How the West Was Hung (All Worlds) Review

Reviewed by TouchDown Tony  on  11/11/2001

How the West Was Hung
All Worlds Video
Produced by Dirk Yates
Directed by Chi Chi LaRue
Starring Axel Garret, Lane Fuller, Javier Duran, Bruce Hill, Jason Branch, Haus Weston, Kenny,
with T. J. Hart and Mistress Mona in non-sexual roles.

To be perfectly honest, I really wanted to like this movie, but just couldn’t warm up to it completely. It should be the type of film for rugged cowboy lovers everywhere, but, “The Magnificent Seven” it isn’t. Face it, with their chaps and their cattle drive, John Wayne and Montgomery Clift cast far more sexual sparks in Howard Hawks’ “Red River.”

Relying more on atmosphere, HOW THE WEST WAS HUNG appropriately captures the time period with lavish sets (well, the barroom is rather lavish) and costumes, even supporting players - and the disc looks great. The set and costume budget had to be one big budget for a venture in adult filmmaking, but unless you’re really into twinks and gay-for-pay guys, then HOW THE WEST WAS HUNG is something of a letdown. It is, however, a change of pace from the usual sexual outings, and should be commended for trying something a little bit different.

Boasting a listed cast of twenty, yes 20!, men, very few are given whole scenes, there’s a orgy sequence in the middle of the film that uses everyone on hand, but the direction is workmanlike, thus becoming a case of something old, something new and something borrowed. The eroticism in HOW THE WEST WAS HUNG is certainly on view in the film’s initial scene, where lawman Bruce Hill, (a definite treat to see an actor over forty going at things with such gusto, and he’s hot as hell-fire to boot) takes on the 8' of Javier Duran, playing a drunken Tex-Mex in the jail cell. Bruce takes that piece of uncut meat as if he were a virgin. Everything seems so new to him as he strips the passed out Duran and explores every inch of his waking body. When Duran plunges into Hill’s tightly muscled bubble-butt, Hill’s moans of ecstasy are compelling, if not downright contagious. Duran murmurs in his own language of love creating one of the better bi- lingual scenes to be had. Even in the obviousness of the jailhouse set, the fine attention to period costume is on view: I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing more of the button-down tightey- whities that Hill fills out so very nicely.

The village smithy stands not underneath a spreading chestnut, despite the large and sinewy hands of Haus Weston, an All Worlds Discovery worth discovering. He’s paired with Kenny, twink material if there ever was, who in long and medium shots looks all of fourteen; it’s only when the camera moves in on his mouth pleasuring Weston, that his over eighteen status comes through. Weston allows Kenny to blow and rim him to climax, but poor Kenny only gets to jack-off onto Weston’s waiting thigh.

Upon the discovery that the saloon’s good-time girl is really a good-time boy (T. J. Hart in a subtle comedic turn), the whole saloon breaks out into the film’s strongest, longest scene. This outrageous orgy - - and I mean that in the best possible way - - is certain to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, be it sofa or couch! Once Jason Branch, with those well-defined thighs, strips out of his “Black Bart” get-up, and starts spreading his wealth I sat transfixed with delightful anticipation. What a strong contender for Best Scene of the year, with those twenty or so bodies wriggling, wrangling and fucking themselves into a fortitude of frenzied sexual excitement. Good ole Jason even manages to double penetrate Christopher Scott, with Spike’s hardon matching thrust for thrust into Christopher’s eager beaver of a manhole. Scott should have received special billing for this superlative performance. Director LaRue keeps the camera moving from encounter to encounter, dwelling just long enough on each of the participants before breaking off to a new set of guys. Now for the downside of the scene: as wonderful as it is - -and it could easily be a stand-alone scene- - its is nearly too damned good, and placed where it is in the film, well, anything else would seem flaccid in comparison. If only LaRue had held off and let it close the film, instead of either of the remaining scenes.

I’m not too heavily into solo scenes, but the staging of Danny Lee and Marco Mancini’s jack-off session in a moving stagecoach proves to be a pleasant, and original, diversion. Danny is one of the most beautiful models to hit the screen, and Marco’s meat is suitable for consumption; maybe I should invite him over for dinner some night....hmmm...

Top-billed Axel Garret’s encounter with his male “Mail Order Bride” is something of a letdown. Sure enough, Lane Fuller is attractive, and an excellent bottom, but my idea of a honeymoon has a lot more kissing and a helluva lot more fucking. The bedroom set is beautifully furnished, and when you’re concentrating on the furnishings instead of the sex, you know something is amiss. Axel and Lane just never seem to connect, falling victims to the “gay for pay” syndrome, perhaps?

The video presentation is pretty durned good, with crystal clear, if sometimes harshly lit videography. The orgy scene has its fair share of graininess, as shifts from camera to camera occur. I have to say that mighty fine music was composed by Rock Hard for the movie itself, and by Stock for the orgy sequence. I especially liked the honky-tonk quality of Stock’s score, and its dramatic shift in tone once anal action began. Hard’s score could very easily be inserted into a cool, 1950's western film with ease. A nicely photographed stills gallery is the only bonus feature - - I certainly would have had no objection to a commentary track on this title - - and it is self-playing for two minutes, then as if on a loop, starts up once again.

I ended up liking HOW THE WEST WAS HUNG more on subsequent viewings, and I’m almost certain that other genre fans will feel the same way. My major caveat would be regarding LaRue’s direction, which could easily be rectified by programming the dvd to play the orgy centerpiece as the final scene, rather than as the third - -just because it’s a centerpiece, you don’t have to plop it right in the middle. These guys, for the most part are awesome, not to mention the fine eye toward period detail, but in the end it’s a mixed bag of goodies.