Dangerous Liaisons (DVD)

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' 1782 novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," was the height of scandal upon publication, especially when Marie Antoinette was found to have a copy by her bedside (it was actually mentioned as evidence of her depravity in the years to come). Since then, the novel has been the basis for four stupendous major motion pictures, a sensational play, and a host of rip-off projects. It's that good (and it's yours truly's all-time favorite book), that intense, that complex. Leave it to Michael Lucas to shoot a porn version (the second in the span of a few years) and do it with so much style and so much extravagance that I have to regard this as the fifth major motion picture of sorts and something that will for sure be by my bedside when they come to look into my depravity. It cost a bundle and it looks like it at every turn. The cast is made up of dependable vets plus two newcomers who joins their ranks immediately, and the production values are astronomical. It's one sordidly invigorating sex flick on top of all that!

Thankfully, Lucas hasn't done this as a period piece. But, that doesn't mean it lacks for opulence. In fact, the first shot is Gus Mattox getting into a limo. The second is sex in the shower in an apartment so plush this could only be a story of the rich and famous. The spacious manse belongs to Michael Lucas. Gus, playing a fashion photographer, sets up an unseen video camera in Michael's apartment and then sits down for a chat. Michael has a dastardly plan in mind, aiming getting back at former fashionista boyfriend Kent Larson. Kent is now dating model Wilfried Knight, so the bearded heavenly Gus is to sleep with Wilfried and thus ruin Kent's belief in monogamy. But Gus demurs. "It's too easy, I'd have him on his back in a minute." In return, Gus asks Michael for an "indiscretion," but now it's Michael demurring, saying he's in a relationship. His boyfriend happens to be gorgeous newcomer Bruce Beckham. "Off limits!" snaps Michael when Gus drools over Bruce.

Gus books Wilfried for a fashion shoot, but Kent is peeved that his boyfriend will be working for notorious cad Gus. French-born stunner Wilfried, chiseled out of godly marble with peering sexy eyes, manages to win over Kent, himself a revelation in muscle and chest hair. Sex ensues as they show each other their devotion. The he-men come out to play here, both of these guys electric performers with big buff bodies and manly airs about them. Kent's ass is the first touch of erotica to be shown, but Wilfried dives into his crotch for a blowjob instead. He gobbles all of Kent in brave gulps, not the least bit undone when Kent fucks his face. Kent goes down on Wilfried's impressive dick with the same deep throat, and now Wilfried attends to Kent's ass with a finger. The finger is replaced by his tongue when Kent sits on his face and bends over to continue sucking Wilfried. Their chemistry kicks into high gear as they orally maul each other. Kent actually keeps in character as the for-my-eyes-only dominant lover, lavishing huge desire on Wilfried. With Kent on his back staring up at his lover, Wilfried screws him in a tight harsh fuck. Abs clenching, Wilfried hits big Kent hard with nasty jabs and gyrating hips. Kent then spins Wilfried over and fucks him, unleashing a bed-shaking power that keeps Wilfried bent in half as a blast of volleys hit the bottom. Wilfried loudly cums and then Kent pops for his bearded boyfriend.

It turns out Kent is utterly surrounded by beautiful men, with wide-eyed Owen Hawk is his new employee. And one who takes his work seriously, burning the midnight oil with only Kent still in the office. Owen brazenly gives his boss a massage as Kent thumbs through his work, and Kent, the defender of monogamy according to Michael Lucas, doesn't even attempt to resist Owen's panting kissing and pawing. This time, Owen is all up for being used by the beefy Kent, as opposed to Wilfried's rather obvious insistence on equality. To this end, Owen jumps into Kent's arms and spends much of their make-out suspended above the ground. Though Owen is hell-bent on groping and fondling every one of Kent's 2000 body parts, Kent is all hands and tongue for Owen's lithe body as well. Kent gets down to business by licking Owen's jaw-dropping round butt, lit so perfectly it glows in the semi-darkened office. Owen opens his hole wide so Kent can get in deep with his tongue. Owen, proudly displaying a hard and sizable cock, has Kent further enthralled enough to suck it before Owen lays Kent down to lick his ass. Ass lovers should thrill to this scene, with two of porn's best asses getting so much attention. Owen has a loud lip-smacking time rimming Kent and rattles off a blowjob with the same abject lust. Owen then backs up to Kent's face for a sucking 69, so fervent that when Mario Ortiz slips into the room, he's completely unnoticed at first. The office cleaner is soon welcomed to the party as the guys lick at his chest. Continuing the anal thrust, Mario sets Kent and Owen on top of each other, having the stunning good fortune to rim eagerly these two competitively sublime asses. Kent squats on all-fours at the head of a fucking chain, with Owen plugging away at him generously. He's full of style and porno moves until Mario sneaks into his ass and forces him to double his work to include bottoming as well. Owen handles it exquisitely. He then lies on his back, sucking Mario and fucked rabidly by Kent, even feistier than he was in the last scene. It's mere moments before Owen cums, licking it all off his hand. Mario then fucks Kent quietly and strongly until Kent peppers his abs with cum. To make it all fair, Kent then fucks Mario with now-customary flash and such efficiency that Mario is finished in no time.

Gus, who had previous seduced a delivery guy while on the phone in a nod to an infamous scene from the Glenn Close-John Malkovich film version, has set up his photoshoot. It revolves around having Wilfried, looking as handsome in a salmon-colored shirt and vinyl pants as he will out of them, on a dilapidated set's seedy bed. "You trust me, don't you?" Gus coos up in Wilfried's face as he sets his pose. The sumptuous brunet J., clad only in gold pants, is brought in and stripped immediately, Wilfried definitely curious as to what will happen next. Gus tapes J.'s arms to the bed and orders Wilfried to tug on his hair, making for an extremely sexy tableau. Gus also records it with his trusty video camera, because, after all, Michael had asked for proof of his seduction, and jumps into the scene by kissing J. Hairy and tattooed to look as ravishing as possible, Gus pokes his cock through the bedposts and feeds it to J., who has his back and butt licked by Wilfried. He didn't even put up the fight Michael might have hoped for, just the way Gus said it would happen. Wilfried goes tearing into J.'s ass with his whole mouth as ringleader Gus keeps J.'s throat parked on his cock. Wilfried slithers up J.'s body to join him in sucking Gus' dick, definitely enough meat for both. Wilfried climbs up over the still-sucking J. and has Gus blow him. Ever the ace, Gus swallows all of Wilfried with total ease. The two rugged hunks stand together so J. can suck them off, kissing with probing mouths the whole time. Gus moves on to ticking both asses with his hairy face when he eats majestically from their bums. The rimming patterns ape the previous scene, but when you have butts like these, repetition is actually a bonus. Gus fits Wilfried's dick with a condom and sticks it in J.'s ass. Wilfried rides J. with steady sensuality, now and then going into hyperdrive as Gus kisses him. When Wilfried replaces Gus at J.'s mouth, Gus gets to fuck the soft-spoken bottom. Gus is lively with a jamming fuck, hitting J. with confident plowing steam. Things don't get much prettier than Gus attacking J., the latter's tongue way up Wilfried's ass. Gus then gets his ultimate prize, fucking Wilfried, as J. meanders underneath to blow Wilfried. Now Gus goes for broke in his fucking, setting his legs wide on the floor and using his entire lower body until Wilfried takes over the active role and gyrates around Gus' cock. Gus takes another spin in J.'s ass in a tightly-shot section dominated by sexy shadows so that everyone can cum with the utmost glamour. Gus parks a grand shot on J.'s mouth and licks it clean off. The defeated look on Wilfried's face after the scene ends is ideal for his character at this point in the film. Kent had tried to warn him.

It turns out that Owen is a spy working for Michael. His reward is sex with this boss as well. One shouldn't pity Owen, shuttling between Kent Larson and Michael Lucas, should one? Dispensing with the rapacious desire of all participants that marked the previous scenes, and keeping with the abject lack of soul his character needs to have, Michael lets himself be worshipped by Owen, who has a blast gorging himself on Michael's huge piece. Michael then rips clear through Owen's jeans to unleash his dick. He then tears another hole at Owen's ass and dives between the pale perfect orbs. Every lick seems to send Owen into moaning spasms as Michael eats his ass and even though Owen begs to be fucked, Michael isn't ready yet. Instead, they hunker down for a 69, where Owen amazingly manages to deep-throat Michael, but with such speed that I had to look again to make sure it was real. It is, and Owen does it over and over. The camera wisely stays with Owen's face for most of the time. Owen then sits on Michael's face for more rimming, Owen still chomping down on Michael's dick. Michael is an insatiable fiend for Owen's ass, an understandable obsession. Owen regally seats himself on Michael's cock and bounces as Michael thrusts up into him with zesty energy. Michael Lucas, a devoted top who is working damn hard to power this scene, meets his match in the controlling Owen, not about to cede it that easily. He makes Michael prove his worth here. Michael gives Owen a colossal sideways fuck and then does him doggy. Over and over Michael stops to pull out and rim, never ending his adoration of Owen's ass. The highlight of the fucking comes when Owen, on his knees, backs up speedily to Michael, eventually turning it into another ride position where the electricity zooms. Still inserted, Michael pushes Owen into another doggy position. There isn't a square inch of the bed not explored by these two in a match-up of epic performances that goes from position to position without wear from either man. Michael keeps at Owen until the bottom cums wildly. Michael also has a massive shot, proving them complete equals in this fantastic scene.

Michael is just sitting down to lunch when Gus shows up with his video camera. Michael's pouting lip quivers in anger upon seeing the playback and he refuses to honor his end of the deal. "I stopped sleeping with people to get what I want long ago" is a bizarre line to come out a porn performer's mouth, but when Michael snaps it to Gus' entreaty for their promised sex, poor Gus is fraught with madness and bolts, but not before inviting Michael to his fashion show. Back at Michael's apartment, Bruce finds Owen's ring and is dismayed. With a quick fade-out and fade-in, he's in Gus' apartment, the two wearing just underwear and oversexed Gus licking all over Bruce's gigantic smooth muscular body. Bruce is the last of the models to be unveiled, and he's a magnificent sight to behold. Wearing a teasing smile that threatens to give Gus' acting oomph a run for its money, he lets Gus pine for his cock, sucking it through his tight briefs. In Gus' previous scene, he had to play the stalker on a mission, but here he can relax and just be Gus Mattox the whirlwind dynamo. To this end, he blows Bruce heartily and has just as much fun licking everywhere from his toes to his ass. They find their way to a 69 where both men can spend ample time on each other's big cocks. Bruce is a spunky sucker, well-matched to Gus. When Goes has Bruce sitting on his face, Bruce shows off an ass so muscular even strong Gus might get lost between the cheeks. That does happen (thank goodness) and this ultra-sensual scene, the least self-conscious in the set, continues with Gus eating so much ass it counts as two meals. Gus then sinks into Bruce with a hearty fuck, ravaging the shaved butt with tons of force. He's jackrabbit fast and full of desire. Bruce gets himself into quite a position on his back to take the fuck. They stop fucking long enough for Bruce to show just how wide he can stretch his ass, but they return to more with Bruce on all-fours. They seem to work their best with Bruce on his back, his very impressive dick pointing straight up at Gus. Bruce unleashes a torrent being fucked and Gus finishes right on Bruce's dick, which makes for an interesting lick-clean.

In a scene that really shows off the budget, the celebs arrive for Gus' big show. RuPaul, Lady Bunny and others are there, with hoards of extras bopping around the club in a brazen display of lavishness. Gus takes the microphone to introduce his show, the tension building. The video screens start to play, and to everyone's shock, Gus plays clips of everything he's videotaped. Michael's nefarious conniving from the first scene is there, as is Gus' romp with Bruce. Michael is forced to leave the club in shame. The already-perplexed crowd gets the shock of a lifetime when a deranged Bruce gets the last moment of the film.

I have to credit director Michael Lucas and writer Tony DiMarco for not only tackling such a familiar piece, but doing it with such a pornographer's sense. This is not a condensed version of the book (which is written in epistolary format and totally unsuited to a literal cinematic translation) and not a rehash of the 1989 movie version, though it does borrow liberally for dialogue. Instead, it is a re-telling of the de Laclos story of treachery and seduction in the confines of modern porn, meaning a manageable cast with lots of reasons to fall into bed. There is utter faith to the spirit of the original's compact character-focused vision, most notable in the lack of the ever-present Lucas orgy scene. Something like that wouldn't belong. But, Lucas and DiMarco are fastidious in creating three-dimensional characters and keeping the plot zipping along without extraneous trappings or unnecessary melodrama, which the book lacks entirely except in the case of one character. This forces the models to be astutely on their game, not only delivering on their sex scenes incredibly, but developing personalities. Gus Mattox is the clear winner when it comes to the non-sex work, but, guy, does he have competition when the clothes are off. Bruce Beckham and J. make most auspicious entries into the Lucas family, and they fit perfectly into place with such daunting pros as Gus, Owen Hawk, Kent Larson and Lucas' greatest discovery, Wilfried Knight. Lucas obviously has the intent here to create something other than just standard porn, but it's ultimately the sex that defines a project like this. "Dangerous Liaisons" has some of the best sex in the Lucas Entertainment cannon, so on that account, it's as successful as the sum total of its expensive parts.

A DVD Review by Brent Blue ( http://www.ManNet.com )

*** Highly, Highly Recommended ***

Starring Bruce Beckham, Gus Mattox, Owen Hawk, Michael Lucas, Kent Larson, Wilfried Knight, J. and Mario Ortiz.

Featuring (in non-sexual roles) Boy George, Hedda Lettuce, RuPaul, Lady Bunny, Michael Musto, Amanda Lepore, Graham Norton and Bruce Vilanch.

Directed by Michael Lucas.

DVD features include Interactive Menus; Chapter Index; Jump to Your Favorite Scenes; DVD-ROM Compatible; No Regional Coding for World Wide Playback.

A Lucas Entertainment DVD.