Rated X

This is one of the many films in the series that materializes America's fascination with its own sub-culture - violence, drugs, pornography - all coming closer to mainstream in the complex American landscape of the 70's and 80's. It's well done and acted, and I liked it. The true story of the Mitchell brothers, pioneers of porn and live nude shows in San Francisco is told in a linear manner, without too many stuff like 'free speech' justification, as in 'Larry Flint'. The Mitchell guys consider their business just a business, and are not concerned at any point with its human or moral implications. The relationship between the brothers is the central theme, and it is well rendered by the two main actors - Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez (who is also directing).

Some more logic in the script would have made a memorable movie. Some of the familiar relations, or the Mafia involvement seem to be just lost in the action. It is however a good film, and I am amazed by the negative comments of other viewers in IMDb, and by the lack of more critical feedback. Maybe the theme is still hard to digest for the American critics, I do not know. An 8/10 on my scale.

This film is Based on a True Story about the rise and fall of the porn filmmakers:The Mitchell Brothers (Played by Charlie Sheen & Emilio Estevez). The Mitchell Brothers made a famous porn film titled "Behind the Green Door". Once they become successful, they have to go through the American government, the mob, the woman's in their lives and even each other to create a San Francisco Porn Dynasty but the drugs and their intense relationship puts them apart.

Directed by Emilio Estevez (Men at Work, The War at Home, Wisdom) made a terrific if wildly uneven drama that, it was never release in theaters. Instend it got debuted in showtime entertainment network.

DVD has an bright Pan & Scan (1.33:1) transfer and an fine-Dolby Surround 2.0 Sound. DVD has an surprisingly amusing commentary tack by real-life brothers:Sheen and Estevez.

The french Canadian DVD has an sharp non-anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and an good-Dolby Stereo 2.0 Sound. This DVD is only in french with no subtitles.

This is an unfocused but extremely well made film. Watch for film director:Peter Bogdanovich appears in a cameo as a film school professor. A must see for the performances by Sheen & Estevez. (****/*****).

If Charley S. wants to indulge his love affair with porn I guess that's OK, but why spend big bucks on a story that probably few care about. In their time, The Farrell brothers were thought of as forerunners of a new, more intelligent XXX film, but the movement quickly fizzled and the present adult industry is giving us back to back sex with poor acting for the most part and boring sex at that. Sharp Marylin Chambers has managed to stay around though and overweight as she is, is still making films ("Still Insatiable," "Dark Chambers"). Good for her.

Much praise has been given by commentators here for the artsy camera work, which to my mind, simply shows a lack of substance to the story.

Going into the theatre, I had mixed expectations. This is, after all, a movie about the porn industry. It could be very graphic, shallow, poorly lit. It most certainly would have a nauseating soundtrack. The tickets were free and it was the premiere event, so the food would be good-- and I went. I was thoroughly amazed to see a very creatively produced film, whose formal perks were as interesting as its content. I was entertained by and sympathetic toward the characters, who were multi-dimensional and intense. Mostly, I was impressed by the film's visual aesthetics-- I'm not referring to the sex scenes here, though there was ample representation of that action-- I'm talking about the piecing together of a beautifully shot film. But besides that, the soundtrack was refreshingly hip and the actors gave excellent performances. This is a Showtime feature that has exceeded its medium's limitations,producing a movie that is given more justice in the theatres than where it will deign to be exhibited- on TV.

Harrowing is the word that comes to mind when trying to describe this movie. A fascinating look at two brothers, raised by a man who could have take parenting lessons from The Great Santini and being thrust into the world of 1970s porn and drugs. Yes, the porn angle of the story is very fascinating and is probably the reason most will see this movie, but I found it to be a riveting look at the older brother - younger brother relationship in the case of two men who led very enmeshed lives. Jim (the older brother) was always taught to take care of younger brother Artie and he did that all of his life, even kicking drugs on his own to show Artie that it could be done. Artie, meanwhile spirals down deeper into addiction and sexual excess and uses Jim's continued smoking as an excuse not to get straightened out. The ending scenes are very sudden and surprising, as they must have been when they really happened, but was this Jim's one last attempt to take care of Artie when nothing else seemed to work? This movie uses the not uncommon now technique of odd camera angles and color to put the viewer into the disoriented mindset of a person on drugs and perhaps on the edge mentally and emotionally. It was really showcased well in "Natural Born Killers" and has kind of been done already to death. But it does serve the story here. Recommended, and as a chaser after this downer of a movie, rent "Babe".