Tiger Orange

Porno star Johnny Hazzard goes mainstream in Tiger Orange. I expected him to fall flat on his handsome face, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Hazzard is a delight to watch throughout. Tiger Orange is not a porno, that is of course the first thought that will cross your mind, and understandably so. It is extremely rare for an erotic entertainer to cross over into clothed features.

There is plenty of skin, but no more sex than any other mainstream feature, less sex than one episode of many foreign televisions shows.

Tiger Orange is the story of two battling gay brothers, Hazzard plays the naughty, slutty, irresponsible, destitute, boyfriend stealing, sexier younger brother. So Hazzard is not playing against type, it might have been better to cast him as the sexually repressed older brother.

I don't know how much of Tiger Orange is improvisation, but it seems like Hazzard's real personality shines through. And he's a winner, the kind of kid brother, or next door neighbor we all fantasize about. A partner who's fun to be around all the time.

And that's the root of the problem in Tiger Orange. Younger brother always outshines dull, responsible, hard working, small town, respectful, plain, stable elder brother. It's a good script, and an engrossing story.

Sure, there's room for improvement, but Tiger Orange holds your attention from start to finish. At the emotional fraternal conclusion you yearn for just a little more. You don't want the ride to be over.

Two gay brothers reconnect after the death of their dad. Mark Strano is Chet, who stayed in the family home, and even runs the family hardware store. (Strano was also in Out to Kill). Frankie Valenti is brother Todd, who has left LA to return home, after a bad breakup. (Valenti also has a thriving career in the "alternative film industry"... which explains why we keep seeing him get undressed and dance around naked. In the adult films, he's known as Johnny Hazzard). Chet and Todd are two completely different people. Chet is quiet, conservative, and keeps a low profile. Todd is the loud, rowdie one, and they butt heads right off. And Todd likes to start fights, so we can tell its going to be a huge problem. It's a great story. Good script. MOST of the actors do a great job, but there are a couple weak apples in the crowd. or am I mixing my metaphors? All kinds of cussing and adult gay guy talk in this one, so its definitely NOT for the kiddies.

Directed by Wade Gasque, who had only directed short films before this. I was looking for a production company name on IMDb, but i see at the end of the film, this was funded by kickstarter. That's the website where people donate to the fund to get it made, and they have their name listed at the end of the credits. Glad to see it succeed. Quite entertaining.

Two brothers - both gay - grow up in a single parent household with their father. One - "Todd" (Frankie Valenti) moves away to live his gay life in the open. When their father dies, he returns to find his more reserved, stay-at-home brother "Chet" (Mark Strano) running their family hardware store. The film depicts their relationship - both current, and through flashbacks of their childhood, and endeavours to investigate what fuels their love/hate situation. Nothing at all new here, the performances are OK - the usual character stereotypes - and the ending is pretty much as expected. The production standards are quite high, and their is some interesting comment on attitudes and assumptions - but they might have been more interesting had this been set in the middle of Iowa rather than the far more liberally minded California. Gregory Marcel provides some welcome eye-candy, but otherwise this is all forgettable family reconciliation stuff with a gay theme.

Indie gem (crowd-funded). Taut small-town drama in which the unfavoured son/brother returns and disturbs the tranquility his older brother has established in his life. Finely acted by all. Perfectly paced and totally successful in what it aims to achieve. (viewed 9/16)

Some writing movie reviews are obvious wannabes that have a need to trash everything, even when it's good. I'm not Siskel or Ebert and I'm not Rex Reed but I know solid gay themed movies when I see them.

Perhaps we don't want to give Frankie Valenti, AKA Johnny Hazzard of gay porn fame, the credit he deserves because guess what. The guy can actually act. Ok, so he's no Sean Penn but he's very capable and turns in a fine convincing performance here. I've not seen any of his other mainstream work but I will seek to do that now.

When you compare this to other attempts at gay themed cinema, you begin to realize just how good it is. Good production values, lighting sound, acting ability, direction, camera direction, etc., it's all here.

It's difficult not to feel sorry for both brothers, each revealing to us the pathetic paths they've chosen. One a responsible albeit reclusive loner, the other a worldly whore with nothing to show for it but empty pockets and failure at every level - work, relationships, and a general inability to navigate life. Bringing the two together after the death of their father, himself angry and cruel, certainly makes for good conflict.

Anytime someone tells you there's a good gay themed movie out there and you happen to be in search of that, put this one on the list of must sees. You won't be disappointed unless you're a real critic with a bone to pick.