Michael Lucas thinks big. His newest production, Dangerous Liaisons, “has five-star hot sex!” Lucas exclaims. “It has a beautiful cast, incredible editing, expensive locations, five cameras, three makeup artists, two stylists, two set stylists, three drivers, eight assistants, even a lawyer! It cost $250,000 to make, and it’s a huge deal!” Modesty has never been his strong point, but when promotion-conscious Lucas talks about this movie he starts to sound like the Donald Trump of gay porn.
On a chilly Saturday in February, Lucas and co-stars Gus Mattox and Bruce Beckham arrive on the set: a photographer’s studio in New York City's East Village. They have been out shooting a scene on the streets of New York. Director of photography Tony DeMarco, who also wrote the script for Liaisons, explains that the camera battery died, so a production assistant had to rush over with a new one. Then a fire truck arrived across the street causing another delay. But the short scene was eventually completed and now they are ready to get down to some sex.
“This is my first New York movie,” says Mattox with excitement. “And my first with Michael Lucas. I liked the script, and they needed someone who could do dialogue and sex. So it seemed like a perfect match!” New Lucas exclusive Beckham, who attends culinary school in Los Angeles, met Lucas when he lived in New York. He has done a couple of movies as Billy Frank for Big Blue Productions, but considers this a new start.
Mattox changes into striped boxers and Beckham to blue briefs, and they sit on a red velvet divan as Lucas preps them for the scene. Lucas meticulously runs through the choreography he wants for the sex. Mattox absentmindedly plays with Beckham’s hair as Lucas talks about the kissing, licking, sucking, fucking, armpit sniffing, and footplay that will ensue. When he hears about the pit sniffing, Mattox politely asks for some baby wipes and demurely swabs away. Lucas also choreographs the camerawork, which will be shot by DeMarco and porn star Raymond Dragon.
When he finally calls for action, the models begin making out. Dragon shoots from a loft area above the couch and DeMarco is on the floor. Lucas crouches on the sidelines, watching intently. Before long, Beckham has both legs in the air and Mattox is eating his ass. They gracefully move into one of the positions Lucas requested for the 69 sequence. The cameras zoom in for close-ups as the models sniff, lick, and shrimp. “Spread those cheeks,” he tells Beckham as the fucking begins. Dragon drops down to get a low-angle shot and Lucas lands next to him to see what the camera is capturing. He grabs Mattox’s ankle, holding him in place as he rams Beckham. Lucas calls for more "noise” from the models and has very specific instructions for the pop-shots: Beckham shoots then takes some of his cum and puts it on Mattox’s lips and kisses him. Mattox ejaculates onto Beckham’s dick then sucks it off. “I only shoot safe sex with condoms,” Lucas says later, “but that doesn’t mean we can’t be creative and push things a bit.” There is one final kiss, then Mattox smirks in character for the camera. Less than 90 minutes have gone by and the scene is done.
This set is relatively small compared with what Lucas will attempt the following weekend. On a Sunday afternoon, Lucas and crew have gathered at Quo in Chelsea to shoot the finale to Dangerous Liaisons. The club is set up to look like an art gallery, with big photo blowups that have video monitors inserted in them. “This movie is all about fashion, beauty, and intrigue,” Lucas says. “It is about designers, models and photographers—and hot sex, of course!” As numerous models, extras, and cameramen wait for some local “celebrities,” Lucas barks orders at his staff.
First to arrive is local trannie club fixture Amanda Lepore. She is wearing very little clothing—basically a jeweled bikini with a pink fur and heels. In the back, Lucas preps on an all-white set to interview the nightlife vixen. Next, drag star and deejay Lady Bunny makes the scene shrieking, “Where are the drugs?” Entertainer RuPaul walks in, wearing a fur coat, cowboy hat and boots. He asks whether Boy George has arrived yet. Lucas tells him that he's already come and gone. (He got the call time mixed up, but they shot a brief cameo that will be used in the film.) Village Voice columnist Michael Musto slips in and hovers in the corner scribbling notes while Bunny entertains the extras. “Okay, I want your cocks out and hard, right now!” she demands. They laugh and seem excited to be included in the fun.
Today there will be two setups: One is a party scene, and the other will feature the stars as they pull up in a limo and step out onto a red carpet. The extras—curious porn fans who have answered ads placed in local gay rags—will play rabid porn fans who will cheer and take pictures. Lady Bunny goes first, jumping out of the limo, cavorting on the red carpet and running into the club. Then Musto gets in the limo to make his entrance. When asked who he is wearing, Musto answers, “Kmart!” Lepore is next, posing like a veteran and trying not to shiver in her skimpy outfit. Finally, RuPaul walks the walk, followed by Lucas himself, then the crew and extras gratefully move inside.
After a break, Lucas welcomes everyone and introduces his cast, which includes porn stars Wilfried Knight, Owen Hawk, and Kent Larson. He tells the crowd they look beautiful and explains what the cocktail party will entail. It is the finale of the movie and features a confrontation between Lucas and Gus Mattox, who has been chatting with RuPaul about his new doll (out later this year!). Mattox introduces his lovely female companion Blair Ross, who will be playing his assistant. “Blair and I appeared together in 42nd Street,” Mattox explains. “When she heard that I keep talking to an assistant in the film on my cell phone, she said she wanted to play her. So here she is!”
For the party scene, the extras are handed glasses and told to mingle. Lucas confronts Mattox, and before they know it, the scene and the movie are wrapped. Lucas is clearly thrilled with the results. “I work with such a great team of people,” he says. “I think my talent as a producer is that I surround myself with great people. And I enjoy giving these people challenging projects. Sometimes they want to work on something new and exciting. Something grandiose, like Dangerous Liaisons!”
Donald Trump, take note!
(Photo of Bruce Beckham, Michael Lucas, and Gus Mattox courtesy of LucasEntertainment.com.)
