A reporter never really knows what to expect when he's invited to a porn set. So when Michael Youens, Director of Development and Promotions for the Athletic Model Guild (AMG), invited me to visit the Sacramento location of their first modern hardcore AMG movie, AMG Resurrection — which coincides with the legendary company's 60th anniversary — I couldn't say no. As usual, it was a day full of interesting surprises….
A gate opens and I'm directed towards the main house, then escorted directly to the backyard where they're in the middle of filming a poolside sex scene. Standing by the pool, Jason Adonis is boning Timmy Thomas. The water in the pool is a gorgeous ice-blue, and the pool itself is surrounded by Greek-style statues and columns. Little Timmy is folded over the diving board as hulking, massive Jason stands over him.
It’s a genius pairing: Jason’s hugeness accentuates Timmy’s compactness, and vice-versa. After stepping away for a quick break, Jason returns for his cum-shot: After a few more pumps, he lets fly a massive load onto quivering Timmy. Director / AMG owner Dennis Bell yells cut, and the crew disperses for a well-deserved break and some shelter from the sun.
Bell, despite the scorching heat, is beaming with excitement over how the scene just went — even under the blazingly bright sun they were able to capture every drop of sweat and cum.
Dennis started in the adult industry as a still photographer for Falcon Studios about 13 years ago. After migrating away from the business for a while, he started his own website, PosingStrap.com, which is devoted to vintage gay erotica, a topic that’s always been of interest to him.
Bob Mizer’s Athletic Model Guild is the best-known studio for vintage physique photography from the 1950s and '60s. When Bob died in 1992, he willed the studio and all its assets to his lawyer, Wayne Stanley, who put it up for sale. This caught Dennis’ interest. “He actually had it on eBay,” Bell recalls. “It didn’t sell, but it let me know that he wanted to do something with it. I contacted him and we hit it off right away. It was one of those instant energy kinds of things. I contacted Wayne around August of 2003, and we had the contract written and the transition of ownership starting in January 2004.”
I am surprised to learn that this isn’t actually the first hardcore feature from the studio. Dennis clarifies, “There was a period in the 'seventies when everyone started to do hardcore, so Bob tried it for a couple of years, but they weren’t very good. There weren’t any insertion shots. He had all those years with posing straps, but he didn’t know how to shoot hard-ons. But he did know how to pose guys.”
The script for Resurrection explores the fantasy of what went on behind the scenes of a physique modeling shoot from the early days, showing us the stuff that was perhaps edited out. The scene I've just watched recreated an actual AMG film called The Polynesian and the Sailor.
Still sweat-drenched and notably spent from his scene, Jason Adonis found some time for me. I learn that Jason was allowed to help direct his scenes (two full-on sex scenes and one solo) and was given a hand in production. He then proceeds to brag that his cum-shot from his scene last night with newcomer Chad Leigh was the best one ever caught on film. While I’m skeptical, crew in the vicinity concur that it really was something.
I am surprised when Youens introduces me to Jason's wife, Melissa, who had been sitting quietly in the living room while Jason was filming his scene. This is the first time that she has been invited to come to one of her husband's shoots. When I ask her if it's weird to be there, she laughs, "Probably a year ago it would have been, but I've been around pretty much everything else now."
Despite her concern about her presence "making anyone else on the set uncomfortable," she enthusiastically admits to having fun being there, at which point Youens interjects, "People know that there are straight and bisexual men doing gay porn. That's why people rent a Jason Adonis video: because they know he's straight but has bi tendencies. But to have a wife on the set," Youens laughs, "that makes it even more intriguing!"
Melissa is also working closely with Jason to re-launch his website, JasonAdonis.com, which will feature straight, bi, and gay sections. When I ask her if she and Jason would ever consider doing a movie together — to appeal to Jason's ravenous fan base and the number of gay men who enjoy straight porn — she responds earnestly, "I don't know. I don't want to say no, but… probably not."
AMG Resurrection releases on September 10.
Photo courtesy of AthleticModelGuild.com
