Pleasure or Pain

The whole movie is like the prologue of the porn scenes but than actual sex is cut out. The actors act terribly since they are porn actors, and the whole movie made like a porn scene: slow beat music and whispered dialogs. The lighting and locations also remind you of adult movies. They filmed a lot of porn stereotypes scene like the car washer guy etc. They wanted something different, I understand, but every frame reminds you the cheap porn not something better. No drama or thrill like the genre shows. 2 stars because Malena Morgan is unbelievably sexy and I have penis between my legs. But I can't say any other positive about it. If you want to watch porn this is not for you. If you want to watch a drama or thriller movie this is not for you. If you want a porn like ... mess, or you are in love with one of the girls, well, watch it.

So I did some research and it seems Pleasure or Pain is an edited down version of the 26 episode series that are basically around 10 minute each vignettes of the same "movie" narrated by and starring Malena Morgan.

After watching as many as I could find on free sites, I did notice quite a few scenes that Pleasure or Pain did not include. Not that you're going to notice a huge difference, or see many more crotch shots, but there are some.

It's a shame such a talented director wouldn't try to take softcore films of the past, such as those starring Catalina Larranga in House of Love, Voyeur Confessions, Word of Mouth, etc. by Indigo Entertainment (others by Universal/Playboy, etc.) to the next level by adding an extra level of X-rated-ness vs. tease. But here again, you get quality porn actresses forced to only briefly flash some goods, vs showing/performing actual sex acts. I'm not saying go porn gross, but this movie would have been great had it just taken it up a notch, and not left the viewer wanting more.

Also, I'm assuming it was made as a full movie, Kamikaze Love, and then broken down into vignettes to post to the site SexArt (not sure if an exclusive) in 10 minute increments. But calling it Series 1?? Was there a Series 2? Considering the director is dead, doubtful. They do use episode 1-26 on that site. Better if they just left Kamikaze Love as a full movie, and allowed the actors to do what they do best. Ever watch a porn movie made for late night TV? It's like that. Not as bad as using a different camera to only capture above the waist shots, but nearly.

I implore these directors in the future, please make this type of movie again, but with a bit more storyline as the movies mentioned above, and give us softcore PORN like the old days, only better. I'm sure budgets are an issue for most and that's why we get half-assed attempts, but I for one would pay a premium to see House of Love Rated X anyday over a watered down, badly acted movie-vignette of tease.

There isn't much in the movie aside for erotic scenes and stupid script. Acting is shallow, because let's be honest, these are porn stars. The movie is basically a series of cheap sexual fantasy delivered in monotonous tone. Production value is passable, and the ladies are nice, but for those wanting a psychological thriller or intense drama might have to look elsewhere, after a few ogling here maybe.

Story follows the main girl as she retells the story of her encounter with a rich man who has strange appetite. Plenty of monologues are used and they are all delivered with overly sensual tone and corny lines. Sequences are done for the purpose of creating titillating situations, these are mostly misdirected as the characters are inherently too cheesy and the performers can be quite zealous.

The movie doesn't attempt to be overly hardcore or theatrically artsy, it simply presents attractive girls prancing about in sexually explicit way.

That's for the characters involved of course. The viewer might feel different while watching this. Malena Morgan is a beautiful woman there are no doubts about that. Her acting talents on the other hand may be discussed (or disqualified if you are not enticed one bit by her beauty). And while this is not the best movie ever (it's mostly a build up to sex scenes, though they are all soft core in case you were wondering), this is still way better than 50 Shades of Grey. It may be more a "9 1/2 weeks" rip off, but the way the male is "playing" with our female "hero" can be interpreted into the "50 shades" category.

Having said all that and maybe writing too much for a movie, that doesn't have a plot other than the moral message that addiction and overdoing something is bad, the movie will certainly find its audience.

Directed by Zalman King...who's that you ask? He brought us Two Moon Junction, Wild Orchid, Red Shoe Diaries and assisted Adrian Lyne in making 9,5 weeks. So you get the theme: he's into making erotic films. Pleasure or Pain is his last directorial effort before he croaked (he made it to 69, ain't that fitting). Contrary to his other films this one stars real life pron stars like lava-melting-hot Malena Morgan and also Elle Alexandra, Hayden Hawkens, Kayla Jane and Aubrey Addams. Now you might be thinking this fact would mean that it's a LOT more explicit than say 'Fifty Shades of Grey' but it certainly is not. The sex scenes are pretty short and you hardly see anything like in most other soft-porn movies (to which you could count his previous work I guess). Worst of all is that they aren't very erotic either which should at least be the point of this film but there it falls short. Though she looks gorgeous Malena is not a great actress. Well nobody in this film is. But they're better at other things lucky for them. Overall I found the story pretty boring, slow moving and poorly written as is the dialogue btw. Some credit to the DP who did a fairly good job with the lighting and such but it doesn't matter. This film is hardly worth watching because it is neither a good plot based film nor a good erotic film. Skip it!