This miscellaneous anthology of vintage gems from Colt makes at least two things clear. One, Rip Colt has always had the knack for finding extraordinary models. Two, since these shorts were made, Colt (and the rest of the gayporn industry) have come a long, long way.

At the time these loops were shot, Colt was known primarily as a still photographer of male nudes, and in that arena no one was better. But Colt's early 16mm work always struck me as a step of two behind this competitors at Falcon and Bullet. These shorts follow the rule. The camera takes a beefcake focus, capturing attitudes and stances rather than genuine passion or abandon; the director seems almost wary of getting too overtly sexual. Colt has always put his men on a pedestal.

Camerawork is often surprisingly crude, as are some of the visual puns (though brilliant flashes do emerge, as at the climax of the Ledermeister sequence). The electronic soundtrack is new, and a definite enhancement. The overall impact is more nostalgic than hot. These men were legends in a time when porn stars were still rare and exotic, and gay men especially were looking for public sexual icons and role models. With Erron and Bruno and Toby in the living room, it's like visiting old flames.