Sex World (VCX) Review

Reviewed by YogaGrrl  on  6/11/2002

Cast: Leslie Bovee, Kay Parker, Sharon Thorpe, Desiree West, Annette Haven, Amber Hunt, Carole Tong, Abigail Clayton, Eileen Dover, Suzette Holland (aka Cris Cassidy), Kent Hall, Jack Wright, John Leslie, Peter Johns, Joe Civera (aka Joey Silvera), Roberto Ramos and Johnnie Keyes in sex roles; plus 20 credited actors in non-sex roles.

Director: Anthony Spinelli

Production date: The original copyright is 1977, but the DVD appears to be mastered from a 1979 print. (The DVD release date was 5/14/01.)

Length: 90 min.

Extras: None. There's not even a crummy web site ad. Unlike some early VCX releases, however, Sex World is recorded on a single track and does have a time code for easier navigation. I suppose we must be grateful for small mercies.

False advertising: The box lists an "Animated Main Menu," an "Animated Jump to Scene" and "Photo Shots." There is no photo gallery. The main menu is not animated. The chapter menu does have an eight-second background loop, but the nine chapter stops are illustrated by stills. The stops do not necessarily go to the beginning of the depicted scenes. I have deducted a half-star from the overall rating for false advertising.

Audio/visual quality: The visual quality is pretty good, considering the age of the film. Debris and speckles are present; the colors, however, are reasonably vivid. The sets are nicely varied, though obviously built on a limited budget. Editing effects (enhanced motion, superimposed images, intercut footage) have been employed extensively. Unfortunately, the text "©VCX, Inc. 1979" is burnt into the print at both the top and the bottom of the screen for the first nine minutes, which creates a minor annoyance.

The sound is also mostly acceptable, though it does suffer from a little background hiss and distortion (especially in the bass range). The audio vanishes completely for 80 seconds beginning at 58:55 and ending at 1:00:15 (which is a foreplay segment between Jack Wright and Eileen Dover). Otherwise, all dialog is easily heard and understood, even the whispers. The music is very 1970s, and it nicely supports the mood of the scenes.

First impression: Though not considered the top example of vintage porn, this movie does have its charms.

Synopsis:

Sex World! Go on a spree.
Sex World! Come here with me.
All you desire, we have for hire;
You'll turn to fire, we guarantee.

Sex World! Do what you will.
Sex World! You'll have your fill.
Give us your trust; climb on our bus;
Leave the loving to us, so great it will be.

Sex World! Let's make a date.
Sex World! Don't hesitate.
You'll find your love, below or above,
At Sex World, my God! Just wait and see...

So go the catchy lyrics to Sex World's very own two-minute theme song. While the opening credits roll, an airport shuttle bus picks up a full load of passengers. They head down the freeway for a three-day pleasure retreat, where committed counselors and attractive androids accommodate even the wildest fantasies. Among the crowd are two couples and four singles, whose sexual experiences form the basis of the movie.

The first couple, Leslie Bovee and Kent Hall, enjoy a happy sex life and decide to visit Sex World on a lark. But after Kent has experimented with Amber Hunt and Carole Tong and Leslie has sampled Abigail Clayton, they depart with their marriage in jeopardy. The second couple, Kay Parker and Jack Wright, have arrived at the end of their rope—she wants to be fully dominated and he isn't capable of doing it. Joe Civera literally slaps some sense into Kay, while Eileen Dover cures Jack of both his mama complex and his impotence.

John Leslie, a jaded hedonist, meets his match in Desiree West, a woman who apparently enjoys a good challenge. John despises dark-skinned people, but Desiree sweetly and persistently seduces him with such witty aphorisms as: "I'll prove your spigot ain't no bigot!" Annette Haven, heartbroken after the collapse of a five-year relationship with Suzette Holland, finds comfort in the arms of a gentle Latin lover, Roberto Ramos. And lonely lady Sharon Thorpe pulls out of a tailspin of desperation by coupling with her favorite actor from Behind the Green Door.

As is typical for many movies from the Golden Age of Porn (1972-1984), the sex scenes are subordinate to the story, and they focus on foreplay, oral intercourse and vaginal penetration. Relationship issues receive far more emphasis than is normally found in contemporary adult movies. Also, every actress in Sex World has natural breasts and unshaven pubic hair. For additional observations and opinions, please see Flash's excellent review.

Thumbs up: For the most part, this movie is fun. The minor players describe some truly hilarious fantasies to their counselors. The first time I watched Sex World, I immediately found myself caring about the main characters and wondering what was going to happen next. It's generally well acted, with most performers delivering their lines in a convincing fashion.

The replay value is going to be moderately high for viewers who enjoy cult classics with a sci-fi flavor. I can honestly say this movie is a bit different from anything else I've seen.

Thumbs down: The sex scenes are short and often fragmented. John and Desiree spend just 85 seconds having sex, and it's split and scattered into four segments. Sharon scores a couple of the longest and best scenes: nearly five and a half minutes of telephone masturbation with a stranger (Peter Johns) and about six and a half minutes of slow-motion action with her fantasy lover (Johnnie Keyes). In the end, the actual sex is almost marginalized by the story, which is rather ironic considering the movie's title. This is definitely not easy wanking material.

And the extras? Sex World is only the second classic adult movie that I've purchased on DVD; the first was Nurses of the 407 from I-Candy. There's absolutely no comparison between the two—Nurses of the 407 has a ton of special features, including an audio commentary. Please get it together, VCX. Your lack of care reflects very poorly on your studio.

YogaGrrl's motherly advice: When talking to her Sex World counselor, Kay requests a rape fantasy. "I may not want to do it," she explains excitedly, "but my guy won't care. I may fight it, but my guy won't care." A later revelation makes it pretty clear that she is attempting to relive an abusive relationship in a more controlled environment. What concerns me is that Kay no longer seems to be in control by the end of the scene. I start to feel very uncomfortable when she vigorously protests, "Stop, please! No! No! NO!" Normally these types of domination situations are best handled with a "safe" word. This can be any word, such as "mercy," that the submissive player uses to stop the action if the emotional or physical pain becomes unbearable. If simulated rape scenarios interest you, please arrange a safe word ahead of time, for the protection of everyone involved.

Themes: Straight, lesbian, three-way, masturbation, phone sex, oral, interracial, nonconsensual sex, slapping, facials.

Condom use: None.

Juice-o-meter: Low, but not negligible.

Final analysis: Sex World falls short of its potential, due to underdeveloped sex scenes and indifferent treatment from VCX. I nevertheless recommend it to viewers who are interested in classic porn. It has its moments, and it's an amusing way to unwind for an hour and a half.

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