LAEFF Classics Showcase Looks at Adult's History

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Veteran director Henri Pachard and performers Christy Canyon, Marilyn Chambers, Ron Jeremy and Seka joined director Roy Karch in a 90-minute panel discussion of the '70s Golden Age Sunday afternoon at the Los Angeles Erotica Film Fest at the Knitting Factory.

The panel was introduced as "the adult antique roadshow" by "Devil in Miss Jones" star Georgina Spelvin.

After a short edited presentation of classic film clips, Karch led the discussion of the '70s era, asking the participants about their histories in the adult industry.

"'Insatiable' is one of my favorite films. It was when I looked the best," Chambers said, reflecting that she starred in "Behind the Green Door" when she was 19. "'Insatiable' was one of the best films, because I got to have some fantastic sex. The pool table scene was my favorite one."

"That was a hot one," Seka agreed.

"It was one of the best times of my life, and I hope that came across," Chambers said.

Karch pointed out the "Marilyn Chambers clause" in many modeling contracts — forbidding mainstream models from appearing nude or in adult material — was compelled by Chambers' appearing in "Behind the Green Door" and on the Ivory Snow soap box the same week.

Pachard was introduced by clips of his "Taboo American Style," a four-movie miniseries with Tom Byron, Paul Thomas and Gloria Leonard that focused on incest.

"You couldn’t do that anymore," Pachard said.

Seka recalled making the film "Dracula Sucks": "I was scared out of my panties. I had done a little loop thing in Baltimore, and I had done one photo shoot, then I came to Hollywood. I walk on the set and here's Jamie Gillis, Annette Haven, Serena, John Leslie, John Holmes, John Seeman, Lisa deLeeuw. I walk in, and I was in awe. I didn't know whether to shit or go blind.

"John Holmes was the most fabulous, ultimate gentleman that I had ever met in my life. He told me, 'Let me tell you something, kid: Don't ever do anything in this business that you don't want to do. You have the right to say no.' That was 25 years ago, and it stuck with me ever since. I absolutely adored him."

Christy Canyon's clips elicited a "Nice tits" observation from Seka.

"There was some love in it," Canyon said. "I love our era. There was a kind of innocence to it. When we did it we did it because we loved it. Guys did it because they loved to fuck."

Jeremy mentioned a piece of advice he got from director Chuck Vincent.

"Chuck Vincent said people can't laugh and get a boner at the same time. So you take the laughing and the humor up to the point when the sex begins, then shut the fuck up and be erotic."

"Ron made [acting] look so easy, sometimes people didn't take his characters seriously," Pachard said.

The reminiscences gave a close-up perspective to the days when shooting porn was illegal for people on both sides of the camera.

"Until August of '88, this was all illegal," Karch said. "We used to hide. We would meet in an alley, meet at Ralphs, switch to a bus, and go somewhere to shoot a movie."

"Forty years ago, we were outlaws," Pachard said. "It was more exciting back then. If we got caught, we were arrested. If somebody ripped you off, you couldn't take him to court, you had to make him a partner or kill him."

"We did 'Ultra Flesh' in the desert, 150 degrees and a bowl of candy for lunch," Seka recalled.

"I remember appearing at the Mitchell Brothers theater, going on stage to say hello before one of my films," Chambers said. "We ran out the back door. There was a limo there, I jumped in the window and we screeched out. The cops were going to arrest us. Those were the cool days."

"I think it went well," Karch said after the panel. "We had all the right people, and we pulled it off effectively. We hit some salient points."

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