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KINKY KONG
Produced by Michael Raso
Directed and Written by John Bacchus
Director of Photography - Peter TiznackSeymour Ass - John P. Fedele
Fanny Sparrow - Sabrina Faire
Darian Caine - Charlina
AJ Kahn - Brunhilda
Jack - Duane PolcouThe director known as John Bacchus, a pseudonym used at Popcinema/Seduction Cinema, is an erratic cat. For every comedic gold mine that is MYSTRESS FRANKENSTEIN, there's three dismal efforts such as VAMPIRE SEDUCTION, LUST IN SPACE, and WHO WANTS TO BE AN EROTIC BILLIONAIRE. Now comes KINKY KONG, a movie far worse than I remember any of those others being (I have to be honest here, I'm not willing to subject myself to repeat viewing for comparison's sake).
In case you haven't guessed, KINKY KONG is the newest in a long line of soft-core spoofs released through Seduction Cinema. Long term fans of the company know that those spoofs, just like Bacchus' filmography, can be hit and miss. For every exceptional EROTIC WITCH PROJECT, there's a bland VANHELSING or EROTIC SURVIVOR sequel. Being that KK was another pairing of MYSTRESS FRANKSTEIN's Darian Caine and John Fedele, the two most gifted comedic performers in the Pop/SC stable, this was one erotic parody I was looking forward to, which, in all fairness, could be why it doesn't deliver like it should.
It doesn't really mater whether this is a parody of the original Kong, or the Peter Jackson remake - the story essentials are identical. Although, this time around, viewers should expect the usual lowbrow Seduction changes. No longer do the boatload of travelers end up on Skull Island, this time it's Bone Island. Named not because of statues of femurs and tibias line the island, but after turgid male genitalia.
While on the subject of genitalia, it would probably be safe to say that the sex this time around is tame, too tame. Caine and lovely AJ Kahn perform a series of stripteases for the camera, rarely providing any sort of money shot. In all fairness, SC fans should have every curve memorized on these two beauties, but it's the lack of revealing moments in the other cast members that will seriously disappoint. After all, these movies are made for fans of the ladies, and what the fans want, they should receive. Given the fact that this film features a new Seduction starlet, Sabrina Faire, whose fetching smile and cute face are every bit as enticing as her perfect figure, one would think that the company would want to show her off completely.
It's possible that there are more risqué sequences in the unrated version (I was sent the "r" rated television cut) as illustrated by a scenes of the girls who are one minute clothed and dancing seductively, and suddenly fully naked in the next shot as they scramble into the next scene. To their credit, as always, fans are allowed to send in a proof purchase along with the cost of shipping to receive the unrated upgrade. To my knowledge, that's something no other company respects their fans enough to do.
Lack of sex aside, KINKY KONG even fails as a lowbrow comedy. Fedele comes off as if he's trying to hard and Caine is given far too little to do. Both are gifted comedic goofballs and have excelled in the past at delivering performances that steal scenes away from the T&A.
As usual in a Bacchus production, the movie wears its cheapness on its sleeve. Take for instance the map to Bone Island, which appears to have been scribbled only moments before shooting. Or the Jersey horizon that's never out of eyesight. Like so many of Bacchus's productions, it's elements like these that make me wonder if these productions were rushed in a weekend. In the past, I found these elements charming, now I find them tired and lazy. When Pop/SC is releasing quality productions such as those directed by Tony Marsiglia, and movie like KINKY KONG feels like a step backwards.
The dvd features a short behind-the-scenes, a trailer vault, and a commentator by Michael Raso who in recent months has stepped up to bill himself as the face of PopCinema.