Fallen

What can I say about FALLEN which hasn't already been stated about this critically lauded, multi-award winning feature? Well, I hate to sound redundant, but Spooky's original review of this title is true: this Blu-ray falls short of the kind of royal treatment we might expect from a Wicked release. Over a year ago, the studio released the overwhelmingly well-received OPERATION DESERT STORMY on high definition, but without all the bonus features which nicely complemented the original DVD. It was a real bummer for high definition enthusiasts to have a product where the standard DVD was more collectible than the Blu-ray. With FALLEN, video aficionados will surely be disappointed by the advertised 720p high definition presentation. Far less significant Wicked features like THE WICKED and THE ORACLE have been preserved in 1080p, so why not this title? Someone, somehow, either dropped the ball, or there are good technical reasons for the current mastering which are not fully explained, but should have been.

Now, as all true videophiles know, high definition isn't all about numbers, and these days, the uproar over 720p versus 1080p is really much ado about nothing for those who buy cheap flatscreens based solely on discount sales prices. However, when an adult feature as accomplished and as prolific as FALLEN makes its debut on Blu-ray, attention to such detail (no pun intended) is not only warranted, but fully expected.

Other than that (major) issue, FALLEN still looks impressive on Blu-ray and I can't imagine anyone who would not be pleased with the colorful visuals shot beautifully (and softly) by longtime Wicked videographer and director Francois Clousot. From the opening scenes of super-sexy Jenna Haze doing what she does best with a cock (one can't but envy director Brad Armstrong, who has not only put together an impressive production but also takes full advantage of the casting couch by getting himself deep inside Miss Haze and Miss Drake) to multiple sex scenes of lovely Jessica delivering what is probably a career-best performance, there's no doubt that this three and three-quarter hours feature is as dramatically epic as porn gets.

That's not to say that I have a more than a few nitpicks on this deservedly acclaimed movie. All of the hetero scenes employ condoms, which is a studio policy I find honorable, but not to my preference. Even though the movie was shot in high definition, there is still a distinctly flat, low-budget look to it that isn't as visually impressive when compared to classic features of the last twenty years (or so) which were shot on film. Further, while Miss Drake is strong in her role, other characters are not quite as proficient when it comes to acting (I won't name them; you'll know who they are).. Finally, the lack of any real humor throughout gives the movie a glum, dark feeling. Not all sex scenes need to be sandwiched between relentless angst and pathos. A little levity with such a supernatural/religious subject matter would have made all the hysterical drama less grim.

But no mistake about it, FALLEN is a stunning achievement from a director who is able to top himself time and time again. It's one of my favorite titles of 2008, and should be part of every porn lover's collection.

Wicked Pictures' Fallen is arguably the best movie they released in 2008, so one would naturally expect the studio to give it the royal treatment on the Blu-ray format - or, at the very least, match the presentation of the DVD release. Sadly, Fallen isn't given the kind of respect it deserves on the hi-def format.

The first question that arises with this Blu-ray release is why on earth Wicked gives the movie a 720p transfer when every movie they've released on the format since August has been full 1080p (Cockstar was the last 720p release)? And while I've seen some excellent 720p transfers, I can't say that Fallen is one of them. Heavy grain is still obvious in many of the nighttime/dark scenes (and there are a good many of them in the movie), and even the well-lit scenes, while sharper than DVD, don't offer a visual experience that would warrant the extra cost of the Blu-ray release.

I tried to contact the powers-that-be over at Wicked to get an "official" explanation about why Fallen has only gotten the 720p treatment on Blu-ray, and although I was assured my question would be passed on to the proper people, I've gotten no reply to date. This review will be updated if and when I receive a response.

The less-than-stellar quality of many of the scenes probably has more to do with the fact that Director Brad Armstrong chose to soft-light much of the action, but there's no denying that the "pop" viewers expect when viewing a hi-def movie just can't be found in many places here. Audio-wise, this release is a wash with the DVD version, offering up the same Dolby Digital 5.1 track that exists on the DVD release.

The 720p transfer enigma rears its ugly head once again as we go to the second disc on this set (also a Blu-ray disc), to find that the 38-minute Behind The Scenes featurette and interview segments with Brad Armstrong and Jessica Drake have received a 1080i transfer, even though the bonus footage from the movie is presented in 720p. It made me wonder if Armstrong shot Fallen on equipment with a maximum resolution of 720p...and if so, why?

To add insult to injury, Wicked Pictures has only ported over a fraction of the bonus materials that were available on the DVD release. Viewers will get the aforementioned BTS and interview segments (both in 1080i); as well as deleted sex scenes between Jessica Drake and Barrett Blade (720p), Brad Armstrong and Gianna Lynn (720p), and an unedited version of the movie's orgy scene (720p...and only 40-minutes, despite the box cover claim of 50). The disc also includes the interactive sex booth footage featuring Alektra Blue, Hunter Bryce, Jenaveve Jolie and Angie Savage that allows viewers to watch each girl's solo footage from two different angles (using the "Angle" button on your remote, and presented in 720p).

What's missing from the Blu-ray? Bloopers; a featurette on the stunts; additional cast interviews; a look at the box cover shoot; photo galleries; and a digital copy of the movie - to name just a handful of things not ported over from the standard release.

If I were to make an educated guess (and I'm not privy to any insider knowledge) I would say that the Blu-ray of Fallen almost seems like a "rush job" by the studio to get the title out on hi-def before the upcoming AVN Awards show.

My original DVD review of Fallen claimed that "it would be a sin not to own" (a quote Wicked was kind enough to include on the Blu-ray box cover). This Blu-ray release of Fallen just seems like a sin. The movie is still spectacular, but do yourself a favor and buy (or hang onto) the DVD.

Jessica Drake stars as an angel who gets her wings clipped and is to live as a human in Director Brad Armstrong's Fallen, an impressive and surprisingly moving adult feature from Wicked Pictures.

As the opening credits roll, we find young lovers Keith (Brad Armstrong) and Denise (Jenna Haze) enjoying each other in the movie's opening sex scene. Keith wants Denise to stay the night, but she decides to return home, leaving Keith holding the engagement ring he hoped to propose to her with in his hand. Sadly, Denise never makes it home and is killed in a freak elevator accident. Her guardian angel (played by Jessica Drake, whose character's name is also "Angel") wasn't there to protector Denise, and Angel is banned from Heaven as a result - to live among the humans as a human.

The movie then jumps ahead four years in time, and we see Angel has been experimenting with her sexual side, going to sex clubs to participate in orgies (in Scene 2 we get to see Jessica double penetrated) and allowing the neighborhood cop (Randy Spears) to have his way with her on a regular basis. She even gets off watching others, making it a habit to watch a local hooker (Jennifer Dark) fuck her various "johns".

Then one day, perhaps by accident, perhaps by fate, Keith (who owns his own company, but enjoys being the delivery boy for it) bumps into Angel and accidently knocks coffee onto her shirt. Angel is immediately drawn to him, not realizing that he was the boyfriend of the girl she wasn't able to save.

The two eventually start dating, although Angel still can't resist experimenting with sex on the side - including blowing a cabbie (Herschel Savage) in exchange for allowing her to ride on the roof of his car (it reminds her of when she had wings); and going to a sex club to get off with one of the performers (Angie Savage) on the other side of a glass booth.

On the morning after Angel and Keith make love for the first time, she discovers who he really is and is freaked out by it - cutting off their relationship. However, when she realizes that she's in love with him, and then saves him from an armed gunman, Angel finally tells Keith the truth. The two go off to spend a romantic weekend together camping outside of the city...but a tragedy soon follows that Angel to try and make a deal with the God she feels has betrayed her.

For a featured geared mainly toward the couples market (where things are often on the "tame" side), the sexual action in Fallen is sizzling hot. Not only do we get to witness Jessica getting a DP, but several other of the cast members get double penetrated as well, and many of the scenes contain anal. Even though Jessica's encounter with Randy is only a one-on-one, she has a night stick up her ass while he fucks her missionary; and Jessica also gets a cock up her behind in her first of two sex scenes with Brad. All in all, Fallen contains nine sex segments, and there's not a loser in the bunch.

Disc 1 of this 3-disc set (not counting a fourth sampler disc that's also included) also gives viewers an interactive option: allowing the viewer to "Choose Angel's Destiny" in the movie, which will lead to one of three endings - one of which is the ending actually used in the non-interactive version. One will have the choices of "Happy," "Afterlife," and "Vengeance". I won't tell you which one of those three Brad Armstrong decided to go with in his cut of the movie, but I will say he made the best choice of the three.

The movie is presented in anamorphic widescreen (at about the 1.78:1 ratio) and comes with a 5.1 Dolby Digital track, along with the options to listen to a 5.1 Music Only track or a 5.1 Sex Only track. Both the video and the audio are top-notch for an adult title. Oddly, Wicked has not opted to record an audio commentary track for Fallen (nor did they for their other big fall movie, The Wicked, which makes me wonder if they're permanently moving away from such commentaries - let's hope not).

Disc 2 contains all of the various featurettes created for this release. These consist of a 38-minute Behind The Scenes segment; a 4 ½-minute bloopers reel; an 18-minute look at the stunts in Fallen; and 12-minutes worth of interviews with some of the cast where they're asked about their own belief in angels. Also on Disc 2 is a look at the box cover shoot; Jessica's taxi cab ride in the movie; the (thankfully) fake tattoo that her character gets in the film; a segment on the various rooftop footage shot; plus photo galleries, star bios, trailers and promotional information - including access to a digital copy of Fallen for your iPod or portable device. All of the Fallen-related featurettes are presented anamorphically with 2.0 Dolby sound.

Disc 3 includes two deleted scenes from the movie. The first is a 14-minute one-on-one between Jessica Drake and Barrett Blade; and the second is an 8-minute blowjob-only scene between Gianna Lynn and Brad Armstrong. Also included is an interactive selection entitled "The Sex Booths" in which viewers can pick a girl (the choices are Alektra Blue, Hunter Bryce, Jenaveve Jolie and Angie Savage) and then are treated to a POV scene with that girl where "you" are on the phone on the other side of a glass booth and the girl is performing for you. Using the angle button on your remote will allow you to see two different views of the action.

Also on Disc 3 is an extended version of Fallen's orgy scene that clocks in at a whopping 40-minutes. The disc also includes separate interviews with Brad Armstrong (19 minutes) and Jessica Drake (14 minutes); as well as a pair of bonus scenes taken from two other Wicked titles. The first of these is a lesbian threesome between Alektra Blue, Kristen Price and Lexxi Tyler from Cockstar; and the second is Jenna Haze and Steven St. Croix encounter in Operation: Desert Stormy.

As noted, current versions of the Fallen release also include a 2008 Wicked Sampler disc. This disc contains an additional five bonus sex scenes, taken from the releases of Black Widow, Candelabra, Coming Home; The Craving and Just Between Us.

Fallen is one of the best DVDs of the year and should be a strong contender in the categories of Best Feature, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director and Best DVD Extras when awards time rolls around later this year. It would simply be a sin not to own this great release.

One of the best X rated movies I've seen.
A Good movie for couples.
Very good acting, a good story.
Even the wife said enjoyed the sex and the movie.
After we were through...
We fast forwarded through the sex scense so we could see the
story inbetween them.
And the ending.

Movie looks awful, 720p just does not hold up, at all. This is officially grandpas porn, its been left far far behind, with anything shot in 1080. It does not matter how much time and effort they put into it, the budget, the production, how good the acting is, because they shot it in 720p, and it looks like vhs quality.