LOS ANGELES — Porn went Hollywood — old-school Hollywood — for the premiere screening of Digital Playground’s Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge at the Orpheum Theater, one of the last of the grand old movie palaces on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. (photo gallery)
The sumptuously refurbished theater turned out to be the ideal showcase for the most eagerly anticipated adult movie in history, shown as such pictures used to be, on a big screen. And an invited audience of industry professionals gave it a tumultuous welcome.
It’s somewhat ironic that this one-time throwback to movie house porn occurred the same day as the death of Henri Pachard (Ron Sullivan), a giant of the theatrical genre. Yet even adult’s fabled Golden Age produced nothing remotely equivalent to the sheer scope and screen-filling entertainment of the sequel to Digital Playground’s mega-selling Pirates of 2005.
"I feel phenomenal," said Samantha Lewis, Digital Playground’s co-owner with Joone, the movie’s creator. She looked glamorous and a bit breathless on the arm of her husband. "This is overwhelming."
She said it had been a "massive effort to get all the DVDs shipped" to fulfill the enormous amount of pre-orders that had been pouring in for months. "Fleets of UPS trucks" were lined up along Valjean Ave. in Van Nuys to get the product out, and everyone on the staff was enlisted to help. Her husband said he was astonished when he called her one day and heard, "Can’t talk now, I’m driving a forklift."
"The numbers were just ridiculous," said Robby D., DP’s contract director who shot first camera on the movie. "I’ve never seen anything like it. The UPS trucks were just in and out all day long. I’m a porno guy, but this is like mainstream!"
Robby had seen the movie twice but his partner, fellow director Celeste, had yet to see it once. "They wouldn’t let me have a copy to take home," he shrugged.
Katsuni, the studio’s contract exclusive, who plays the villainous pirate Xi-Feng, showed up "nervous and excited" with French boyfriend Frank.
"I never see my pussy on a big screen," she laughed. "I tell Joone , every time there is a cumshot we should have a standing ovation."
None of the pop shots brought the audience to its feet but almost all of them elicited cheers, applause and whoops of approval, as did many of the impressive special effects. The loudest ovation perhaps was awarded to the go-for-broke sex scene between Jesse Jane and Belladonna.
Jane drew a crowd on the red carpet, but most of the public’s attention was focused on male star Evan Stone, who appears on screen more than anyone else. In a modified pirate costume, he seemed to be doing nothing else but posing for photos with fans — men, women, couples — again and again and again, and always with a friendly grin.
Other players from the picture in attendance were Tommy Gunn, returning as super-evil Capt. Victor Stagnetti, Jenna Haze, on the arm of Jules Jordan, and DP’s new, dewy teen contract girl Riley Steele, who makes her debut in the movie.
Among the many stars on hand were Kayden Kross, Sunny Lane, Stephanie Swift, Gianna Lynn, Ange Venus, Ron Jeremy and Erik Everhard, as well as directors Roy Karch, JacktheZipper, David Aaron Clark (who has a small part in the movie) and Mike South, who came in from Atlanta for the first time in four years. The big agents were out in force. Mark Spiegler showed up with ten girls and Shy Love’s contingent was almost as large.
The movie rolled promptly at 9:45 and ended a few minutes before midnight.
Director Joone, who upon entering the theater told AVN he felt "good," sat calmly in an aisle seat and drank in the crowd’s enthusiastic approval of his work. The verdict of his peers must have made him feel even better.
For Gia Jordan's photo gallery, click here.
For GP's photo gallery, click here.
