Having been so late with the review of Double Feature, we felt we had to follow it fairly quickly with a review of Bride of Double Feature. So here you are, a double review (as it were).
We own a copy of Bride of Double Feature on VHS (remember them?) so we dug it out, whacked it in the player and watched it again so we could review it for you too. Bride of Double Feature is another funny porn and just like Double Feature and Hercules it is funny because it is supposed to be. It is another send-up of the old B-movie double features. In Bride of... we get two "Cheesy Films" productions - a hard-boiled detective story starring Rick Rockwell (Randy Spears) and Suzie Cheescake (Serenity) and a Tarzan type adventure (Mo-Mo the Jungle Guy) also starting Rick and Suzie. True to the old B-movie genre, these were shot in black and white (fading to colour for the sex scenes). They had real cheesy 1950s B-movie plots with 1990s anachronisms thrown in.
The scripts weren't great, it certainly wasn't Double Feature or Hercules funny but it was still very well done. The sex scenes were pretty good. Randy and Asia Carrera had a good scene in the first one as did Serenity and Hershel Savage. There was a good orgy at the end of the second and the scenes between Serenity, Randy and Mike Horner were pretty good as well. The scenes had a bit of variety in them and not all the cumshots were facials, which is a nice change. Everyone looked like they really had a ball making this one (particularly Randy in Mo-Mo mode, waving his bum at everyone). They seemed to enjoy performing and 'performing' if you know what I mean. And now, on to the nitty-gritty of it.
It's been a while since we've watched anything on VHS, regardless of what it was, and I'd not really noticed before how much better DVD is - the colours were really red and the picture wasn't as sharp. And obviously, because we've got it on VHS, I can't comment on the extras on the DVD. This came out in 2000, so it was probably bought it in 2001 as one of the last we bought on VHS.
In addition to the double feature, there are also three trailers for other movies starring Rick and Suzie. All feature the same script, just in different settings and it is funny to see that by the third one Rick has not yet managed to get a blow job finished and is starting to look a little fed up with the whole situation.
For my money, the second feature, "Mo-Mo the Jungle Guy" is the funnier of the two. The detective story just didn't do it for me, although Mickey G's direct-to-camera comments about it being a porno made me snigger. The scene between Serenity and Herschel Savage is great and one to turn the volume down on as she's a bit of a screamer. The end twist is good and the sex is fine, I just didn't enjoy it that much.
Mo-Mo is a different thing altogether. Mike Horner and Serenity play a couple who's marriage (at least in his opinion) is over, with him making a half-arsed attempt to get her killed while trekking in the African jungle. The scene between them is great. She finds a wild man, Mo-Mo (who is an unrecognisable Randy Spears in truly revolting makeup) and takes him back to New York to teach him how to be a man. Mo-Mo resists attempts to civilise him by urinating and rutting on everything and everyone that moves, just like a horny dog (as most of the characters treat him). In addition to the urinating and rutting, he also stands on his head and puts his bare arse in the air; many times and in inappropriate places.
There is a really good orgy scene in this feature, although the script could have used a little work in the lead up to it. And I think some of the camera angles should have been discussed before-hand - one of the guys ends up with his penis bent down and underneath to provide the view for the DP he was participating in. It cannot have been comfortable for him or the girl concerned.
Mo-Mo and Serenity end up moving back to the jungle where Randy gets his first fuck of the second feature. I don't know if it was shot out of order, or whether he was simply massively aroused after waiting for so long, or whether he is just a star performer, but there was an erection standing proud and stiff when Serenity threw back his loin-cloth. Having seen so many semi-hard and flaccid dicks in both this and every other film we've seen recently, it was really nice to see what looked like a rock-hard erection. Unfortunately the end of their scene, which is also the end of the movie was weak and could have used more work on the script.
Both features are shot in black and white and only go to colour for the sex scenes. It works amazingly well, and it is astonishing how much atmosphere can be conjoured up by using black and white film and low lighting on really simple sets. Jonathon Morgan has cut together scenes from old black and white nature documentaries, so it looks very cobbled together, but that doesn't detract from it and adds to the cheesiness.
This isn't hilarious like Double Feature and Hercules are, but it is funny. It is long, almost 2 hours, and you may want to take a break before the second feature. The humour is almost slapstick in its obviousness; it certainly isn't subtle, but I did enjoy it.
All in all, it's well worth a look. Whether it is a keeper or not depends on your point of view. This will stay in our collection (though we may try to pick it up on DVD as the old VHS tape isn't in very good nick after 8 years and several watchings). I can't help wondering whether after the success of Double Feature, there was a lot of pressure put on Jonathan Morgan by the studio (or self-imposed) to replicate it. It's close, but just misses the mark. Hercules, which followed about three years later, is a much more worthy successor. However, as a sample of Jonathon Morgan's work and seeing its evolution, it is interesting, and it's a good film in its own right.
You can buy Bride of Double Feature here through Uncut DVDs in Australia.
