As a college student several decades ago, I can recall gathering together at the Frat House, watching dirty movies, while one of the brothers kept an eye on the street lest the "gerdarmes" get wind of what was up. This art style continues into the '80's under various titles, the foremost of which is the Swedish Erotica series. Reincarnating the 8mm loops of the past, the series presents a potpourri of sexual styles, not all of which will please. But with patience comes rewards.

Case in point: Volume 50. This hour-long cassette features two segments and a number of trailers for other Caballero features. Part one, called "Double Banger," features Janie Robbins, Paul Thomas and Hershel Savage. There is a plot of no importance. What counts is that, all self-contained within a 20 minutes capsule, there is masturbation, oral sex, and standard and anal intercourse. The only thing missing is Roxy, that marvelous Great Dane of my youth. Part Two has something to do with the Devil, but it is so poorly shot, under very low light, that everything comes out red and almost unwatchable. Also the sound was garbled on the cassette I viewed. The previews at the end of the episode were far superior to Part Two.

Don't let the reader get the wrong impression. Let me state clearly that, as a rule, I personally find the Swedish Erotica series to be outstanding. Of all the available featurette material, it is my personal favorite. It is an art form for those of us with limited time. One does not have to bother with any continuity. We can watch a segment, put the cassette away for a period of time, and come back at our leisure to view another act. There are some gems (one of my favorites is from Part One of Volume 45) and some wipe-outs.

The '80's are a time of great sexual liberation. As a product of the mores of the '50's who was forced to adapt to the growth of a lifestyle and not, as my offspring, born to it, I watch with great interest the ongoing changes. While in my day, a woman wouldn't be caught reading D.H. Lawrence, today, almost everyone is swept up in the revolution. As adult filmmaking evolves from the men in the black masks of my youth to the artful lovemaking of the present, for the interested viewer with a specific need, Swedish Erotica is the leader. They give an accurate, ongoing representation of the changing world around us.