Cheating

Released without a great deal of fanfare in the mid-1990s, CHEATING is an underrated little film from Vivid Video which has gotten lost among the barrage of product (some great, some not so great) cranked out by Director Paul Thomas. Before starlets like Chasey Lane, Jenteal, and Kobe Tai were introduced as the new generation of Vivid Girls, porn legends Leena, Ashlyn Gere and Christina Angel were spotlighted in many top-notch Vivid films, some of which have only recently been released on DVD.

Unfortunately, early Vivid/Wave DVDs presented their library of original movies in a ruthlessly edited and truncated edition (the same as their after-market videotapes), which greatly hurt classics like BAD WIVES, BORDERLINE, THE MASSEUSE 2 and 3, and VICTIM OF LOVE, and seemed like a general rip-off to the consumer. Luckily, nothing significant seems to be edited from CHEATING, as the DVD running time of the movie is only a few minutes shy of the length of my original VHS tape. Also, since this DVD was released under the Wave label, the viewer does not have to suffer through the ill-executed "multiple angles" a gimmick which Vivid has abused almost mercilessly.

Clocking in at ninety minutes, CHEATING features nine individual segments where couples initiate sex, but only a few of the scenes are shown to completion because the ongoing storyline acts as a coitus interrupus, particularly, between the coupling between Leena and Nick East. It literally take the entire movie, beginning with heated foreplay and ending in an oral cumshot, for these two to have sex. Although this method of making a porno movie may make you want to strangle the director (instead of Mr. Happy), the results are worth it off since the constant start and stop action builds tension in their scenes, and their urgency for sexual satisfaction builds to an exhausting climax at the end.

Leena, looking sexier than ever in a tight fitting sun-dress which shows off her perfect tan legs and incredible (enhanced) chest, knows just how to tease the viewer through her brief, fragmented scenes with Nick East. Moments before the start of a dinner party, Leena lustfully attacks Nick for a quick, luscious blowjob, only to be interrupted by her guests arrival. Later on, they retreat to the bathroom, where she again collapses down on the floor to continue her luscious cock-sucking before they return back to the party. Auburn-haired, tall and slender, Leena performs oral sex with an enthusiasm and craving like no other actress in porn, and almost every scene in every video she has ever been in is worth watching.

When they are again alone in the kitchen, Nick returns the oral favors by going down on Leena as she bends over the counter. Her little girl voice coos as he sticks ice in her snatch while sucking on her clit. Soon, he can't resist the urge to fuck her in an upright doggy style, and the sight of Leena getting it from behind is enough draw the viewer into orgasmic bliss. Of course, they are to stop once again while the party winds down, which allows for their guests to indulge in a little sex play of their own. At the end of the film, lucky bastard Nick gets a few strokes closer to sexual fulfillment after he muff-dives on Leena in a car (apparently, the only place where they can find complete privacy). They emerge out into the the moonlight for some very hot fucking on top of the hood, at which point, Leena teases Nick into giving it to her anally. With her legs spread eagled in a missionary position, and the camera fully focused off her incredible body, Leena resists crying out in ecstacy as she is sodomized slowly and passionately. Then without missing a beat, Leena slowly rotates her body around and over, easily adjusting herself into doggy-style position, all the while her partner's cock remains locked in between the cheeks of her glorious ass. With that single maneuver, the viewer is treated to a 360 degree view of her amazing anal encounter, better than any "multiple angles" DVD feature could ever do. Of all the anal scenes ever performed in porn, this is one of the most creatively filmed and highly erotic shots I have ever witnessed. Finally, unable to hold himself back any further, Nick releases himself into Leena's inviting mouth, where she visibly swallows a good portion of his resulting orgasm. Again, although their scene is actually a single encounter stretched over the entire movie, the heat it generates and the mind-blowing performance by Leena make the wait absolutely worthwhile.

Simply by relying on the presence of Leena, the director could have easily filled the rest of CHEATING with nondescript, throwaway sex scenes and the results still would have made for a memorable film. But Paul Thomas chooses to give the viewer their money's worth by featuring actresses Ashlyn Gere and Christina Angel in hot, action-packed, co-starring roles. The super-sexy Ms. Gere is certainly no slouch when it comes to her turn at the hardcore action. She throws her whole curvy body into her sucking and fucking scenes with three different guys throughout the movie, and never flinches as all three end in cum facials. Ashlyn's sexual prowess is legendary in porn, and like Leena, she has never delivered a less thsn a stellar performance. On the quiet side is the angelic Christina Angel, who allows her labia to get licked by Jonathan Morgan at the dinner table, but provides full service to Stephen St. Croix outside by the swimming pool. Later Christina joins Ashlyn and Alex Jordan for a threeway all-girl scene, which is fun to watch, but just seems a bit obligatory in the context of the movie...not that I'm complaining. But what I would rather have had in this film is an ultimate girl-girl encounter between Leena and Ashlyn Gere, a clash of two feminine sexual titans which would probably be worthy of a porn pay-per-view special. Oh, well...

Picture quality on this DVD is very good for this shot-on-film transfer. The image is a bit grainy, but distinctly clearer than the VHS tape. The audio is unusual in that you get a menu choice between Dolby Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1, which to my home-theater system did not seem to make much difference (then again, I never did turn the sound up to THX-recommended sound levels either). Predictably, Wave has included a mess of trailers and video clips on the other side of the disc, which are actually just randomly assembled video clips from their catalog of films. The cover art features a very sophisticated picture of Ashlyn Gere, looking beautiful as ever. However, unlike the boxcover for the VHS tape, she is topless on the DVD, which is a smart (if not obvious) marketing technique by Vivid Video...again, not that I'm complaining.

CHEATING's style of storytelling may try the patience of viewers who want their sex scenes in a single loop, or who are used to compilation videos where sex is shown without any interruption. However, with a talent like Leena on board, the tease is worth enduring because satisfaction is guaranteed in the end. And isn't that what porno is all about?