The key thing to remember about the Love Scenes series is this: it has won the AVN Best Softcore Tape title (shot-on-vid category) two years in succession. It must be doing something right, and video dealers might keep that in mind when stocking their alternative release sections.

With the release of this, a brand new volume of romance scenes created for couples, could we be possibly witnessing a three-peat performance in the wind? There's a very good chance of that happening.

Volume 3 is impressive for a host of reasons. The storylines are substantive. The character exchanges raise these scenarios more than a degree or two from the standard "romance" vid. The actors are quite convincing in their passion and the sex scenes are executed with near-flawless camera coverage as they push the envelope beyond what most R-rated tapes offer. Besidesthat, the cast is drop-dead gorgeous. Ladies, take note. The scenes also feature full frontal, elect male nudity.

Love Scenes 3 presents five episodes. While a couple of the plot gimmicks are standard fare by now in the romance genre, there's a couple of storylines that have you wondering whether the writer ever took a field trip with Carlos Castenada— notably, the first offering. It features swarthy Australian Stephen Mayas who flags down motorist Kelly Cook in the middle of Mule Canyon in Barstow, a place that reminds you of the Hill of the Seven Jackals. Mayas is a polygenetic mixture of handsome, exotic blood. Long-haired and thickly muscular with dark features, his ensuing conversations with blonde Cook reveal his preternatural ties to primitive cultures. The banter cues up Mayas" nude war dance around a camp fire (at one point it looks as though he's actually dipped his nuts in the flames—ouch!!). The war-whooping is apparently enough to gas Cook's burners. And how!

Scenario #2 features a high school reunion of sorts wherein former classmates have a chance meeting in the great outdoors and culminate their passion in the great indoors, a barn. Actress Brittany Stone has a fabulously tanned nude body and actor Shannon Randall reminds you a lot of Brad Pitt.

Scene #3 stars beautiful redhead Sandi Lane (she appeared at this year's VSDA show signing autographs at the Doc Johnson booth). After a chance meeting, Sandi trains her hidden camera on neighbor blond Eric Jergen, while he cavorts in narcissistic embrace of his bedroom mirror. The Rear Window-ism, of course, prompts an evening of wine and unbridled horseplay between the two. Leggy redhead Jacqueline, whom XXX fans will remember fondly, appears in the best scene of the entire series to date. It begins with her receiving a surprise birthday gift from her fellow office workers which consists of an evening of food, wine and a troupe of naked male dancers. The action builds climactically into a fresh fruit and whipped cream free-for-all, the likes of which could compete with any XXX scene on the market even though this is a Hard R scene. It's a visual jewel.

Last but not least, a vignette entitled "Bachelorette Bash" rounds out the show. Though this scenario's been interpreted many times in many ways, I think you'll find it the best treatment available on the subject. Private dancer Rob Lee performs for, and later, boinks blonde Eileen Smith at a full-throttle bachelorette party as her friends strip-attack Lee's dancing cohorts. You'll love this one, too.

B/Fore Productions entertains ideas from its viewing audience, so if you have any suggestions (or complaints), write to them at 7510 Sunset, #540, Hollywood, CA 90046. For other info, call 800-825-4827.