Test Tube Teens from the Year 2000

Erotic cinema is having a bit of a moment.  Certainly not in theaters, where superhero and horror films seem as sexually neutered as ever.  But thanks to shows like House of the Dragon, Bridgerton, and Outlander, there’s more naughtiness onscreen right now than ever before.  So, it only makes sense that the last great era of small-screen sex is getting its time in the spotlight too.

 The SkinMax line of DVDs celebrates everything good and bad about ‘90s erotic cinema, most of which showed up on late-night cable channels where performers like Shannon Tweed, Julie Strain and Shannon Whirry became icons in the softcore genre.  Before the onset of internet porn, these direct-to-video titles were a favorite guilty pleasure for anyone with a coaxial connection.

 

The five initial releases – each a double-feature – offer up textbook examples of what was expected from the genre, which mixed seedy suspense with softcore interludes.  If you’re looking for instant gratification, look elsewhere.  Half the fun is watching these filmmakers slum their way through an actual story.  From the faux feminism of Lap Dancer (1995) to the gauzy psychic thrills of Illicit Dreams (1994), you might have to wait a while for the clothes to come off, but that’s part of the nostalgic charm.  Most cinephiles will probably put Test Tube Teens from the Year 2000 at the top of their lists, a spoof from director David DeCoteau starring Morgan Fairchild and Mr. Pitt from Seinfeld that exemplifies the anything goes approach of the era. 

 

The DVDs aren’t exactly connoisseur friendly, each presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio with little to no digital cleanup.  But you can’t beat the price (msrp is just $16 bucks which means you can probably find them for much less) and the variety of titles.  Rebecca’s Secret, Bare Exposure, Midnight Confessions, Private Obsession, Sexual Impulse, Sexual Roulette and Indecent Behavior 4 round out the list.   

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