|
|
The Adams Report
by J.C. Adams
03/22/01
Vol. 3, No. 49
“He will be terribly missed, by his friends and by lovers of music,” said director Kristen Bjorn of his colleague, Francois Girard, who died on January 10 in New York City as a result of an accidental electrical shock caused by faulty recording equipment. He was 47 years old. Girard had since 1992 scored Bjorn’s films--18 in all--picking up yearly nominations from the various awards shows. Last year, he finally won for his terrific work on Bjorn’s Wet Dreams 1 & 2.
Girard’s music was a key component to the success of Bjorn’s films. With his death, the gay adult video business lost one of its genuine talents. I asked Mr. Bjorn for some background on Girard: “Francois began his training at the Julliard School of Music when he was a teenager, and went on to receive a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman school of music,” he recalled. Girard received awards from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Letters, as well as a Fullbright Hayes grant for study in Italy with Hans Werner Henze, a National Institute for Music Theater grant for an internship with Thea Musgrave and the Virginia Opera, and grants from Meet the Composer and the Rockefeller Foundation, three awards from BMI, and composition fellowships to the Tanglewood and Aspen Music Festivals.
“Francois also composed original music for film and television, apart from his work with us,” Bjorn told me. He will be remembered.
It is my reluctant duty to report the deaths of two former adult video models: Christian Murphy and Brad Chase. The news of Chase’s death comes from my colleague, Mark Adams, who pens his “Video View” column from Boston. Mr. Adams had reconnected with model Kyle Matthews (from Ken Ryker’s Cocktales, among a few others), who told him that Brad committed suicide on April 19, 2000 after a fight with his lover. Chase was Matthews’ brother. He appeared in only a handful of videos, dating mostly from the early 1990’s, including The Cut Club (Vivid Video, 1991), Knight Moves (Vivid, 1991) with Chad Knight and On the Lookout (Jocks Studios, 1992) with Danny Sommers. Brad was living in Salem, Indiana at the time of his death. He was 29 years old. Kyle tells me that Brad struggled with mental illness, a disease that also contributed to the death of model Steve Fox. Kyle has been working to honor Brad’s memory by telling his story, and by urging those westling with depression to seek medical or psychiatric help immediately. “I’ve been to that dark place, too,” Kyle says. “But I survived. I want everyone to know that they can, too.”
Onetime video director Crystal Crawford notified a few industry folks of Murphy’s death from a crystal meth overdose on January 23. Ms. Crawford and Murphy were close friends and co-workers on several films; both ran with the gay porn “Brat Pack” that included directrix Chi Chi LaRue and Geoffrey Karen Dior, Sharon Kane, models Chris Green and Joey Stefano, and writer Mickey Skee, among others. The group more or less disbanded with Stefano’s drug-related death in 1994. Murphy appeared in a string of bisexual films, plus Fame and Flesh (HIS/VCA, 1995) and Manhattan Skyline (Lone Star, 1995), which he also wrote and co-directed. His last was Demolition Mann (All Worlds, 1997) with Doug Jeffries and Peter Wilder.
According to Crawford, Murphy was dying of AIDS and made the decision to stop taking his medication and end his life. I haven’t been able to confirm whether this story is true. Murphy was living in Texas with his boyfriend at the time of his death. He was 34 years old. In a recent column, Mr. Skee quotes Crawford as saying, “He sold off our Disney collection, which he wouldn’t sell even if he were starving. He called me the night before he died, and I knew it was the last time I would talk to him. He said he was sorry.” In Skee’s column, Crawford goes on to provide some rather unkind closing remarks. “I know in my heart he always hated being second best to me,” s/he says. Shame on you, Crystal. You know better.
Every single month, one of you out there in GayPornLand writes in about Jeremy Penn, a memorably handsome Falcon exclusive whose trim, athletic build and jock-next-door looks captivated thousands of you in the mid-to-late nineties with such films as Manhandlers, The Freshmen, Hot Wheels and High Tide. Then, all of a sudden, he disappeared. His adorable face popped up in a few magazine ads, but for the most part he seemed to have vanished. I finally decided to track down some information on Mr. Penn if for no other reason than to have something new to say about him, and rang up Will M., Falcon’s Promotions Director. “Jeremy is still technically a Falcon exclusive,” Will told me. “So I suppose he could come back and do another film for us. But it doesn’t seem likely at this point.” Unfortunately for all of you, the reasons for Penn’s “retirement” are off the record. I can hear you groaning, but Falcon made me swear on my mother’s eyeteeth to keep the specifics on the q.t. (Penn simply requested some privacy.) But he’s alive and well, living in Southern California, and keeping busy. He’s aware that his fans are panting for him to effect a comeback.
Another former porn model whose fan base grows with every passing year is Johnny Rahm. I received a spate of e-mails from you folks asking if that was indeed Rahm who appeared in the watersports video Pigs at the Troff (check out the waterboys.com site for more on this extremely hard-core film.) It was indeed the one-and-only Rahm, whose close friend owns the sex club where Pigs at the Troff was filmed.
During a recent lunch with Gino Colbert, the director mentioned in passing that Rahm was coming to Los Angeles for a few days on business. I quickly jumped on the opportunity and lined up Rahm for lunch and a long interview. “I can’t believe people still remember me!” Rahm revealed with his typical modesty. What makes the man so appealing is that his modesty is genuine. “I didn’t do (adult) films for the money, ever,” he told me. “I did it because I wanted to get laid! I liked the attention, frankly. I had a few bad experiences, but I don’t regret a single second of any of it. I had fun. I guess that came through on film.” It sure did! Fans still recall his performances in classics like The Devil and Danny Webster, Black Alley: South of the Border, Badlands and Straight to the Zone, which is also a prime showcase for his alluring vocal abilities and acting ability. Rahm was a porn model with genuine acting talent (he won two GEVA awards for supporting actor) and he appreciates that he’s remembered as much for his sexual prowess as for his acting (Rahm is now a voice-over actor.)
As for the Troff film? “I’ve always liked that kind of stuff, and so I jumped right in when they came by to start filming. Each of the men just sort of coupled off on their own, and whatever happened just happened. It was incredible!” Does he plan on making any more films? “Ah, you know, never say never,” he told me. “But I doubt it. I’d be flattered if someone asked. I have my partner, whom I love more and more every day. I’m loving life right now. I don’t see room for more films. But who knows?” When we met, Rahm was trim and muscled, and he had just dyed his dark locks a platinum blond with peach-colored tips. A long silver spike pierced the flesh beneath his lower lip, and he wore a tight sleeveless muscle tee imprinted with the word “maybe…” He turned heads everywhere we went. Rahm was just as witty, eloquent and polite as I’d heard, and he’s genuinely humbled and appreciative that his work is remembered after all these years. “It’s good to know that I made a difference to some gay guys out there,” he told me, “even if it was inadvertent. I feel honored to have that kind of devotion.”
Gay porn fans and industryites alike were shocked when the GayVN Awards organizers announced that directing legend Joe Gage (if I have to list his films, then you shouldn’t be reading this column) would be appearing in person to accept a Hall of Fame trophy. Turns out there was a reason. “Joe Gage is going to be making a new film,” Bob East crowed (justifiably) in a phone chat with me several days before the GayVN show. “And he’s going to be making it for Odyssey.” Writer/director (and a Hall of Fame recipient himself) Jerry Douglas put Mr. Gage in touch with the studio.
Mr. East kindly put me on the phone with the amiable legend, who will return to Los Angeles early this summer to begin production on the new film, to be called Tulsa County Line. After nearly two decades away from the industry, what prompted his return? “Honestly, some ideas just came to me one day,” Mr. Gage laughed. “And I knew they had to be another (erotic) film.” Although no one has been cast, the script is written and he is fine-tuning it with Odyssey producer Jim Steel. “I’m looking for the right cast members,” he told me. “I’m not necessarily going to cast newcomers. There have always been (models) around who have made a lot of films, but never quite found the right director to help them realize their potential. That’s who I’m looking for.” Mr. Gage asked for a few suggestions, and we talked for awhile about today’s models who have the acting chops, as well as the requisite sexual mojo, for a Gage film. J.G. gave me his snail mail address, so track me down if you think you’ve got what it takes, and I’ll give you the info.
J.G. and I also spoke about his place in the industry, which has evolved into an entirely different beast from his heyday. It both pains and infuriates me that only a handful of folks stood to give him a standing ovation at the GayVN show. A large portion of the crowd were far more concerned with their cigarettes and/or procuring another drink. “There’s always room for something different,” Mr. Gage said. “Tulsa County Line is going to be a movie that happens to contain sex. I’m trying to make a piece of art here, and I believe there are enough people out there in the audience who crave something of substance.”
What about that large, and generally cranky, chunk of porn fans who have no interest in character and plot development in their porn? “That’s why fast-forward buttons were invented,” Mr. Gage said. “If John Updike can write an explicit sex scene into the middle of a novel, and get away with it because he’s trying to do something serious,” said Mr. Gage, “Then why can’t I accomplish the same thing with an adult film?”
Stay tuned for more with Mr. Gage…Finally, look for the forthcoming GayVN Awards photo feature in the June issue of Unzipped Monthly for more on the show…The producers behind a documentary on the late Jon Vincent have put up a website pushing the film (www.thejonvincentstory.com). A downloadable trailer is currently available. It’s slick despite their low-budget roots, and appears to push an old saw, placing blame on the industry for Vincent’s death. My final judgement is reserved until I see the film…Chi Chi LaRue ought to be finishing up The Missing Link right about now, the latest chapter in the hugely successful leather/raunch series. The first three Link films are the top three best-sellers in All Worlds Video history, studio producer Dan Cross tells me. Consequently, Ms. LaRue has been awarded a whopping budget to make the new film (if I tell you how much, Rick Ford will track me down and hurt me.) “She’ll top herself,” Mr. Cross tells me. “We have no doubt about that.” Neither do I.
Faversham…
—J.C. Adams
Come back for more exclusively .net features at Unzipped.net. Watch us grow!
|
![[2] - Hot Male Couples!](http://www.unzipped.net/images/logos/2mag.gif)
