Official Scarface Parody

The porn parody (=ripoff) genre is detestable, so I came to this DVD with obvious misgivings. But setting the bar low allowed me to enjoy it, especially in contrast to the team's previous pretentious stinker "Sanatorium".

Director Gary Orona, veteran of many a soft-core Pay-Cable feature or series and star/partner Tabitha Stevens shot high in their bloated "prestige" film "Sanatorium", a stupid New Age vehicle for TS that didn't live up to expectations. But here they go simple with sexy results.

Sporting a Moe Howard of the Three Stooges hairstyle, Anthony Rosano is predictably hammy in his Pacino impersonation as Tony Montana of the hit DePalma movie. Set in Miami in 1980, story immediately takes liberties in the initial scene of Tony interrogated upon arrival there from Cuba seeking asylum (Sexual Asylum under the guise of political asylum) as he explains he learned English by watching porno movies. He comically cites his favorite performers and director, including namedropping Tabitha Stevens, Melanie Rios and himself Anthony Rosano, as well as giving a cheap plug to this DVD's distributor's house director Mike Quasar. None of these folks was working (or some even alive) back in 1980.

But the in-jokes don't stop there, as the plot line revolves around selling a strong aphrodisiac lube known as Juice, for which Tony will corner the market in his rise to gangster fame, a thematic parallel to the ongoing various drugs epidemics. Product placement is at its peak here, as the Juice is marketed by Tony as "Jack-Aide" with the Zero Tolerance label, and a sample of the lube is included in the elaborately DVD packaging. (Meant to go over the head of the target porn viewer this product being self-advertised throughout the movie turns out to be dangerous, a rather subversive script element from writer/director Orona.)

Stevens is quite effective in a dual role, playing Tony's young mom (she reveals she was just 14 when he was born) as well as donning a blonde wig to play the henchwoman of a Colombian gangster, named Wanda. Stevens was 41 when this movie was shot, just 7 years older than Rosano, but the "age 14" gimmick makes her casting somewhat credible.

Story of Tony making a deal with the Colombian gangster and taking over his boss Frank's empire and girlfriend plays well, and the actors throw themselves into their roles with overheated conviction. Emmanuelle London as a woman addicted to the Juice steals the show (for me) with two very hot sex scenes, one with her pimp Johnny Slim and then a shower scene with Rosano that benefits from director Orona's experience in making arousing softcore shows, of which this parody could easily have been one, aimed at Showtime or Skinemax use.

Lexi Swallow is likewise very hot as gangster Frank's woman, but the filmmakers miss an opportunity by relegating lovely and talent Melanie Rios to a sex-only assignment as Tony's curly-haired sister, rather than fleshing out her character (so to speak).

Picture looks good, possibly even having been shot on film rather than HDV. Finale once the sex is over is rushed and ineffective after such a fine buildup.