Tease, The

At last, one of my most-prized videos of all time makes its debut onto DVD! Directed by John Leslie, THE TEASE is a tailor-made vehicle for the sexual talents and undeniable charisma of retired adult actress Lauren Hall. Originally released in 1990, this movie was my personal introduction to this stunning performer (and surprisingly convincing actress): a raven-haired beauty with deep blue eyes and exotic features which hinted of Asian . Although some of my favorite scenes include her seductive portrayal as a vampire in PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT (which has been excerpted in an edited form on the compilation disc BRUNETTES DO IT BETTER), and as the heroine in TRICK TRACY 1 and 2, it was THE TEASE which allowed me to appreciate fully her erotic talents, and naturally, I was thrilled to replace permanently my well-worn VHS copy with this shiny new silver disc.

The front and back cover of the DVD jackets (just take a look at the boxcover pictures on Adult DVD Empire) is an example of a simple, yet very classy design. Lauren is in a tight black leather outfit (which, unfortunately, she does not wear in the film) with her hair pulled back tightly, revealing her exotic visage. She is lit with a spotlight against a bare background, posing with one arm over her head and the other on her hip, as she stares into the camera with a smoldering look of upper-class composure and coquettishness. Lauren's dazzling appearance effortlessly radiates a dark, yet brewing sexuality which is undeniable. On the back cover, she strikes a more forward yet less intimidating pose, with a deliberate "come hither" stare. Her sultry expression and deliberately sexy stance perfectly epitomizes the atmospheric tension of the movie from beginning to end.

This VCA Classic DVD features Ms. Hall as a wealthy socialite who hires writer Randy West to take note of her sexual fantasies (an old plot device, yes, but still very effective). Naturally, Randy takes one look at her and is filled with an overwhelming urge to get into her pants; and of course, Lauren resists up until the end of the movie (big surprise). But what makes this woman such an arresting presence aside from her gorgeous looks is how she easily slips into the role of a tease, flirting with gracefully subtle body language, and smiling slyly but seductively to induce others to do her bidding. In the introductory scene, she greets Mr. West with a whisper, "I want some of you" followed by a lustful licking of his ear, which one popular adult video review magazine had accurately described as being hotter and more erotic than most actresses' blowjobs (and indeed, it is). She then turns around so that her backside writhes against his hard-on as she moans, "Can you feel that? I'm very proud of my ass." From any other actress, those lines would be laughable (even in the world of blue movies), but coming from Ms. Hall, her power of seduction is overwhelming.

Admittedly, THE TEASE may try the patience of those who like their dirty movies, fast, furious and unhindered by a story or concept. Also, viewers who demand prolonged, microscopic close-up shots of anal sex in their porn will be sorely disappointed at the suggested sodomizing between Ms. Hall and TT Boy. Although she directs him to "fuck me in the crack of my ass!" their doggy-style, bump and grind session lacks any real evidence of actual rear entry. However, their scene is so erotically charged, that it really doesn't matter. As Randy West sits quiescently nearby, Lauren delivers a slow and wet blowjob to her masseur moaning and gasping in between the deep-throating, "I had him fuck me in an alley! It was so filthy!" Their sex play ends with a highly-charged, rocking and rolling cowgirl action, where Lauren's amazing body gyrates with an orgasmic rhythm. She helps intensify his moment of ecstasy with a vigorous hand job, rubbing her tits all over his spilled jism, then giving his cock one final taste to end the scene. Lauren's assertive control from start to finish makes this scene a definite turn-on, and one of the most memorable in blue movie moments.

Although Ms. Hall is clearly the star of the show, Ashlyn Gere briefly steals the limelight in a scene where she encourages Lauren to watch her and Tom Byron have mad sex on a couch (sadly, the Tease herself remains only as a spectator to these proceedings). Ashlyn is jaw-droppingly beautiful in a tight, yellow dress as Lauren is stunningly gorgeous simply sitting there and staring at the action. Blowjobs, reverse cowgirl and missionary positions are all performed with the two maintaining eye contact, which adds tension to the scene even though Lauren never joins in. The smoldering Selena Steele, dressed in a simple white outfit and white pumps which show off her sexy legs and even sexier tits, has an early scene with Peter North, where her enthusiastic blowjob skills and wild cock riding are amply demonstrated. She also performs with Randy West, in a darkly lit, atmospheric encounter where both go at each other with total, irrepressible abandon. Even in a secondary role, Selena Steele burns with an erotic passion that was further displayed in titles like HATE TO SEE YOU GO and CURSE OF THE CATWOMAN, and her scenes alone make THE TEASE worth getting.

Lauren's final one-on-one with Randy West is saved for the last few minutes of the movie. However, their ending scene is surprisingly short, and perhaps a bit anti-climactic. Following a confrontation where Mr. West bears witness to yet another guy (Randy Spears) getting it on with the object of his affection, the viewer discovers Selena alone in a room, casually engaging in an act of self-pleasure. The camera focuses on her from behind, framing her luxurious hair and lovely face, while her body moves up and down in a rhythmic pattern. As the music grooves into a percussive beat, the picture pans down on her tight, round ass as it gyrates sensuously on an oversized pillow. The image of Selena slowly bucking up and down comes into full view as the camera pulls away for a wider angle just as Lauren enters the room. Lauren and Selena then decide to indulge in each other's bodies for an intense session of sapphic lovemaking, right before Mr. Up and Cummer walks in and interrupts their little tryst. When Lauren finally agrees to give him a taste of her, their on-screen moment together is disarmingly fast paced, with Lauren giving Randy a sensuous blowjob, while Selena masturbates in the background. When Selena finally joins Lauren for a face-to-face, dual cowgirl ride on top, Randy cums almost immediately (much to his dismay) and the women are left giggling while taking a few licks at his spent woody. When the film concludes with Lauren telling him that there is plenty of time for more fucking in the future, we unfortunately never get to see it because the credits start rolling. Naturally, I had always anticipated that the final scene between them would be the longest and most amazing because of all the tension building up for the entire length of the film. Instead, their scene is merely "very good" as opposed to "superb" (or even "excellent" for that matter).

However, to cure that rather empty feeling you might get at the end of this movie (maybe that was the director's intent: to literally extend "the tease" even after the film is over), look no further than Lauren's other hot scenes with Randy (among others) in her TRICK TRACY videos (if you can find them in their original VHS release! I hope that whatever company owns the rights to Lauren's old videos follows VCA's lead into releasing these gems on DVD).

On videocassette, the picture quality of this title was excellent (with the exception of the tape stock which was sometimes littered with drop-outs and creases galore). Since the inception of home video, VCA productions always maintained a clean, bright, and well-detailed look which was an absolute pleasure to watch. And on this DVD, this image quality is simply superb. Lauren Hall's beauty takes an almost three-dimensional glow which had me transfixed before the screen (if she looks this spectacular back then, under the garish lighting of a shot-on-video production, imagine what Andrew Blake could do for her today in one of his Studio-A films!). At long last I can enjoy my favorite sex starlet without worrying about wear and tear on the video (to my knowledge, THE TEASE was never released on laserdisc). The sound is excellent, and brings clarity to the jazzy score and Lauren's seductive voice in glorious digital quality.

I recall first being exposed to this movie thanks to a very well-made trailer from VCA's BETWEEN THE CHEEKS 2, and it's a pity that this sexy little "teaser" was not included with the disc. Additionally, I'm also pretty sure that there must have been a lot of outtakes and discarded footage from this production lying around the video vaults of VCA somewhere, and I would have loved to have seen it appended to the disc in some sort of supplementary section. Instead, the extras are limited to a photo gallery - which is passable at best and certainly doesn't utilize enough stills of Ms. Hall - and a few chapter selection functions. Nevertheless, VCA has done such a terrific job with this digital transfer, that there is no valid reason for complaining.

THE TEASE may not seem to be of interest to the Anabolic or Evil Angel video crowd; but once captured by the charm and beauty of Lauren Hall, new fans will be clamoring for all her (limited) appearances from porn movies of yesteryear. If you are already a fan, her other movies BAD and THE LAST RESORT are excellent companion pieces to this star vehicle. This is a movie that should not be missed.

John Leslie's The Tease come close to becoming one of the greats: an adult film with style, story and passionate sex. Although it falls a little short of that goal, there is no denying that it is a very erotic film, filled with the kind of fantasies most men and women have about each other, sprinkled with a dose of voyeurism and a touch of exhibitionism, and overflowing with some of the most beautiful women of classic porn, most notably the sexy Selena Steele and the alluring Ashlyn Gere.

Randy West stars as a man who is hired to be a ghost writer about the sexual experiences of a wealthy woman, played by Lauren Hall. The movie is told in flashback, as the opening scene finds Randy watching a three-way between Rayne, Randy Spears and Marc Wallice. We spend the rest of the movie looking back at the events that lead to Randy witnessing this three-way.

It turns out that Randy Spears is Randy West's best friend. (At this point in the movie, I am already feeling very Randy! Sorry, couldn't pass that one up!) Spears introduces West to Lauren, who wants West to write a story about her erotic escapades. West immediately is turned on by Lauren, but Lauren claims that he can't have her sexually until after thirty days. West agrees, but he knows it is going to be hard to keep his libido in control.

Once he moves into Lauren's mansion, however, Randy's libido is quickly diverted toward the beautiful Selena Steele. West fantasizes about Selena with Peter North, and he watches the two make out on a bed while he wishes he was in on the action. Selena shows off her excellent blowjob skills on Peter, and also shows why she was one of the hottest stars ever to grace an adult film. Her petite body, perfect legs, long flowing hair, ample chest and incredible sucking skills all add up to one incredible adult star.

Later, Lauren tells Randy of an experience with another couple, when she was to watch Ashlyn Gere and Tom Byron together. If Selena is the hottest classic star, Ashlyn is the one with the most class, not to mention acting talent. But she still can get down and dirty with the best of them, and that is certainly evident in this scene. Ashlyn makes a point of making eye contact with Lauren while she is working over Tom, and the result is a very erotic scene, that is both voyeuristic from Lauren's point of view, and exhibitionist from Ashlyn's point of view.

After telling Randy about her experiences, she him to watch her with T.T. Boy on top of a massage table. After sucking his cock to total hardness, she lets him oil up her ass and slide his cock back and forth between her cheeks. Although he doesn't get to try anal with her, T.T. is allowed to pump her pussy from behind for a while before she brings him to climax with a quick handjob.

At this point in the story, Randy West is both really horny and really sexually frustrated. He passes Selena in the hall and practically drags her back to his room, where he quickly himself on her. At first, she is hesitant, but once he starts sucking and licking her pussy, she gives in and goes down on him. One of the big problems with this scene is that it is filmed very dark. This is, of course, due to the fact that Randy doesn't want Lauren to catch him and he doesn't want to get caught by anyone else. However, even though the lighting makes sense to the plot of the movie, some of the action is a little difficult to see and enjoy because of the lighting.

The rest of the movie concerns whether Randy is going to get to finally have sex with Lauren, or if she'll find out what he has been up to with Selena and change her mind about being with him. The question is resolved by movie's end, but the story is not taken much farther than that. We never find out about the book Randy is working on or who Randy winds up with (between Selena and Lauren).

Despite the fact that the conclusion to The Tease seems a bit rushed, it is still a great classic adult film which I do not hesitate in highly recommending. For starters, the video and audio on this DVD are pristine. The movie looks like it was filmed last week, and is so good in quality, it looks far superior to a lot of DVDs I have watched that were produced this year. The features are a little on the slim side, but I doubt there were many relevant bonus materials still available to put on the DVD, although some cast biographies would have been a nice addition.

One final note, in closing. This DVD should be looked at by all studios and companies who are either looking at releasing some of their classics on DVD, or perhaps don't think it is worth the trouble. I don't know if VCA was lucky and had a really good print from which to make this DVD, or if they took exceptional means to make the transfer, but this movie looks and sounds fantastic! I didn't detect even the slightest hint of grain or wear in any of the film's 82 minute running time. VCA does both the industry and these performers proud by producing a fantastic looking disc that can be treasured for years to come.