Seen: Legendary Directors at Book Event

PHOTO BY VINCENT LAMBERT

Jeffrey Escoffier’s new book, Bigger Than Life, traces the history of gay porn throughout its many years. To celebrate its release, the author brought together three of gay porn’s legendary directors. Jerry Douglas, Chi Chi LaRue and Wakefield Poole (above) were all on hand at the LGBT Community Center in New York City last week to discuss the early years of the porn industry and answer questions from fans.

During the event, Poole shared the story of how he conceived his epic Boys in the Sand (“I just wanted to make a pretty porn movie!” he said), and Douglas talked about The Back Row (Chi Chi directed the remake), Joey Stefano in More of a Man and when his models first started using condoms. Editor Bob Alvarez was also on the panel to discuss Hand in Hand Films, which he co-founded with Jack Deveau, and how they produced A Night at the Adonis, Left-Handed and Jack and Roger (starring the late Jack Wrangler).

Escoffier also ran historic clips from Bob Mizer and his Athletic Model Guild, of model Fred Halsted and that mesmerizing shot of Casey Donovan emerging from the ocean in Boys in the Sand. He even divulged which movie claims to have the very first cum shot in gay porn history. The panel discussion was interesting and lively, and the directors all agreed that their works helped contribute to a more open sexuality for gay men at a time when many chose to live in the closet. Oh, and if you’ve never seen them, all the titles mentioned here are classics, so check ’em out, kids!