Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Big Shots for Big Boys

Attempting to be something of a 'culture vulture' in San Francisco, one does necessarily need to embrace a wide spectrum of events, performances and media. San Francisco has perhaps the second finest opera in the nation and it has Folsom Street Fair. Though the San Francisco Opera has started its season, I don't begin attending for another two weeks. However, the Folsom Street Fair was only this past Sunday. Since 'the internet is for porn', I decided to post something for 'the boys' this time.

[In the spirit of full disclosure, yes, I have a friend in the following video and, yes, I have done some freelance writing for the production company. However, as I stated earlier, my 'critical sensibilities' have made and broken friends before.]

"COLT Minute Man 27: Big Shots" (dirs. Rip COLT, John Rutherford, Kristofer Weston, USA, 2006, 55 mins.) I decided to include this here because of how the video (unintentionally?) captures COLT Studio Group at a particular point in its production history. The "COLT Minute Man" series traditionally presents three segments, with a solo performer in each segment. In this collection, there are also three directors. Though I can not state it as a definitive fact, as the directors are not specifically credited with a segment, the three scenes and performers are so distinctively stylized that it is not hard to speculate who directed which scene.



Scene 1 features Antton Harri, perhaps the youngest of the three performers, performing his scene next to a campfire. There is no plot, per se, just Antton out in the night doing 'his business'. It is the most minimal of the three scenes, which leads me to believe it was directed by Kristofer Weston. Weston focuses primarily on the pure, sensual, physical act. In this case, setting it at night eliminates nearly any setting detail other than the fire in front of him. The videography and editing are as minimal as the setting. Harri's smooth, hunky body becomes the sole focus of the scene. By doing that, there is some added pressure on the performer to fulfill the fantasy aspects of the viewer. Harri handles most of this with aplomb, though there are a few close ups in which Harri looks directly into the camera and he seems awkward, if not almost embarrassed to be caught in the act. It's sort of endearing, yet startlingly real. However, he is handsome and able enough to pull the scene off.

Scene 2 features Billy Herrington, a classic COLT model in a classic COLT setting, which just screams "Rip COLT". Mr. COLT has created something of an homage to Kenneth Anger's "Scorpio Rising". The scene begins with Herrington hosing down his motorcycle (using the GARDEN HOSE, you dirty boys!). He rides it to a ranch house (which features a really amusing moment of chasing chickens off the road!). There, he talks to a friend on a phone on the front deck and eventually decides to leisurely masturbate. All of this is done without acknowledging the viewer, which is 'classic COLT'. The videography and editing are the most sophisticated and varied of the three scenes. In fact, during the final moments, the cutting to alternate angles is done with such speed and precision, that it becomes its own little drama. Harrington performs like a pro throughout. Though he is enacting a scene, his body language and expression are all aimed to please, even without letting on that he is being watched. It is not until the FINAL FRAME of the scene that he acknowledges the viewer, breaking the fourth wall. With that one look, he lets us know that he knows we've been watching all along, and that it has been all for us, which is a turn-on all of its own. It is a neat moment in which the voyeur is acknowledged and that makes it just as sexy.

Scene 3 is directed by John Rutherford and features Skye Woods in a garage office while taking a break 'with us', more or less. It is the most aggressive of the three scenes, as Woods nearly never takes his eyes off the camera as he poses for the viewer. Where Harri was required to concentrate on himself, and Herrington was asked to act out a scene, Woods is required to create a relationship with the viewer directly. He handles the intensity of focusing on the camera fairly well, with only a couple of lapses in concentration. He is only allowed to look away and acknowledge what (massive!) body part we are probably focused on at the time. It is a slow strip routine, clocking in as the longest of the three episodes. Rutherford really makes the guy work up a sweat! It is sort of Rutherford's style in which he makes an intimate connection with the performer through the camera.His p.o.v. is extremely up close and personal. The videography and editing are nearly locked on a full front, with some close ups cut in. That is, until the final few moments where we cut to over his shoulder, which seems to be a surprisingly neglected angle when I think about it.

The one element that ties the three scenes together is the atmospheric score by HARDROCK. I think it could have been a bit more serene for Scene 1 and harder for Scene 3, however that is just picking nits. The soundscape is pleasant enough and the editing and foley are well mixed and non-intrusive.

So, what I think makes this video so interesting is that it presents a past-present-future look for COLT Studio Group, as it features the styles of the three directors: Rip COLT is 'COLT Classic'; John Rutherford is the 'COLT Present'; and Kristofer Weston is sort of 'COLT Future', in that he appears to be grooming young men to become COLT Men through their work with his Buckshot Productions. I was not sure how the order of scenes worked until having thought about it here. Antton Harri's scene is a nice warm up (pun intended regarding the fire, I guess!) to what lay in store. Herrington's scene is a nearly nostalgic flashback to COLT videos of yore, and then Woods' scene snaps us into the present style the studio is pursuing.

(And, yes, there is more than just stroking involved in some porn, Virginia!)

The Extras: There is a 'slideshow' of stills. There are also previews of no less than TEN other COLT Studio Group productions, including other COLT Minute Man videos, Buckshot videos and COLT Studio videos.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Ooooo! What'cha doin'?"
[Maxxxxx is only 4 years old and not allowed to watch!]

Anonymous said...

You are my fave reviewer, even if you do some freelance writing for Colt. Okay, especially if you do some freelance writing for Colt. I just love Colt.

God bless Colt.

Anonymous said...

Hey Jay I love Colt and I especially love Skye Woods! Keep up the HARD work!

Serena said...

Wow!!!!! Nice post thanks dear for this beautiful post. Actually I am here to download Big Shots TV Show and got this post... Really a great job dear..

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