Page 22 - AVN June 2013

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MAINSTREAM SPOTLIGHT | By Steve Javors
Ready for Their Close-up‘ ‘A Ar ro ou us se ed d’ ’
p pr re em mi ie er re es s t to o e en nt th hu us si ia as st ti ic c c cr ro ow wd d i in n L Lo os s A An ng ge el le es s
Ready for Their Closeups Seen at the movie’s premiere were (clockwise from top left)
April O’Neil, Misty Stone, Allie Haze, Tanya Tate, Deborah Anderson, Asphyxia Noir,
Skin Diamond, Belladonna, Katsuni, Jesse Jane, Kayden Kross and Manuel Ferrara.
More engaging and intimate than previous documentaries that have profiled adult performers, Aroused
offers an up-close, unvarnished window into the souls of the ladies she’s photographing through a series of
conversations. Stripped of all the common porn trappings like over-the-top lingerie and heavy makeup, it
feels like a certain weight has been lifted and the ladies can be who they truly are in front of the expert gaze
of Anderson’s cameras.
All of the models in Aroused appear fully nude, save for a pair of sky-high, brightly colored Jimmy Choo
shoes, provided for the project through company co-founder Tamara Mellon, a friend of Anderson’s.
Mostly shot in black-and-white closeups, with pithy quotes on sex and sexuality interspersed throughout,
the film is narrated by Anderson herself. It’s through Anderson and her friendly, agenda-free angle that many
of the adult stars in Aroused reveal intimate details about their lives—some of which they’ve never publicly
mentioned.
Among the more compelling revelations in the documentary: Ash Hollywood admitting she had never
masturbated before filming her first scene, Brooklyn Lee’s peripatetic childhood of moving 55 times, Allie
Haze teaching bible school, and Lisa Ann reconnecting with her father after not speaking for 23 years.
Other topics discussed during the 73-minute documentary include how the stars’ families reacted to their
porn careers, how and why they got into the adult industry, the threat of STIs, and their religious views.
CROSSOVER REPORT
In her directorial debut, Aroused, mainstream photographer Deborah
Anderson turned her lens on 16 of the biggest porn stars in the
world, uncovering the underlying sensuality in these much-
photographed, highly sexualized women. As they prepped and
posed, they reveal the most intimate details of their lives while
Anderson snaps away with her camera, creating images for the
accompanying coffee table photo book.
The documentary, which is available for purchase or rental on
iTunes and on Hulu Plus starting June 4, premiered May 1 at the
Landmark Theater in Los Angeles in front of many of the movie’s
stars, along with a thoroughly engaged crowd of invited guests.
On the red carpet at the premiere were Jesse Jane, Belladonna,
Misty Stone, Kayden Kross, Katsuni, Allie Haze, Brooklyn Lee, April
O’Neil, Asphyxia Noir and Tanya Tate. Other stars that were in the
project but not at the premiere were Teagan Presley, Alexis Texas,
Lisa Ann, Francesca Lé, Ash Hollywood and Lexi Belle.
A London native, Anderson is best known for her artful photogra-
phy books Paperthin and Room 23, in addition to celebrity portraits
and high-fashion photo shoots. She collaborated with 12-year adult
industry veteran Mike Moz to handpick the stars for the project.
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The film is emotionally gripping and engaging throughout, but isn’t without some comedic relief, first
with Francesca Lé describing her first time having sex, modeled after a scene in Blue Lagoon, where she didn’
t
know actual penetration was involved, and also in friendly banter with LA Direct Models agent Fran Amidor,
whose plain-spoken, candid responses to Anderson’s questions led the audience to laugh deeply.
Post-screening, Anderson and the stars in attendance retreated to a VIP celebration and book signing in
the Landmark’s upscale lounge.
The book is available for purchase and the DVD is available for pre-order (with delivery June 4) on
Amazon.com.
It’s through Anderson and her friendly, agenda-free angle
that many of the adult stars in ‘Aroused’ reveal
intimate details about their lives—some of which
they’ve never publicly mentioned.
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