Porn Valley Dispatch: ‘Pirates’ Booty on the Bounty

We know "Pirates" is all, like so 2005 and everything, but reports of duplicity and scandal have surfaced from the Bounty, the rent-a-rigger in St. Petersburg, FL used by the cast and crew, and they reflect yet again the hoops through which our nation's proud pornographers must jump to get high-class, candle-inserting smut made.

"Producers told Bounty officials that 'Pirates' was a PG-13 movie," said the St. Petersburg Times. "They sold it as a comedy that involved a pirate searching for a magical scepter." Oh you know it!!! Read more after the gap.- G. Ponante

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Official word from Digital Playground is that the film WAS supposed to be a "soft" PG-13 movie. "It was only after production costs soared that sex scenes (shot entirely in Los Angeles) were added to the production in the hopes of increasing our margins by offering multiple rating options," said DP founder Joone.

An observer witnessing this exchange with Digital Playground would note all the winking going on.

Joone told me earlier that one day he hopes to make the company "a studio that happens to make sexy independent films ... like 'Basic Instinct' with better sex in it."

While sources close to the production say that the independent company which owns the Bounty (built for Anthony Hopkins' "The Bounty" as well as used for the second "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie) knew from the start that porn was being shot there, comments in Florida papers indicate surprise and indignance.

I caught up with former girlfriend Jesse Jane. I didn't want to insult what we shared by asking if she thought she was going to Florida to shoot a PG-13 movie. "Well, it WAS PG-13 but something about being in South Florida with a bunch of naked porn stars made me want to take my clothes off and fuck somebody," she said. "And you were in California."

"I see."

"Through all their shock and horror," Digital Playground spokeperson Adella said, "the Tampa Bay Times created a really nice banner for us on their website."

"Pirates" has reportedly sold over 100,000 copies, and Digital Playground is duplicating DVDs in 25,000 unit increments. On average, a standard, low-budget porn title is considered successful if it has a run of 5,000 copies.

· Porn Film Duplicity (sptimes.com)
· Yo ho, yo ho ...oh no! (tbtimes.com)
· "Pirates" review (gramponante.com)
· 23rd Annual AVN Awards Winners (avnawards.com)
· Official "Pirates" site (piratesxxx.com)

Previously: DVD: "Pirates", 2006 AVN Awards Fashion Roundup