BijouBlog

By Josh Eliot

Hands down, for me, the least interesting sexual position, whether you are in a bed or behind a camera lens, is 69. It blows, literally. It’s a bitch to light if you are filming it, a pain in the ass to execute it if you are an actor performing the position and not the most pleasant of views for the guy on the bottom. Now granted, it’s a simultaneous blow job, or a blow and a rim, but I much prefer the guy on his knees looking up with his eyes as he works his partner off. Doesn’t that always look better in a movie or to the receiver? I made a movie called 69: Discover the Secret in 2004 and I’ll be more than surprised, when I go back to watch it, if the movie even features one short segment with the 69 sex position. The title was a play on words and 69 stood for the year 1969, not the sex position.

The movie opens to a glorious black-and white-shot of a secluded home in the mountains of Yucca Valley, California with a half-moon glowing above it. Inside the house, actors Rob Romoni and Andreas Stern play a closeted 1960’s couple watching television as the astronauts walk on the moon for the very first time. Later, Andreas goes out back into the tool shed and discovers a distressed, naked young man who collapses onto the floor. The couple brings the young man inside and discovers he has amnesia but remembers someone calling him by the name Skyler.

Skyler is the main character of the movie, and we follow his journey from young man to middle-aged adult, learning more and more about his existence along the way. Young Skyler is played by Chip Noll, then as the story progresses into the 1980’s, Cameron Fox takes over the role of Skyler. Finally, as we reach modern day in the early 2000’s, Steve Rambo assumes the role of older Skyler. The big names only start there, with sixteen more top stars all contributing their awesomeness to this major movie for Catalina Video! The supporting cast includes Ray Harley, Maxime Cannon, Jack van Dean, Bruno Storni (aka Bruno Storm), Andreas Stern, Alex Steele, Riley Porter, Rob Romoni, Mario Ortiz, Andy Hunter, Jonathan Gabriel, Jessie Cooper, Adriano and the award-winning trio who received the Best Group Scene Award from GayVN: Arpad Miklos, Brad Benton and Jack Ryan. I remember shooting that award-winning threeway with those guys and thinking to myself, “This is the 'scene stealer' of this entire movie.” It was hotter than hot - all three of those dudes had such an incredible sexual presence with each other. They were almost giddy to get each other stripped down and pounce on each other.

Young Skyler is introduced for the first time into the world of sexual pleasure when he witnesses the 1969 gay couple involved in some deep penetration. Shot beautifully in gorgeous black-and-white, this scene rates high among all of my very favorites. Andreas Stern never looked better, and that giant fat dick of his sliding into Rob Romoni’s throat and muscle ass opens the movie with a bang! The following morning, they wake up and realize Skyler has flown the coop. We next see Skyler wandering through the wilderness stopping along a river to rest. This is where the audience begins to see glimpses and flashes of Skyler’s memories in both black-and-white and in color. I was going for a memory montage that looked as though moments from history were implanted in his brain, and I achieved this by using purchased stock footage of major events in history cut to overly dramatic music. When Skyler falls asleep, the time lapses and we move from 1969 to 1992, converting into color along the way

In 1992, Cameron Fox takes over the role, and he is now making his way from the mountains to the desert floor in Palm Springs, California. Cameron Fox started his career in 1999 at the age of twenty-two under contract with Falcon Studios. His first three movies for director John Rutherford were Sting: A Taste of Leather, No Way Out and In Deep: Miles to Go. We were lucky enough to work with Cameron in 2003 for directer Brad Austin’s My Overstuffed Jeans and also his role in 69. Cameron unfortunately passed away at the young age of 36 on June 12, 2014. He will be remembered for his wonderful demeanor and professionality on the set, with award-winning performances highlighting his legacy. A fun, friendly Texas boy who, through our brief time working together, made such a positive impression on myself and the Catalina crew members. Cameron was the perfect choice for the thirty-ish Skyler who falls in love with Adriano when they meet accidentally one day in the desert. Skyler is mistaken for one of the “working boy hustlers” hired for a birthday party and, even though he is just in the wrong place at the wrong time, Skyler joins in on the erotic five-way with Adriano, Jonathan Gabriel, Riley Porter and Mario Ortiz. After the party, Skyler stays with Adriano and the pair forms a relationship. Suddenly and without warning, the threat of mysterious bounty hunters looking for Skyler is made known. Skyler’s fear for Adriano’s safety forces him to take off in the middle of the night, leaving his lover behind. He makes his way into the nearby mountains, where he lives off the land for a little over a decade.

In a fun and fabulous transition scene, Cameron Fox transforms into Steve Rambo, who takes over the final casting for the “older” Skyler. After living off the land for many years, he is captured by the bounty hunters as the audience learns more about who exactly Skyler is. In his very last movie for Catalina Video (his work with which included a brilliant eight-year career as an exclusive for the company), Ray Harley steps in to play the hero of the movie. He portrays the one person who knows everything about Skyler and wants to help free him from the hands of the military monster, played by Maxime Cannon, who now holds Skyler captive. Maxime Cannon and Ray both starred in His Terrible Twin, Stag Show and Junior's Nude Cleaning Service, but this is the first time they performed together in a sex scene. It was perfect casting for the hottest bottom in our stable of exclusives to be rammed by our biggest dick exclusive. Ray can usually take anyone, but he was definitely feeling it when Maxime’s giant schlong went to town on his ass. It is at this point that we all find out exactly who and what Skyler is and why he was created in the first place. Yes, I said created.

Skyler and the audience are transported inside a digital program, and are introduced to a stable of studs who happen to be the newest “version” of Skyler: newly built Skyler models 2.0 with modern technology preventing them from escaping the military and having to be hunted down, like our character was. The original Skyler is simply out of date. Ray Harley brokers a deal to let the original Skyler return to the desert to spend the rest of his existence with his true love, Adriano, but only after he shares all of the sexual experiences he had along the way with the new group of updated Skyler 2.0s... because you just can’t get that “mouth on cock,” “dick up the ass” or “load on the face” realistic experience from a computer program. Basically, an excuse for a big final orgy to close out the movie.

69: Discover the Secret was my opportunity to dip my toes into a little bit of sci-fi. I had a really good time creating the futuristic world and all the characters living in it. I have to say, the actors all did an awesome job with the outside-the-box personalities. I recently re-mastered a 32-minute “PG” version of the movie for my YouTube Channel and am linking it for you to watch here.

Bio of Josh Eliot:

At the age of 25 in 1987, Josh Eliot was hired by Catalina Video by John Travis (Brentwood Video) and Scott Masters (Nova Video). Travis trained Eliot on his style of videography and mentored him on the art of directing. Josh directed his first movie, Runaways, in 1987. By 2009 when Josh parted ways with Catalina Video, he'd produced and directed hundreds of features and won numerous awards for Best Screenplay, Videography, Editing, and Directing. He was entered into the GayVN Hall of fame in 2002.

By Will Seagers

Hi folks. Will here! And, in the spirit of the season, this week's "Booth Adventure" deals with the brightly colored and festive lights of club life and the party scene. I thought I was done with my "Booth Memories." But, they wouldn't be complete without recalling some of my "light-man escapades!"

My attraction to lighting in general started at a very early age... we're talking three or four years old! My mom used to tell me tales of when she and my father would take me on nighttime outings with them in the car. "See-da-light, see-da-light" were some of the very first words out of my young mouth! They were accompanied by my excitement and pointing, as well. Truth was, I do remember looking at intensely colored lights, such as those red lights atop radio towers and their blue counterparts. Knowing they were coming, I sat prepared to stare at some of these travel markers whose locations I memorized from regular trips that we made to visit relatives and the like. I remember being transfixed by my friends, the deep cobalt blue lights - which would appear later in my life.

Fast forward a decade and a half to my late teens and my experimenting with smoking pot. I wasn't that fond of smoking. But, I did like that the experience lent itself to color appreciation! Also at that late teen stage were a few dablings with the more potent LSD. Once again, not so much a heavy hitter with the frequency of use, but those times I tried it were very visual - particularly in the world of colors!

Moving further down the timeline, I was a young gay man who frequented New York's dance bars and party halls. Lighting was just starting to be taken as a serious accompaniment to the pulsing music of the day. Luckily, I happened upon some of New York City's most tasteful gay private clubs. I took mental notes on the lighting and what I had experienced. It wasn't so much the animation of the lighting - but, the sophisticated palette of hues that I was seeing.

I also noticed from better lighting technicians that I had the ability to "see what I was hearing!" The changes in light both in the instruments and the colors seemed to transition perfectly with the music. Something inside me told me I wanted to do this myself at some point in the future.

That came in my middle twenties when I moved to San Francisco. From the moment I arrived in town, I was enthralled with the ability to take on new projects and be successful at them. Although I had never attempted it before, the time was ripe for me to become a light-man!

I am right now searching through fifty years of "memory fog" to place where and when my first lighting gig was. But it is to no avail. Suffice it to say, I remember playing at some pretty big San Francisco clubs and discos like the Music Hall, Trocadero Transfer and Dreamland on established lighting systems. Not being of my own design, I quickly got bored and moved onto designing lights. It was at private parties-at-large where I got to assemble the gear and gels myself. I also thought it was very important to play up the architecture of a room as well as the dance floor.

Once again, my friend and mentor Bruce Trondson (primarily my audio engineer) welcomed me to ply my talents and imagination at a couple of rather large San Francisco party venues such as at the Long Shoreman's Hall and at The Peoples Temple (YES, of Jim Jones fame!). I was also summoned by Bruce to do the lights for the original party at the Russian River resort, "The Woods!" My design was kept in tack for future use when it transitioned into a permanent club! Both in town and at the River, I designed the lights and did all of the labor-intensive setup. This included cabling, setting up lighting instruments and other special effects and, finally, placing the color gels. Bruce was my godsend in that he could always figure out how to connect the scrimmers (lighting control boards) to power supplies of the various buildings. I was scared to do that (LOL).

Last but not least were the crowning events that I lit at San Francisco's Kabuki Theater. Rod Roderick, a famed S.F. showman and entrepreneur, was the MC of the whole affair. He invited me to work as operator and co-designer with John Tadesco of Industrial Light and Magic (yes, that arm of the Lucas film group!).

I was invited several times to Mr. Tadesco's private warehouse. There, I let my imagination go into full gear as we assembled some of the most impressive gear ever to be flown from the ceiling of that great Kabuki Theater.

With the glorious music of Frank Corr filling the Kabuki Theater, I instinctively followed him with my version of synesthesia (seeing what you are hearing). It was during the popular Gino Soccio tune "Oh What a Night" that I pulled out all of the stops and set off on a trail of my own. I had left some "tempo lighting" still engaged so as not to disrupt the energy of the dance floor. But, with defiant glee, I fired up eight emergency halide cans (the size of garbage cans!). These were a type of utility lamp most frequently used in parking lots! I had these gelled with Dark Urban Blue - a very deep cobalt shade (that color that was burned into my childhood memory). They took almost five minutes to come to full intensity. During the build-up time, the whole theater was turned so blue that you could almost taste it. At the peak of the aforementioned song, I shot teal-colored pin spots through this room of blue and then killed the massive blue lights, leaving just the pin spots. The crowd went nuts!!!! Soon, there was a line to my lighting booth with "thank you party favors."

That was a moment I will never forget. And like L.A. Tool & Die in my movies, the Kabuki Theater was the pinnacle in my lighting game, and I moved on from both shortly afterwards.

So, later in life when my mom used to tease me about "See-da-light, See-da-light," I would just nod and grin! If she only knew what came of that! From the folks at Bijou and myself, we wish you safe and happy holidays! XO!

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, recent photo

The year was early 1993, and I was running all over Hollywood looking for a waterproof casing for our Canon L1 camera, which recorded on Hi-8 video tape. The L1 was a smaller camera that we would use when we needed to shoot some footage in any area where we didn’t have electricity. You would think that we could have used our big three-quarter inch main cameras that cost a fortune and gave an excellent quality image, but our producer Scott Masters did not want to buy the rechargeable batteries for them, as the cost was “too much.” Instead he invested in this little piece of shit camera as our solution; I think it cost around $2500. I truly believe I lost a few votes for Best Picture on Single White Male (1992) because of this damn camera. I was told it was a dead heat between SWM and Jerry Douglas’ Kiss Off, which ended up with the GayVN for Best Picture award that year. I was forced to use that damn L1 for all the exterior shots in Single White Male, including the finale where Rob Cryston chases Brian Hart with an ax! Whenever you cut the footage in a scene alongside footage from our main cameras it was so obvious that they didn’t match, and the footage that was shot on some cheap camera affected the viewing experience for sure. The only good thing about the L1 camera, in my opinion, was that I was able to find the casing for it and shot my very first underwater sex scene for a movie called Wet and Wild.

I’ll be the first to say that Wet and Wild is no great movie; it’s kind of all over the place, yet it has an amazing cast and the underwater scene between Aiden Shaw and Rob Cryston is worth the price of admission. The other thing I absolutely love about the movie isn’t in the movie, it’s on the original VHS box cover. Our make-up man at the time, “Mr. Ed,” hand-painted a swimsuit on the naked body of star Tom Katt - who, as everyone reading this probably knows, had an incredible physique at the time, and probably still does. There’s one other great thing associated with Wet and Wild, and his name is Joey Morgan.

The previous year, I worked with Joey Morgan in Down Bi Law (1992), where he played a sheriff looking for an escaped convict in a brothel. It was great to have him back with us, especially because we were shooting out of town, in Palm Springs, on gay-friendly Warm Sands Drive. We were just a few buildings up from the Vista Grande and Atrium, nudist resorts where we normally shot our movies during the era. This time we had a triplex that we rented out for the week and had the private pool area to ourselves. Somehow, while shooting a scene, the crew was talking about porn star/director Paul Barresi, and Joey Morgan had a fun story to tell us about working with him in the past. Everyone on the crew all thought that Barresi was a fucking stud, and so did Joey. When shooting the movie for director Paul Barresi, Joey told him that he was having trouble getting hard - all as a ploy, mind you, as Joey never had trouble getting hard. Joey played it well, saying magazines weren’t working, videos didn’t help, yada yada, and the only thing that would get him hard and able to shoot the scene would be if Paul pulled his dick out and let Joey suck it. That sly little fox! Brilliant! Joey was so proud of himself when he told us the story, and of course we all were so envious! That was very much in character for Joey, not afraid to ask for what he wanted. Like any good blogger, I decided to see if the story lined up with reality, so I searched and searched until I found that Joey Morgan did work on a movie for Paul Barresi in 1992 called Razor Close. It took me awhile to find it, because he worked under the stage name Aaron Gunn instead of Joey Morgan.

Wet and Wild was the one and only time that my partner, Mark Rutter, came along on one of my video shoots. I invited him because we had enough space for everyone to have their own private bedrooms and we were still in the honeymoon phase of our relationship. Joey was totally chomping at the bit for Mark and kept saying we were a hot couple, but of course a threeway was out of the question. As far as I know, they didn’t play around behind my back, but who knows, as I was busy on the set a lot and Mark did kind of look like Paul Barresi!

Aiden Shaw worked in a few movies directed by Chi Chi Larue and Chet Thomas, which I was videographer on, but this was the first time I directed him. What a dream - his huge piece would get hard at the drop of a pin and stay that way until climaxes. The evening he arrived, we shot his oral scene, which basically called for him to slide his hard dick through a lattice wall alongside the face of Joey Morgan, who was relaxing by the pool. Joey worked the very large, fat piece beautifully, making that oral scene really stand out among the others. For some reason, we put vampire fangs in Aiden’s mouth, which the viewer saw through the lattice hole. I guess he was supposed to be sucking off a vampire? Who knows. I think I was in a “smoking a lot of pot” phase and never really completed the script on this movie or explained the vampire fangs. I used to get all over Chi Chi LaRue for showing up to the set without a script, which she would then scramble to write on a paper towel or whatever form of paper she could find. Admittedly, I was guilty of the same thing periodically, because it really was exhausting pumping out two or three movies every month and Mark Rutter did like to party and he kind of pulled me into it for a while. One of the great achievements in our relationship was how I got him to give all that up!

Truly the best scene in the movie was shot the next morning, the underwater scene. I was thrilled to have Rob Cryston back with us, as I knew he could handle Aiden’s dick like a champ. I made sure to set up one camera shooting Rob and Aiden from above ground so I could intercut those shots with the underwater footage. I had my snorkel gear and was ready to go, quickly discovering that Aiden and Rob were the perfect choice for the task. They were both rock hard under the water, which helped me capture some great oral by Rob, while the above-water camera caught all of Aiden’s facial reactions. Scott Masters was a savior when it came to the anal. He sent me to the set with this powder that, when mixed with water, became slippery, where normal lube would have produced friction on the condom underwater. It turns out the powder is what they use when birthing cows. The vet would rub it on his/her arms to “grease ‘em up!” Yikes! The fucking was amazing, as were the underwater cum shots. This wasn’t the last underwater scene I would shoot; I pulled the L1 out of mothballs again for the movie CatalinaVille in 1999.

I remember getting a phone call after the underwater scene from Scott Masters, telling me that Tom Katt’s flight was now landing in Ontario instead of Palm Springs and he wanted me to drive there to pick him about around 10 pm. Ontario was almost as far away as Los Angeles, so I asked if he could tell Tom Katt to take a shuttle to us in Palm Springs. That request was “no bueno” and Scott Masters jumped all over me, stressing me out more than I was already, basically “ordering” me to go. I said I would, but after I hung up the phone I quickly made an arrangement with Dennis from Drake's Bookstore (aka Moist Towelette from my movie The Hills Have Bi’s), who was helping us out. He happily agreed to go when I offered to pay him $100. I was thrilled that I didn’t have to drive 100+ miles round trip to the airport after shooting all day and playing mother to the cast and crew. It was also a major fringe benefit to me anytime I could disobey a Scott Masters order.

Tom Katt arrived and I greeted him in the morning, as I was fast asleep when they got in from the airport. He always looked like a million bucks, never needing make-up, but this time the body make-up would be extensive. Mr. Ed did an incredible job for the box cover shoot. The hand-painted swimsuit over Katt’s bubble butt looked incredible; as you see from the box shot, his thin waist accentuating his built-up chest and hot ass made that picture one of my favorite VHS boxes ever.

Tom and Randy White shot a scene together in CC Construction Company, a fabulous discotheque in Cathedral City that was packed every weekend. Randy, Tom Katt and the other models all danced on stage, and the Catalina sales and management team came down to toss out videos to the crowd. It was a good time, but I seriously don’t remember much because Mark Rutter kept feeding me Gold Schlager shots and it’s a minor miracle that I was able to shoot the remaining scenes (with Joey Morgan and Jason Andrews, as well as Bill Watkins and Ren Lickitt) over the next couple of days. A total blur, as the crew started partying at CC and we didn’t stop until days later when it was time to drive home. I watched those two scenes before writing this blog and I remember “zip” about them. So I guess this is a good place to end.

Bio of Josh Eliot:

At the age of 25 in 1987, Josh Eliot was hired by Catalina Video by John Travis (Brentwood Video) and Scott Masters (Nova Video). Travis trained Eliot on his style of videography and mentored him on the art of directing. Josh directed his first movie, Runaways, in 1987. By 2009 when Josh parted ways with Catalina Video, he'd produced and directed hundreds of features and won numerous awards for Best Screenplay, Videography, Editing, and Directing. He was entered into the GayVN Hall of fame in 2002.

By Will Seagers

Hi folks! Will here! With a title like that, you know I'm headed for uncharted territories... but parts well known! Tee hee hee!

For the most part, I have left a lot of my own personal sexual life out of these blogs. BUTT, there is a time and a place for everything. This last installment has to do with my meeting, having a torrid summer affair with and ultimately working for a lovely gentleman and friend named Michael.

The year was 1978. It was the third and final year of my working at The Boatel in the Pines, Fire Island. I started early in the season. I had to get the pool and accompanying bar and deck in order as I was the lifeguard, bartender and food server. I shouldn't leave out the "new poolside gym" that I created under one of the tents in my domain. John Whyte, the owner and my boss just left me a pile of weights and dumbbells and said, "See what you can do with this!"

Although my days were filled with activity, I always had a nice workout followed by a swim. I think it was the best shape that I was ever in. Of course, after dinner and a "disco nap," I would head back down to the marina to The Sandpiper for drinks and the great music of Robbie Leslie.

It was here one night that I caught my first glimpse of Michael. He was working in the Sandpiper Restaurant as a waiter for the summer. We locked gazes and drifted toward each other on that lovely hardwood dance floor. With his being medium in height and stature, I wrapped myself around him, literally having sex on the dance floor. I, being taller, got to see his full head of beautiful sandy blond hair that was streaked with lighter shades due to his afternoons at the beach. His body was firm and muscular. Butt, butt, butt I don't remember ever seeing a more appealing ass. Now, mind you, this was at the bar with our clothes on!

After drinks and dancing, we literally fled to his place to shed our clothes and get down to business. I was pleased that amid all of this heat and passion he managed to remain a gentleman. He sort of cooled my jets and made me slow down so we could enjoy all of the passion of foreplay. At one point, I was actually trembling with anticipation. Then the clothes were shed!

My imagination was not good enough to compete with just how beautiful he was - especially his butt! I poured myself all over him, stopping to lick and playfully bite that ass. One of the things that I found extraordinarily sexy about his butt was a fairly large scar squarely in the middle of his right cheek. It was like a birth or beauty mark. I was not bothered by the scar in the least. It was his trademark!

All of this took place right after Memorial Day. So, the season was young. Although we didn't really have a formal relationship, we sure did become regular fuck buddies. Throughout the rest of the summer, we enjoyed many encounters. In late August when he was getting ready to leave, we had the heartbreak of not knowing whether we would meet again. Like I said, it had been a casual and comfortable affair. But, that would not be the last I would see of Michael.

That fall, I came back to San Francisco to start up the other part of my bi-coastal life. It was a wonderful life that I could hardly believe I was living! This time, I found out that I was not the only one to leave the Pines and come to San Francisco. In October, I received a party invitation from none other than Michael! I was really surprised, and pleasantly so. He had never mentioned to me that he was headed west after the season on The Island.

The party was an outdoor event held in his backyard in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood just below The Castro. It was a great gathering with a live DJ, dancing, food and drinks! It turned out that the DJ was Vincent Carleo, a good friend who originally came from NYC to SF to open Trocadero Transfer. Michael was with a new beau, so we couldn't pick up where we left off! (Wink, wink.)

It was at this party that Michael told me his intentions to open a new and major dance club. He soon found out that I was well connected with the party scene in S.F. We frequently gathered at my tiny apartment on 10th St. near Mission to have meetings and bring investors into the picture. It didn't take many people to fill my living room. But, that's where we gathered. My mirror-topped coffee table was where the blueprints were laid out (as well as many lines of "party favors!").

Dreamland was the name of the project. And, it came together very quickly once sufficient funds were acquired. It was a unique showplace, all white with arches and walkways that reminded me of an Italian piazza. It opened to great acclaim and fanfare. I remember the very first night and the very first tune: "The Land of Make Believe" by Chuck Mangione. The huge five-foot mirror ball was resting in a static position right in the middle of the dance floor. Although I was hired to be a light man, my first night was as an usher to protect the mirror ball from overzealous attendees. As the music started, so did the mirror ball, slowly starting to spin and then rising to the lofty two-story height of the ceiling. The lighting and music were fantastic and the crowd reveled!

The next night, I worked the lights. It was a whole weekend extravaganza! The club was a success. It should be mentioned that it was one of only a handful of Graebar Sound Systems... one of two on the West Coast. The others were at clubs like 12 West and, of course, The Blue Whale (Boatel) on Fire Island.

I did finally make my transition from light man to DJ at Dreamland with the help of its owner, Michael. My friend Roy, the main light man, had given Michael several cassettes of my recent music. I had a business where I made tapes for individuals, bars and restaurants. Michael thrilled me with the request of playing Easter Sunday Tea Dance 1980!

Although I had played several at large parties like the gym opening I mentioned in chapter two of this series, I had never played a huge dance floor like Dreamland. For over two weeks, I had assembled my very favorite tunes and ones that I thought the crowd would like. Regardless of practice, I was still a nervous wreck. Then, the fun began! There was a huge line to the booth to give me "party favors" to help me over my "nerves!" LOL. One friend slipped me a rather large green football-shaped capsule (a Placidyl)... and, that's all I remembered. The crowd yelled and screamed with joy over my selections (and my terrible mixing!). The mixing didn't seem to matter much to the crowd, as I was slamming them with hard hitting dance anthems! After the dust had settled, I was hired for tea dances. It was a helluva place for a debut! But, I guess the stars were in my favor!

From there, I moved to play in the Castro district - first at the Phoenix, then at The Badlands and finally at Moby Dick Bar. I loved those six years. I could hardly call it work - having a great time with exceptional people at the crossroads of the Gay World! So, in keeping with the season, I give "thanks" for the wonderful adventure that I call my life!

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, recent photo

As the winter holidays approach, I can’t help but get nostalgic as I find myself re-watching movies from the past that I desperately want to see again. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen All About Eve (1950), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), Francis (1982), for Jessica Lange’s performance alone, and even Carrie (1976), to name a few. There’s something about watching a movie that you love that transports you back to the time when you first viewed it. I’m starting a new recurring blog called “I Just Watched.” At first it was going to be a one-off, but then I started thinking about all of the movies I love and want to re-watch, as well as the movies I remember seeing advertised but never got a chance to see.

In addition to all the great remastered DVDs for sale through BijouWorld, Bijou's VOD website streams more content than you could ever watch in a lifetime! They have an amazing library of movies, and when I breezed through the movies, I found myself drawn to those from director Steve Scott. During the 2+ decades I worked at Catalina Video, I found myself as a young director influenced by my mentor John Travis. In hindsight, I wish I would have also looked upon the work of directors from previous generations to inspire me, as well. It’s not like I didn’t have access; the Bijou Video Catalog (Bijou's print catalog in the '80s/'90s) was always a staple in the Catalina offices, and I would frequently breeze through it to get information on new releases, check out the new and seasoned models on the scene and read the write ups on all the movies. Recently, I just so happened to find a copy of the Fall/Winter ’88-’89 catalog for sale online, so I quickly purchased it. Director Steve Scott was featured in, what one might call, the “full color centerfold” of this edition, and was the subject of a special dedication:

“This catalog is in memory of STEVE SCOTT, a great filmmaker and friend and STANLEY SARGOY, a great friend. At peace and with God.”

This passage confirmed to me that choosing a Steve Scott film for the first viewing in this series is more than appropriate. Steve Scott’s movie Screenplay, currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, won the Best Gay Film Award in 1984 from the Gay Critics Association, and even though I’d never seen it, I will treat myself by streaming it now.

The opening titles incorporate the same design as was used on the original VHS box cover, which I thought was cool. It then fades into a stagnate shot of Lee Ryder walking down a desert road towards the camera, free balling in a pair of gray sweat short-shorts. It appears as though it was shot in Joshua Tree National Park. Harmonica music is playing as he sits roadside to take a rest, as the camera peeks in to see his large endowment hanging out of both sides of his shorts, balls one side, schlong the other. The music stops when the movie cuts to Robert Vega and Danny Combs having sex in a movie studio’s grip truck, parked somewhere out in the desert. In fact, there will be no further music until the closing credits, which really helps to make this movie feel very realistic. It has the look of a major motion picture in regard to lighting, camera work and style. The harsh desert light and shadows are always perfectly blended for a fantastic viewing experience, and the restoration is second to none. Lee Ryder walks up on the pair and befriends Vega, who is a production assistant on the Western-themed porno movie that is being shot. Vega also doubles as a limousine driver for the lead actor in the movie, Cody Jackson, played perfectly by Eric Ryan. We now realize that the production team and actors are staying at The New Lost World Resort, which the movie also acknowledges was shot there.

***Side Note*** The Lost World Resort was originally homesteaded as a guest ranch in 1925. After major additions, it became the White Sun Ranch in the 1940’s, whose visitors over the years included Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. In 1981, it officially became a gay resort and was renamed “The New Lost World Country Club and Resort.” Many guests described it as run-down with cloudy pools. The resort had several news-worthy events: a guest setting himself on fire, another male guest found drowned in one of the pools and a fire that broke out in the parking lot, engulfing ten cars. The resort closed its doors in 1986 and, after getting condemned by the city, it was sold to a developer in 1988. I became slightly obsessed with it, so I tracked down the exact location through LGBTQ+ Desert Archives and took a drive to find it. In the photo below, I stand in the exact spot Lee Ryder was, just outside the gates, forty years later. The property is now a gated community called the White Sun Estates. ***

The movie treats us to some amazing rural and picturesque shots of the Rancho Mirage area near Palm Springs in the early 1980’s. The film cuts to Eric Ryan’s room at the resort as the wardrobe stylist played by Jon King enters to show the actor his costumes. Ryan takes no time in getting King on his knees worshiping his fat cock and eventually switches places. Both are rock hard throughout and director Steve Scott shoots some perfectly framed shots, including King puckering his butthole just before Ryan inserts into him. The two have some great chemistry as Ryan lays on top of King who is on his stomach and really drives it home, eventually shooting his load smack dab on that puckering butthole.

We then join Lee Ryder and Robert Vega, who is on his knees working Ryder’s giant piece. When Vega pops his own uncut dick out of his 501’s while sucking off Ryder, the pre-cum is already dripping and director Scott covers that nicely. Ryder unloads on Vega’s tongue, Vega blows a super-sized load and then licks up every drop of Ryder’s cum.

They then go to pick up Cody Jackson from the set, and it is at this point where Lee Ryder meets Eric Ryan (Cody Jackson). The two are smitten from the word go, and Ryan arranges with his PA to have Lee Ryder sent to his suite. Ryder, still in those gray sexy short-shorts, is looking so fine that Eric Ryan is literally pulling his dick out of them seconds after he enters the room. You can tell that Eric Ryan was totally into Ryder, because when he is sucking him he looks totally mesmerized by his dick. Yet again, rock hard madness ensues in this scorching scene where Eric Ryan gets plowed by Lee Ryder and again with just the real sound and no music you can see that Ryan is having a hard time taking the giant piece. You can hear Eric whispering to Lee to take it easy; Lee tells him to just relax then picks up the speed of the fucking before he shoots on Eric’s bubble butt. Some great camerawork with Eric still on his stomach blowing his load, yet the camera has just enough space to get in there and catch it beautifully. Eric invites Lee to stay with him and the drifter agrees.

The next day, the two are having breakfast at Sebastian’s, the Lost World Resort’s restaurant. Here, we see a packed room with many other actors and crew members enjoying breakfast. Included in that room are crew members Champ Larue and super-duper cutie-pie Michael Carr. They both are eating breakfast when they notice Eric Ryan jerking off Lee Ryder under the table next to them, a scene that is very sexy and well shot.

Next, we are treated to Larue and Carr in their room later that evening. Carr is naked on his stomach, sound asleep, while Larue is drinking beer in the bed next to him. Larue starts jacking off while slowly walking over and hovering over different parts of Carr’s hot body, inches away from his balls, then sniffing his pits and eventually blowing his load once Carr, still sleeping, rolls over, exposing his dick. This scene is very cool and so interestingly shot; I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it. My only disappointment is that hot little fucker Michael Carr does not have sex in this one. I guess I’ll have to watch him in Tony’s Initiation.

Back in Hollywood, the producer/partner of Eric Ryan gets a phone call from PA Vega letting him know that Ryan is getting pretty serious with the hot and horny young drifter. Before we know it, the pissed off partner, played by Michael Braun, arrives at the resort and has a bit of a tit for tat with Ryan. Braun, questionably one of the best blowjob performers of that time, tries to reason with Ryan by working his magic on him with his mouth. Ryan prematurely ejaculates and pisses off Braun, but impresses the audience with a really thick and creamy load.

To release his anger, Braun leaves the room and heads out to the courtyard, jumping in the pool. It doesn’t take long before he notices resort guest Brian Palmer stripping down in front of the window of his poolside suite. As the two lock eyes and start masturbating, we are treated to some cool underwater shots of Braun’s dick that shoots streams of seamen floating in the water while fat-dicked, handsome blond Palmer leaves his load of cream dripping down the picture window.

Braun has a brainstorm and arranges for wardrobe manager Jon King to get naked with the pesky drifter in order to show Eric Ryan that he is just being played. In what turns out to be the hottest scene in the movie, the chemistry that follows between Lee Ryder and Jon King is just sick! Jon King is hungry as hell once he gets Ryder's long fat mega bone in his mouth, and Lee is all about it! Again, cocks so hard it looks like they hurt. Jon sits on Ryder’s dick and is obviously in pain, yet ride up and down he does. Doggystyle is even more of a treat, and Ryder is rock hard and loving the fact he is inflicting this hot sexy pain upon Jon. At one point, you even hear Jon say, “Oh Lee,” which makes it feel even more real between them! Lee pulls out and blows his biggest and best load in the whole movie. Did I mention that during that terrific sex scene, Michael Braun escorts Eric Ryan up to their window, with a partially opened curtain, to witness it?

Harmonica music begins to play again, signaling the end of the movie, which I’ll leave as a mystery for you, because I’m sure you’ll want to stream it or buy it. This one is the real deal, with a cast I grew up with and fantasized about (Eric Ryan) in the 80’s, showcased in a great film. Will Cody Jackson, played by Eric Ryan dump the drifter Lee Ryder after seeing him boning wardrobe stylist Jon King? Or will the film’s star Eric Ryan blow off his boyfriend Michael Braun and choose to leave with the drifter? This Steve Scott movie is defiantly worthy of it’s Best Picture Award and your time. I’m no film critic, but I do know a hot fucking movie when I see one, and that movie is Screenplay!

Bio of Josh Eliot:

At the age of 25 in 1987, Josh Eliot was hired by Catalina Video by John Travis (Brentwood Video) and Scott Masters (Nova Video). Travis trained Eliot on his style of videography and mentored him on the art of directing. Josh directed his first movie, Runaways, in 1987. By 2009 when Josh parted ways with Catalina Video, he'd produced and directed hundreds of features and won numerous awards for Best Screenplay, Videography, Editing, and Directing. He was entered into the GayVN Hall of fame in 2002.