Success breeds imitation, and there's such a swell of "Playboy-Style" impersonators on the alternative adult market, I'm ecstatic whenever I come across a nice, clean video whoot with realtime glamour value and storyline. While most other tapes in this genre insist upon being remote, visually aloof, and voyeur-proof, Girls of the California Riviera is fairly basic and down-to-earth in its tricks. It draws its jollies from an instinct as old as mankind itself: the thrill of watching a woman take it off.

Though very contemporary, Girls of the California Riviera isn't too far removed from an old style nudie flick that exists primarily for dirty old man purposes. It concerns an international journalist who's kind of settled down to a relatively mundane assignment in La Jolla, Califonria. He's looking for excitement, and discovers it's as near as the beach. While scratching for inspiration to do his story one afternoon, he spies three blonde, bikini-clad babes, and pretty soon imagines them putting on a jiggle and wiggle show in the buff exclusively for him.

Back on the homefront, the town rag's gal Friday (scrumptious redhead Lisa Comshaw) tickles our visual fancy with several seductive flesh exhibitions that should keep you on he edge of your seat. (NOTE: look for her cameo in CDI Home Video's upcoming The Party).

Nothing fancy as I said, but this is an enjoyable tape that isn't full of itself or as elitist as some of the T & A material is becoming. Consider this one a sure-fire nominee for Alternative Adult Tape of the Year.

(Contact: Odyssey International (not to be confused with Odyssey Group Video) P.O. Box 230902, Encinitas, CA 92023-0902.)