Friday, June 8th. It takes me one hour to reach the location from Pisa. One hour by car, up and down the Tuscan hills. Producer Lucas Kazan has a knack for finding the most scenic and yet the most remote, solitary locations. Good thing I'm being driven by his valiant production assistant. I would've gotten lost in an ocean of ripe wheat and olive trees.
Production started three days earlier, with Ethan Clarke and Roberto Giorgio playing honeymooners. Hailstorms forced Kazan to shoot indoors, much to everyone's chagrin. Today, however, the sun comes in and out of the clouds. While Kazan's crew readies the set for a second indoor scene, still man Giovanttista Brambilla takes his chances and decides he'll photograph Ethan and Roberto en plein air.
It's time for me to get busy: I've filmed the behind-the-scenes footage for Lucas Kazan Productions since Italian for the Beginner, back in 2004. But I only have three days with the cast and crew this time around and a very long to-do list.
Hungarian stud Glenn Santoro dozes off by the pool. Yesterday, his connecting flight from Milan was cancelled because of the storms and it took him five hours by bus to reach Pisa. Brazilian Lucas Andrades, who got here safely from Barcelona, has energy to spare and exercises around the farmstead. They'll start working in the afternoon and are in no hurry. As always, Kazan shoots his scenes over three days in a reverse chronological fashion: anal on day 1, oral on day 2, storyline and photo shoots on day 3. Something he learned, I'm told, from mentor Kristen Bjorn.
After three days together, Ethan and Roberto are quite comfortable with each other (despite the fact they hardly understand each other's language; the former is Czech, the latter is from Budapest). Too comfortable, in fact: Photographer Brambilla shouts at them to stop goofing around and finally drags Roberto to the field of wheat. Production assistant Alez translates Brambilla's directions in broken English while Roberto is eaten alive by zillions of bugs.
Saturday, June 9th. It's a new set for Glenn and Lucas' oral. Lighting takes more time than expected, and so the models are free to relax by the pool. Alez is dispatched to the Pisa airport to pick up Alexy Tyler, who is flying from Hamburg. They're back by lunch time.
The new arrival charmes everyone, jumping from English to French, Italian, and Spanish with great ease. A Canadian citizen with Tunisian roots, Alexy has traveled all over the world and learned a thing or two in the process. His exotic looks don't hurt either: I can't help gazing at his chiseled abs and broad pecs. "I have a bachelor's in German literature," he tells me. "I'm taking classes to become a translator." Why making porn movies then? "I've wanted to do movies for a couple of years. I do it because I'm an exhibitionist and I love having sex. Money is not the main reason!"
Shortly after lunch, I ride on the van with production panager (and former star) Ettore Tosi. We want to welcome superstar Jean Franko at the airport. His flight from Barcelona is on time, Jean hasn't slept all night - he's been dancing instead - but happily answers my questions and particularly the one on his GAYVN win for Best Actor in a Foreign Picture (Kazan's School for Lovers). "I was thrilled," he admits. "I kind of hoped I'd win. Money aside, this is the reason I work this hard. Fans e-mail me from all over the world. It's great!"
Back at the farmstead, I look at Jean and Alexy next to each other. They couldn't be more different: Alexy plays the piano for the rest of us to enjoy (Beethoven's Per Elisa); Jean boxes. Alexy is "into the Abercrombie & Fitch kind of guys," he says: "muscled, smooth, all-American"; whereas Jean is into masculine, hairy Latins. Jean sports a killer dick; Alexy a body to die for. And yet both are stunning specimens.
Dinner is served at sunset, and what dinner, indeed: bruschetta, gnocchi, roast beef, focaccia, fruit salad, and plenty of red wine. Glenn and Lucas keep to themselves, Jean is the loudest and the most exuberant, Alexy sings along with Madonna.
Sunday, June 10th. It's my last day in heaven. I won't stay long enough to watch Jean and Alexy going at it, but Kazan is likely to get his outdoor scene, at last: The sky is clear and promises to stay clear for a couple of days. The fields are golden and extend to the horizon, the way they do under the Tuscan sun. And I have yet to tape two photo shoots: Glenn Santoro under the porch, and Lucas Andrades, wet and bronzed like a greek God, in the pool. I hand over my five hours of interviews to Ettore Tosi and bid farewell with a touch of sadness.
ORDERING INFO: The Men I Wanted streets November 13th. For distribution, contact Paladin Video at (800) 228-8395. For information on the video, visit LucasKazan.com.
All models were at least 18 years old at the time of their performance. 18 U.S.C. 2257 Record-Keeping Requirements Compliance Statement.
