Vivid has announced the release of Chemistry 2, director Tristan Taormino's follow-up to her AVN award-winning "reality-porn experiment." The four-hour, two-disc set arrives in stores on Wednesday.
Shot over a 36-hour period in May 2006, Chemistry 2 documents the unscripted interactions of eight adult performers. The cast includes Katja Kassin, Kimberly Kane, Lexi Bardot, Kaiya Lynn, Luscious Lopez, Mark Wood, Christian and Nat Turnher.
"The performers are truly allowed to do whatever they want," Taormino explained. "There are very few ground rules. People are not going to see a reality-TV setup where the performers act out what I tell them to – the only thing that's set is the cast."
Taormino's original Chemistry won AVN's award for Best Gonzo Release of 2007. The film was also recently nominated for an Empire Award for Best Gonzo DVD by AdultDVDEmpire.com.
"I strive for spontaneity, and I definitely got it with this group of performers," said Taormino. "Some of the things they said and did caught me off guard. Kimberly Kane and Christian did their very first scene together, and it was surprising and explosive - one of the best scenes I've shot."
Taormino predicts that some of the interviews in the movie are sure to stir up controversy. In particular, the Kimberly Kane/Christian scene is framed by a frank discussion of Christian's participation in gay and transsexual porn.
"I think people who liked Chemistry are going to like Chemistry 2, but the only thing that really stays the same from film to film is the premise," Taormino said. "It's all about what kind of dynamics develop within the cast – we had a smaller house than the one we used in the first Chemistry, so people were a little bit more on top of each other. I think that people developed connections faster, and there was a sense of playfulness."
"AVN not only honored Chemistry with an award but recognized Tristan's innovation for having created a 'new style of Gonzo.' The title sold really well for Vivid and was our first venture into this genre," said Howard Levine, head of Vivid sales at Pulse Distribution. "We believe that "Chemistry 2" is another winner."
"When you go to the store shelves and look for gonzo, the trend has gone toward really rough stuff and degradation," Taormino said. "I want to get back to some of the basics, and then insert this reality TV kind of spin on it."
Pictured: Tristan Taormino.
