"I hope this isn't becoming a problem," says Tom Rucker to his partner (Derek Jensen). "I can't have sex without watching other people (on video)." Well, it is becoming a problem, and soon Rucker finds himself totally dependent on a supply of amateur videos mailed to him by other men. At the end of West's satiric look at the video boom, Rucker actually disappears into the fantasy world of his multiple television monitors, leaving behind only an empty bed.

Other directors have explored the video obsession (e.g., Michael Leon in Neverending Studs, Tony Matteo in Obsession) —but not with the eerie, almost sci-fi atmosphere that characterizes West's inimitable style. The "amateur" videos that Rucker watches —including underwater footage with Crane and Attkins, overhead mirrors with Montana and Gibson— are in themselves textbook examples of video-making at its best, but the final scene ranks among West's most ambitious and memorable footage (that's no small compliment, considering his track record in The Next Valentino, the Paradise series and much earlier titles). In fact, my only complaint is that this scene should be even longer, particularly in view of Rucker's dynamite performance (both dramatically and sexually) as the protagonist.

This title is a must for every gay video fan who likes thematic substance with his sexual fantasies. Don't miss it. Stores, stock this one.