It used to be that adult producers and directors were mavericks, testing techniques in filmmaking, using sexuality for shock value, to interpret the bizarre, and so forth. But recently, be it censorship or just plain laziness, erotic films have generally fallen into two categories: stylized MTVish images or standardized formula five-sex scene concoctions. What happened to being fresh and innovative?

What happened to "the first rule is, there are no rules" mentality as seen in Devil in Miss Jones and Behind the Green Door? Then, along comes Ed Powers, the "Woody Allen with an erection" nebbish of the genre. First, Powers gave us incisive glimpses into the realms of female horniness in his Dirty Debutante series. Now, he's brought forth his first film which is just as original as his previous video efforts.  Bravo!

But before the movie actually begins, Powers talks directly to the viewer, explaining what he tried to do, being painfully honest about problems with his new camera, glitches in the sound, all with his own personable, nerd-next-door charm. I mean, how can you fault the guy for recognizing his product's own shortcomings? What follows is a silly, sexy film which melds laughter and experimentation with the hot bods of twenty, count 'em, twenty bitchin' babes.

The story centers around porn star Randy West, who wakes one morning, phones agent Jim South and says that he's leaving the jizz biz to produce his own movies. The South footage is hilariously reminiscent of those scratchy, boring educational horrors we were forced to watch in high school, complete with blips, pops and horrendous dubbing.

When West tells Powers of his production dreams, the nightmare begins. This could be subtitled, "The Perils of Porn," because everyone and his grandma approaches West to produce their own stuff -- and they're all banal messes. Powers himself has a drawer-full of black and white ditties chronicling the continuing saga of "Dick L. Nerdman," which stars (who else?) Powers himself. Like a laughable vintage stag film (with no spoken dialogue, but plenty of inane placards), the efforts have a nutty piano accompaniment. Hapless Dick spies all sorts of debauchery, from five lovely girls (Anisa, Tricia Yen, etc.) dancing around a pool to a nubile fern free-for-all, but finds himself the odd man out until the end.

Peter North shows up just before a hair appointment and shares with West his clip, featuring VixXxen, Kristall, Micki Lynn and a Ginger Lynn lookalike teasing and pleasing in a smoky tent. The lesbo action simmers until genie North arrives, wearing a stupid hat. He fulfills their (his?) dreams by banging them all, then splashing on three pretty faces all lined up in a row. Loretta Sterling's epic, entitled "Toilets on Parade" is an absolute scream, a throwback to the terrible potboilers of the '60s and '70s. You know, the ones with the sexually self-conscious moans and ridiculous voice-overs which were supposed to be arousing. Filmed in the style of those times, the heroine gets pronged by a faceless dick (Eddie, is that you?), then is joined by two of her buddies, Tabatha Gash and Trisha.

Ultimately, it's all too much for West. He's fraught with dirty dreams in which Powers gets all the pussy in the midst of a seven girl orgy —Deborah Wells, Isis Nile, Felicia, Serenity and Gash among them — which transpires in a surreal black room decorated with female body parts. Finally, West gets a chance to partake of their delights and is mounted by his porn faves one by one. Even after he climaxes, the action continues to a riveting pitch. When West awakes, he phones South once again, reversing his original decision. "Producing is a real pain in the ass," West admits.

With the emphasis on all-girl orgy action, a surfeit of Asian ladies, youthful, natural, willing females (most of whom have to be good-natured enough to fuck Powers, who once told me "If a guy like me can get laid, then there's hope for all the other schmucks out there."), sex toys and male-worship, this has something for everybody. There are seven-plus sex scenes, depending on how you count them. Highlighted by Powers' infectious humor which isn't afraid to be self-effacing, both toward himself and toward this wonderfully zany industry, this is a real one-of-a-kind winner Make sure to stay tuned through the lengthy closing credits which boast beautiful black and white footage of the cast, plus Powers and others in a Rockettc-type chorus line kicking their heels to the strains of "Hava Nagila." Where else can you titter and get some tail, too?

We predict this will be one of 1994's top selling tapes so retailers should grab several copies. A true, hot, original film!