. . .

· Larry Flynt: The Right To Be Left Alone (ifc.com)

In April, 2008 Evil Angel founder and director John Stagliano was indicted on obscenity charges in the type of case that has become familiar to First Amendment watchers who are also porn consumers: several Evil Angel titles, as well as trailers for a Belladonna movie, were obtained in a United States county in which "community standards" seemed rigid enough to bring charges of obscenity. In 2009 the case will likely go to trial.

Notwithstanding (of course) that the titles in question arrived by request of someone over 18 years of age, as they did in dozens of more lenient counties throughout the United States, Stagliano now faces an expensive legal battle in a season that has also seen court cases against the more extreme JM Productions and Max Hardcore.

"Defend Our Porn" is a compilation DVD of scenes from every current Evil Angel director, as well as alumnus Jules Jordan. And it also features a brand new scene with Tricia Devereaux, Stagliano's wife. Proceeds from the 16-scene, 10-hour, 3-DVD box will defray Stagliano's legal bills.

What is remarkable about the Evil Angel case is that, though the company is undeniably hardcore, it is less so, and far more arty, than the year's other porn defendants. A case against Evil Angel bodes ill for more mainstream adult companies.

So, as both a compilation "Best of" DVD and as a statement of rights, "Defend Our Porn" starts with a bang in a scene with the irrepressible Nacho Vidal from "Fashionistas Safado: Berlin". No male performer can hold a candle to Nacho in the talking dirty department. "Why did you come here with underwear?" is one of his gems. Melissa Lauren handles this onslaught with fear and aplomb.

Then veteran director John Leslie presents a scene with Naomi. This scene is reminiscent of mid-90's porn and Naomi is definitely the type of model who embodies that vibe and is beloved of fans of that era. Naomi, I am required to say, has an amazing ass. With it she coaxes a load from James Deen that I expect he is still proud of.

In an outdoor scene from Rocco Siffredi's "Rocco's Way to Love," (I'm hoping this is a translation), Kelly Stafford performs in a headlight-lit gangbang. It reminded me a little of "Rebel Without A Cause" if that movie had ended the way I wanted it to.

"Do you want to see the throat fucking doctor?" a game Sasha Grey is asked in "Face Fucking Inc.," a departure from the grainier previous scenes. What sets this scene apart is the Porn Valley-ness of the proceedings, clothing, and lighting, but Sasha Grey lends the scene star power and makes it memorable. Really, porn is about the people.

Nacho then returns with Avy Scott in a scene that would have been creepy even without the monkey.

Disc Two includes part of Belladonna's return to guys, "Cock Happy," as well as an Eva Angelina gangbang in which the 2008 AVN Best Actress is used most jubilantly. Mia Rose appears in a scene with Manuel Ferrara that establishes her as the anti-Teagan. Unlike the harder-looking or more Euro-style Evil Angel performers, the diminutive Rose is all Porn Valley, but uncharacteristically self-aware.

Disc Three includes a performance by The Unsinkable Sandra Romain (on a spotless beige rug). Belladonna returns deliciously in a scene from Jules Jordan's "Ass Worship," and, in the set's one original outing, Tricia Devereaux comes out of retirement for a clothespinny scene with Derrick Pierce.

"I told you I was in love with my husband," she says.

"That's not what we're talking about, is it?" he says.

Of all the great, blitzkrieg excerpts in "Defend Our Porn", this final segment takes its time and benefits from it. Devereaux was nervous about this scene. She's older, she's put on some weight—all the things that make women uncomfortable, even in (or especially in) porn. But she looks great, of course, and, much as it is a signature pleasure watching all the teenagers flying around on the other discs, to watch grown women Romain, Belladonna, and Devereaux get (and give) the business in Disc Three is a real payoff.

"Defend Our Porn" is a fundraising effort but it is also a loadblowingly good value for all the diverse, quality porn it provides.

Defend Our Porn

Studio: Evil Angel
Director: Belladonna, Christoph Clark, Jules Jordan, Jonni Darkko, Rocco Siffredi, John Leslie, Raul Christian, Jazz Duro, Jay Sin
Cast: Avy Scott, Belladonna, Dana DeArmond, Eva Angelina, Holly Wellin, Jack Venice, James Deen, Jazz Duro, Jules Jordan, Lexington Steele, Manuel Ferrara, Mark Wood, Melissa Lauren, Mia Rose, Mick Blue, Nacho Vidal, Naomi, Nikki Jayne, Rocco Siffredi, Sandra Romain, Sasha Grey, Tricia Devereaux, Derrick Pierce

· Evil Angel (evilangel.com)
· Defend Our Porn (defendourporn.org)
· Buy "Defend Our Porn" (gamelink.com)

Hardcore's attorneys told jurors that no one could have purchased or seen the eight hours of fisting, urination, and mock-"underage" footage by mistake, and (according to AVN), several jurors approached the Hardcore team afterward and expressed sympathy, saying the poor wording of the legislation painted them in a corner.

Despite past successful defenses for more extreme material than the likes of "Fists of Fury 4" and "Extreme Max 19," as well as the positive testimony of retired porn star Summer Luv—who told the jury that Hardcore, unlike other porn directors, "cared" and paid on time—the jury was unable to sidestep existing law, which counts as obscene anything that "appeals to prurient interest."

As a precedent, this case bodes ill for Evil Angel and director John Stagliano, who face similar charges for tamer movies. That case is not expected to go to trial until next year.

· "Closing Arguments In Max Trial Reveal Prosecution's True Agenda" and "Max Hardcore Found Guilty in Obscenity Trial" (avn.com)
· Max Hardcore (maxhardcore.com)

* * * * *

Previously: Porn Valley (Adjacent) Dispatch: Max Hardcore Busted, Max Hardcore Trial Update, Porn Valley Dispatch: Max Hardcore's Process

"We see this as a free speech issue," stated Kick Ass president Mark Kulkis. "As an adult media company, we're especially defensive of free speech. Don Imus is a loudmouth and perhaps a bigot. However, CBS Radio was hypocritical in hiring Imus to be blunt and outspoken, then firing him for the same reason. Fellow broadcast personalities Ann Coulter and Pat Robertson spew anti-gay slurs, yet they are not fired by their networks ... If Imus doesn't prevail, then there's a good chance he'll need some help with his retirement fund. If he doesn't choose to accept the money we collect, then we'll donate it to the United Negro College Fund.

Free speech issues and all those dictionary definitions on the box cover aside, there's something a little disingenuous about Kulkis' explanation: surely there are better ways to promote free expression than to use Imus' now-infamous racial slur as the title for an otherwise undistinguished porn flick. (And we seriously doubt he really needs any help with his retirement fund.) On the other hand, the title isn't really any more or less offensive than most of the other ethnic- or racially-themed ones the porn industry pumps out on a regular basis; once again, maybe we should all be more offended at the continued lack of originality than by yet another tired rehash of racist stereotypes. At least "Strokahontas" was, like, funny.

(And at least they're sticking with their "No Fake Boobs" policy on this one, which we guess is commendable in its own way.)

As always, gentle and fair-minded reader, we leave the final opinion up to you:

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

· Kick Ass Pictures' "Nappy Headed Ho's" (nappydvd.com)
· "Kick Ass' Nappy Video Hits the Street" (AVN)

We were so busy yesterday toasting the long-overdue passing of Jerry Falwell in a giddy Campari-drenched haze that we neglected to mention anything about his lasting contribution to the porn cause: it was his 1988 Supreme Court case against Larry Flynt and Hustler Magazine that marked a decisive victory for free speech when the court ruled that an obvious satire on a public figure did not amount to libel (and overturned a lower court's award of $150,000 for the "emotional distress" incurred by the spoof Hustler ad that joked about Falwell having sex with his mother in an outhouse.) So instead of gloating about how Falwell finally got what he deserved for all his viciously antisex, antifeminist, anti-Semitic, racist and homophobic attacks over the years, we'll just move on from here and try to look on the bright side of things. (Like, isn't Pat Robertson due to croak any day now too?)

· "Hustler Magazine v. Falwell" (Wikipedia)

See also:
· CNN Transcript: Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell on Larry King Live (1997) (cnn.com)
· "Larry Flynt On Jerry Falwell: Hustler Lawsuit Revisited On Day Of Rival's Death" (accesshollywood.com)
· "Flynt to Talk Falwell on CNN" (xfanz.com)
· Order: "The People Vs. Larry Flynt" (1996) (Amazon)

· Thumbnail via "EVANGELIST FACE OR O-FACE?" (men.style.com - thanks Erica)

We haven't really been keeping up with the whole conflamma today regarding Digg's alleged censorship of a certain hexadecimal code that can be used to break the copy protection on HD-DVD disks, mostly because (1) we tend to pretty much ignore sites that won't let its users link to our content and (2) when we first saw headlines about it, we read "AACS key" as "ASS key" and were really disappointed when the story ended up being about a bunch of numbers instead of, you know, ass. Still, we're as committed to free expression as anyone on teh interwebs, so below you'll find a mini-gallery featuring our own contributions to the cause. (Got any more? Feel free to send 'em our way.) We still have no idea what you're supposed to actually do with all those numbers and letters, but hey ... everyone can use a couple of hot dildo porn pics, right?

· Hot Hexadecimal Dildo Action! (Fleshbot Gallery)

See also:
· "Breaking: Digg Riot in Full Effect Over Pulled HD-DVD Key Story" (Gizmodo)
· "Digg users revolt over AACS key" (Boing Boing)
· "Breaking: Digg Goes Digg Goes Ape$#@*!" (Consumerist)
· "How a Number Became the Latest Web Celebrity" (NY Times)