Inches Review

Reviewed by Joe Shaver  on  2/10/2003

INCHES is a DVD release of a film made in 1979 starring the legendary Al Parker and directed by his lover Steve Scott. Parker was one of the first superstars of gay porn and did much to erase the stereotype of gays being lisping sissies with limp wrists. Parker—and the men in his films—was ultra masculine in appearance, but the eyes were gentle. The mustaches and beards that they wore to emphasize their manliness were adopted by 70’s gays and became the way they could recognize one another in that time when it was necessary to keep a low profile. Talk about clones! The films of the era all had plots to make them appear more than pornography. Sex scenes were usually brief in relation to today’s films. This film, for example, with its plot and four sex scenes is only 68 minutes long.

It begins with Al having a dream of two naked men in white masks. When he awakens, his lover is not interesting in hearing about it and goes off to shower. Al ties some rawhide about his cock (an early form of cockring) and jacks off. His lover in the shower is jacking off as well. Obviously things are not as they should be in this relationship.

The lover leaves to go out of town and Al goes off to a picture gallery where photographer Bob Blount shows an interest in him. Bob is slim, very good-looking, has a hairy body—including his back—and, needless to say, sports a beard. Bob’s photos are all close-ups of cocks. (And you thought Mapplethorpe was kinky.) Bob calls Al that evening but Al tells him he is in a relationship, yatta, yatta, yatta.

When the lover returns from his trip Al tries to initiate sex and actually penetrates his lover who is lying on his stomach. It’s like fucking a corpse, so Al withdraws. Al has a dream of his lover on his knees servicing a line of cocks. Al then dreams of him being fucked by those naked guys in the white masks, one of whom cums in the lover’s mouth. Al wakes to discover his lover has gone for good. This leaves the way open for Bob.

After a successful gallery showing of Bob’s cockshots, He and Al head for Bob’s cabin in the woods. Here, in front of a roaring fire (after having rolled around bareassed in the snow) they make love. Bob lies on his back for Al to enter him. Très romantique! The film ends with them driving back to the city. Whether this was just a weekend in the country or the beginning of a beautiful friendship is left to the viewer.

What is certain is that the deaths of Parker, Blount, and other stars of this era from A.I.D.S. put an end to pre-condom flicks until their risky revival today.

Pre-condom flicks being re-released in the DVD format are called “classics”. I guess in some ways they are. But the sex, by today’s standards, leaves much to be desired. You are not likely to get off watching them. Of course your bachelor Uncle Bruce probably did because it was new and daring and it was all he had outside of physique magazines. If you like fuck films with a story or are interested in what early porn was like, this is a good one to add to your collection. And your collection isn’t complete unless you have one of these oldies. This not the best of these early films, but it isn’t the worst either. It’s just typical.