Trade Secrets

LGI Digital/Sex Z Pictures

Genre: Feature

Director: Roy Karch

Cast: Felix Vicious, Tony Tedeschi, Rose, Magnum Force (aka: Justin Henderson), Olivia Saint, Barrett, Alana Evans, Chris Cannon, Kimberly Chambers, Grant Michaels

Length: 81.5 minutes

Date of Production: 1/2004 (box), 12/18/2003 (credits)

Extra's: The extras included a few worthwhile features. The best of these was the 24.5 minutes worth of interviews with the female cast members by Sindee Coxx. The questions ranged from bizarre to mundane but at least she kept it interesting. There was a 7.5-minute long Behind the Scenes feature (also by Sindee) but most of the footage was boring this time. There were also some trailers and a photogallery to round out the extras on the DVD.

Condoms: None

Audio/Video Quality: The picture was presented in the usual 1.33:1 ratio full frame color, as most porn is made these days. The colors were generally a bit too saturated and the lighting less than optimal, causing some grain issues, but picture was okay in most other ways. The audio was presented in stereo English in the MPEG format rather than the superior Dolby Digital more companies have been turning to for improved sound. The sound wasn't as bad as much of the picture but it wasn't very well handled either, with the mix somewhat weak and the dynamic range lacking.

Body of Review: When one thinks of the top directors in porn, the name "Roy Karch" generally doesn't come to mind. That's not a slight to the established director, just an observation based on years of reviewing. Roy has shown a number of times that given a decent budget and cast, he can make a decent effort enjoyed by many. With his new contract at Sex Z Pictures, he started with a little title, Deconstructing Eva, and now a bit less adventurous flick, Trade Secrets. The movie is about a strip club known for giving patrons a happy ending, catering to their every sexual whim. It wasn't a really extreme movie, nor was the budget something I'd write home about but it was an improvement on his last release. If you enjoy watching the listed cast, you might want to read the following breakdown of scenes in this generic release:

Scene One: Felix, a cute gal that really doesn't act like her name, started off the movie with a scene on a couch with Tony. They did the oral and straight route and as much as I've always thought of her as a sexual demon, she just didn't seem to be having fun this time. I don't think it was because Tony's probably old enough to be her father or that he couldn't perform very well, I just think their chemistry was lacking in most ways. If a sex scene becomes mechanical, there is rarely anything to recommend about it (unless you're a slavering fanboy of the gal).

Scene Two: Rose, a tiny Asian dynamo of sexual energy, played a bartender at the club that gave Magnum a woody. They enjoyed a scene on a pool table with him going down on her at first and him getting a blowjob in return to even the score. They had a bit more energy together than the last scene and that helped me enjoy it more. The sex included oral and straight with the usual facial but it was okay to watch, just a little too short for my tastes.

Scene Three: Olivia, a gal with whitish blonde hair and very pale complexion, took care of famed musician Barrett in a locker room. Her oral skills were top notch and her intensity more than a match for the other performers here, even though I'm not usually a huge fan of hers due to personal taste. He spanked her and drove it deep within her pussy in several positions, showing me the two had a lot of chemistry together.

Scene Four: Alana, a gal that looks like a younger, leaner, and cuter version of Jill Kelly, had her strip act on stage for Chris in slow motion. I liked her pink top and fishnet stockings a lot and have always thought of her as a major hotty. He went down on her and she returned the favor but the oral was the weakest part of their scene. They boned with a bit more energy and that saved the scene since as much as I think both of them are good performers, no one gets a walk from me. Seeing him take her from behind was my favorite position and I liked this one a bit too.

Scene Five: Kimberly, the buxom blonde on the front DVD cover, portrayed the owner of the club in question. She reminds me a bit of Nicole Sheridan and her scene was in a bed with Grant, a muscular guy a ready tongue. He went down on her, showing a surprising amount of talent, and she orally attacked his penis in return. She knew how to milk a nut and while I'm not generally a fan of oral sex as the main feature, she could easily have finished him off that way and I wouldn't have fussed too loudly. They screwed with a bit less energy, trying several positions before the PTM and facial. In general, it was only a fair scene but I think they both had some potential for better things.

Summary: I think this was worth a rating of Rent It due to some decent performances by a pretty solid cast of attractive gals. The story was weak and the technical issues spotty but fans of the cast will not want to pass this one up based on those factors alone. Roy is still trying to find his niche at the new company and when he figures it out, I expect to see a lot more out of him. The budgetary limitations appeared to hold him back this time but as the company grows, so too will their ability to drop some cash on their productions.

Note: You can see recent candid shots of several of these performers by visiting: My Photo's and read about their antics at 2004 AEE Show.