Buck Adams is revered by porn insiders, and here delivers a quality film (it looks to have been shot on 35mm in the middle of the VHS era) that I only discovered via my current survey of the output of the late, underrated porn label Sin City. It is far better craftsmanship than many a big-name "classic" of the '90s.
Adams not only directed but also stars and narrates the story of a nightclub owner who gets into a personal war with a rival owner (tough guy Tony Tedeschi, quite convincing in the role), underscored by their intersecting romantic relationships. Rebecca Bardoux is a revelation in the leading role: house stripper/pole dancer at Buck's club, who is kidnapped by Tony, anxious to collect a $150,000 debt from Buck that was owned to his father. I always visualize her from her older (MILF-oriented) roles, but here she's still young and beautiful (in her early 30s).
The atmosphere of the picture is quite convincing, especially the location photography at a gentleman's club that provides its centerpiece. Amber Lynn guest stars (NonSex) in the final segment including the end credits, as a guest headliner at the club doing her stage routine.
Melissa Hill is striking in a character role, on a quality level with her many Vivid Video assignments for major directors like Paul Thomas and Michael Zen.
Overall, a triumph of sincerity over flashiness - Buck delivering traditional storytelling that is more than quaint but deeply satisfying compare to the all-sex world of screen porn that has, like kudzu, taken over the industry subsequently.
