Adult Film Reviews: Kemal Horulu

Never Sleep Alone (1983)

Run Time: 97 minutes

Director: Kemal Horulu

Written by: Jack Parro

Cast: John Leslie, Tina Marie (as Victoria Jackson), Joanna Storm, Honey Wilder, Joey Silvera (as Joey Sivera), Anna Ventura, Lenora Bruce (as Eleoner Liquore), Tigr (as Chelsea Mancester), Sharon Kane, Ron Jeremy, Sharon Mitchell, George Payne, Jerome Carter (as Clint Longley), Michael Knight, Velvet Summers (as Velvet Sommer), Ashley Moore (as Steve Tucker), Ken Yontz (as Kenneth M. Yontz), Alan Adrian, Wendy Stuart, Scott Baker

Voice of: R. Bolla

Never Sleep Alone is the last adult film from director Kemal Horulu and is also a truly excellent entry in the hardcore adult cinema genre. Never Sleep Alone is a feature film that looks at open marriages through the eyes of Dan and Lisa Alexander (John Leslie and Victoria Jackson respectively), a married couple with an open relationship with some rules. The most important of which is no messing around with friends. Troubles start to arise with Natalie (Tina Marie), the new roommate of their neighbor and friend Diana (Honey Wilder). Dan takes an immediate liking to Natalie and Lisa gets hit with a pang of jealousy because of Natalie.

What makes Never Sleep Alone such a good adult film is that first and foremost Never Sleep Alone is a film that tells its story in the adult genre. This is to say that Never Sleep Alone isn't just a vehicle for the delivery of sex scenes to the viewer. Never Sleep Alone tells a full and complete story where the sex scenes work in conjunction with, and as part of, the plot. Never Sleep Alone is a film that any true lover of adult cinema will enjoy.

A well-developed story alone doesn't make a good adult film. An excellent cast, who can act as well as copulate, is also necessary. Kemal Horulu assembled just that when he cast Never Sleep Alone. The film stars such adult industry luminaries as John Leslie, Joey Silvera, Sharon Kane, Ron Jeremy, Sharon Mitchell, and George Payne; all adult film stars that were known for their acting ability as well as their ability to melt the screen with their sexual intensity.

The sex scenes in Never Sleep Alone are excellent. The performers are excellent and the cast stays in character throughout each sex scene. Never Sleep Alone is beautifully shot as well. The film has a very cinematic look that helps the film as well. The film utilizes excellent sets and locations for an overall great looking film. When the top directors in the adult film industry come up Kemal Horulu isn't a name that is mentioned, however, any fan of classic adult erotica is doing themselves a disfavor by not watching this gem from the early 1980s.

***

The Sexualist (1975)

Directed by: Kemal Horulu

Starring: Steve Holmes, Tina Russell, Jennifer Welles, Jason Russell, Arlana Blue, Jonathan John, Barbara Benner, Shana O'Neal, Dale T. Fuller, Edward B. Davis, Jon Oppenheim, Patrice DeBauer, Berta Bigg, Bunny Garland, Arthur Clark, Maldwyn Pate, Elliot Cuker, Paul Geier, Harry York, Terrance Farley, Susan Olenwine

"The Sexualist", a 1975 release from Gourmet Video and Kemal Horulu, lies somewhere between a narrated adult film and a faux-documentary that largely takes a look at the underfunded work of a fictional hippie director, Dale T. Fuller, with an era-appropriate vision--that sex, masturbation, and astrology are all linked to humanity's ultimate development. With this "flawless" hypothesis, he goes about filming a variety of sex acts--much of which are softcore, with the notable exception of a few vaginal pairings between Tina Russell and Jason Russell. Also featured is some decent, softcore material involving the blonde beauty, Jennifer Welles, interspersed throughout the production...both on set and detailing her actions off set.

While this film is watchable enough from a (very simple) plot perspective, it most certainly falls short in the sexual heat department. Further, it features odd cuts--sometimes mid-sentence--that leave the storyline feeling jumpy and disjointed...a storyline that meanders a fair bit all on its own and that grows more and more outlandishly bizarre as the minutes tick by. Indeed, it seems as though the film arbitrarily bounces from more serious matter to outrageous attempts at comedy, all the while seeking to find both its identity and its sexual pulse.

As such, and all things considered, it's difficult to recommend this one to anyone other than those utterly immersed in Golden Age adult fare, regardless of its sexual content and despite how bizarre it may be. Its most redeeming qualities are Tina Russell's brief scenes with her then-husband, Jason, and Jennifer Welles' presence and acting.

***

Virgin & The Lover (1973)

Written and directed by Kemal Horulu, this NewYork-made film is supposedly derived from a French novella. Technically, it's quite advanced for its day. I saw this theatrically a couple of times in the 70s but didn't really appreciate it till I bought a video copy about 10 years later. The sex is a mixture of hardcore and softcore, production values are very good for the budget, and it is an excellent specimen of the ambitious, porn-chic wannabe films of the early-mid 1970s. Pic has a lot more story than the average porn film and even features G-rated falling in love montage sequences.

Cast: Eric Edwards, Leah Marlon (non-sex), Jonathan John (non-sex), Jennifer Welles (non-sex), Darby Lloyd Rains, Helen Madigan, Olinka Podany (non-sex), Susan Sloan, Julia Sorel, Nancy Marshall (non-sex), plus an older guy who plays a psychiatrist.

What this really wants to be is a porn art film, and it succeeds fairly well. The sex is warm, not scalding, but consistently warm and sometimes more than that. Production values are very good, considering the budget, and the actors mostly turn in performances as professional as the tech work (Olinka is clearly not altogether at home in English.) If the Porn Directors ' Guild had a softball game, Kemal Horolu would be playing on the same team as Joe Sarno, Ted Roter, and Armand Weston.

***

Woman In Love (1980)

Directed by: Kemal Horulu

Starring: Paul Thomas, Ron Jeremy, Samantha Fox, Vanessa Del Rio, Veronica Hart, Bobby Astyr, Christie Ford, Jerry Butler, R. Bolla, Veri Knotty, George Payne, Ron Hudd, Jake Teague, Laurien Dominique, Lisa Be, Rick Iverson, Jim Messina, Charles Voyer, Leny Schutzer, Jack Hestor, Bryce Mitcheal, Paul Ford

Kemal Horulu directs and edits WOMAN IN LOVE with the lovely Laurien Dominque playing Christine Warren, a bored wife, who breaks from her dull hubby and their life on Long Island for a new job and other encounters in Manhattan. In a major role, Vanessa De Rio plays Simone Foster, a sex crazed catalyst for most of the sexual shenanigans that Christine encounters. Cinematographer Larry Revine beautifully captures the indoor and outdoor adventures of Christine as she must decide between two very different life styles.

The first half of WOMAN IN LOVE details the events that lead up to Christine cheating on her husband, Alex, played by R Bolla. She flirts with the handy man (Jerry Butler) but backs off when he comes on way too strong. Alex comes home; the couple argue but Christine is feeling frisky in the bedroom. When Alex declines her advances, she leaves their bed for the bathroom where she masturbates and fantasizes about "Handy Andy". (Cue a terrific sex scene between Butler and Dominique that's intercut with Laurien masturbating next to the picture mirror and in a hand mirror)

Alex's client is married to Simone, who gives Christine a job at her Manhattan boutique. Christine scores a beautiful red dress for her trouble and takes a ride with a cool customer named Georgio, who's played by Paul Thomas. He invites her to a party. Meanwhile, Simone and her other help at the shop take a break in the backroom for a three way. (Vanessa Del Rio and Christie Ford get it started with girl/girl action then Ron Hudd joins them for some straight sex stuff that concludes with Vanessa licking up Hudd's cum shot after his mishing of Ford)

Alex says Christine can go to the party then he departs on a business trip. So, at Georgio's Manhattan apartment, a loser hits on Christine then she soon meets up with artist Eric, a young Ron Jeremy, while other couples (Samantha Fox and Jerome Carter plus Lisa B and Bobby Astyr) are pairing up for suck and fuck action in the living room. Simone and Georgio at least take their carnal actions into the bedroom (a solid encounter, by the way) where Christine catches the duo then decides to leave with Eric. Meanwhile, Simone and Georgio join the other couples to conclude their mini-orgy.

At Eric's, Christine has second thoughts but she stays as Eric finally seduces her. (Cue a solid sexual encounter with Dominque looking quite beautiful hanging out of her red dress and Ron Jeremy fucking her in some straight sex positions and painting her pussy with a cumshot)

The second half of WOMAN IN LOVE finds Christine and Alex in bed with Christine quite detached during Alex's half-ass love making. She's fallen for Eric and the duo are soon frolicking in the park and Christine's feeling like a woman for the first time. However, Eric falls for one of his models. (Cue a bedroom romp with Ron Jeremy and Veronica Hart with her incredible bod that soon finds itself in pile driver position then lifted off the bed)

Eric takes off for Italy and leaves Christine heart broken. She talks things over with Simone while the hubbies talk business and play chess in another room. Simone has Christine try on a another dress. (Cue Dominique and Vanessa lying on top of each other for a brief girl/girl encounter)

At the shop, weary of Georgio, Christine tries on a dress for him that he's ordered. Soon, she succumbs to his advances and the duo head to the back where he tells Mrs. Warren, "enjoy your lunch." (Cue a wonderfully shot straight sex bedroom romp with Dominique and Paul Thomas that includes plenty of kissing) Simone catches the duo and fires Christine on the spot.

So, Christine has fallen for Georgio and the two make plans to go off together; however, Georgio skips out on her and leaves her to face Alex, who has read her note announcing her departure. During this series of events, a rather strange dream sequence occurs as Christine dozes off while waiting for Georgio. (Cue an S & M encounter with Veri Knotty playing a mistress, who pairs up Laurien Dominique and Ron Hudd plus Vanessa and George Payne while she deals with Jeremy in partial drag!)

Christine's tale comes to a close with the head scratcher S & M bit (that could have been easily edited out) and husband and wife planning to start anew, which does not really ring true. A more cynical ending would have been more satisfying here; however, director Horulu should be commended for the bulk of this solid tale that looks great and has an number of terrific sexual encounters thanks to the wonderful performances of the fiery Vanessa Del Rio contrasted with the more subdued Laurien Dominique plus ample support from Paul Thomas.

***

Director Kemal Horulu made some other solid flicks during his porn making days that span from 1972 to 1984. Here are a few other of his well-crafted films:

BLUE ECSTASY (also 1980) is another solid New York production with Leslie Bovee hanging out with druggie pals Samantha Fox, Bobby Astyr and Jamie Gillis instead of nurturing a more meaningful relationship with her frustrated boyfriend Eric Edwards. It's an interesting flick that maybe tries too hard and ends up being pretentious. Cocaine use during this time seems well-documented here.

WHEN SHE WAS BAD (1983) finds Georgina Spelvin playing a more mature woman with a daughter at home (Tigr) and a photographer hubby (John Leslie) who likes to suck and fuck his models (Anna Ventura and others) at his studio. Meanwhile, she's having an affair with R. Bolla, who is pressuring her to get a divorce. She also sets into motion an encounter between her brother (Joey Silvera) and an old gold digging girlfriend (Vanessa Del Rio) that leads to her brother beating up his girlfriend. The beat up girlfriend (Sharon Kane) and Spelvin decide to go get drunk leaving the daughter to decide whether she should fuck for the first time with her boyfriend (Ron Jeremy) who is pressuring her to not only have sex but move in with him.