light to create some striking silhouette images. Again, not for
the first time in the movie, I can imagine viewers who desire clear
sex shots will be frustrated by this visual approach. But then again,
we are treated to a tasty shot of the perfect orbs of Claudia's
ass set off by the light as she's taken in doggy - it's really a
matter of preference, I suppose.
Mike returns to have his dick sucked again, before settling down
to observe her tight, curvy body and great tits (shame about the
tattoo, though) as she screws with Gary. The sex is reasonably energetic
but certainly needs the lift given by the dominant Mr Foster when
he grabs Claudia and takes her firmly from behind, up against the
wardrobe. She returns to Gary for a little spooning before the guys
come over her face. Then she's led to the next room, the doors close
ominously behind before a sudden and shocking end…
Overall
I must admit I've often found the relatively small number of John
Leslie's movies that I've seen to be generally admirable without
being utterly captivating and so it's perhaps unsurprising that
Fresh Meat 18 falls in the same category. It's frequently successful
in providing some intriguing visuals and creating atmosphere but
equally I feel the approach creates remoteness rather than going
for that white-of-the-eyes intimacy and immediacy. I appreciate
what John is trying to do and thank God for his willingness to use
even a modicum of imagination and creativity. He's going for a particular
look and feel - unfortunately it's not one that I can really be
passionate about.
I think passion is the one thing that really is missing here - Katja
and Mike come closest, but the spark of genuine sexual inspiration
seems to have been passed over in favour of creating specific shots
and scenarios, which, like I say, I can admire but I fear will never
really move me. I was looking forward to seeing Sharon and Mia again
in particular but their scenes are disappointingly routine at times.
Maybe it's just me being jaded but an even stronger focus on the
kinkier aspects of the movie and more passionate sex would have
certainly taken it to another level.
DVD
Comments
As always, Evil Angel supply a well-packaged disc with the usual
useful menus, slick graphics and suchlike supplementing the bundle
of extras: additional footage from four of the five scenes, trailers
for John Leslie Movies and also for his blues band, text info like
cast lists, filmographies and biography. The main feature has very
good picture quality, allowing for the very particular approach
to lighting, and the imaginative soundtrack is well reproduced.
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