Why is the mockumentary such a seemingly easy movie-making method? From my perspective, it looks like another way to simply hang a bunch of short-form sketches on the barest of plot, and if things don't cohere there are numerous opportunities to fix it in the mix. Mockumentaries can rely on easy set-up interview segments to fill out running time, plus those interview segments and voice-over narration function to tell the viewer what's going on, rather than showing it, or letting things build through narrative. On the other hand, such beasts allow you to get way more over the top in terms of humor, without busting up your believability. So on one side we have Boogie Nights and on the other, Love Shack. One fits into the cinema pedigree, and the other goes straight for the nuts.

Love Shack tells the story of down on his luck porn director Mac Hollister (Christopher Boyer) followed by a camera crew while attempting to film late, great, legendary sleaze auteur Mo Saltzman's lost script. Assembling a cast of current porn stars and members of Saltzman's stable, Hollister attempts the impossible; to make nasty magic out of nothing. Will Hollister be able to handle warring divas, on-the-rocks marrieds, tag-team brothers with an unfortunate past, and 65-year-old former porn actors who have thrown on a lot of weight? What about the fact that he's got overbearing producers and about as much influence as Tobe Hooper on the set of Poltergeist?

Of course, watching the whole thing fall apart in pathetic desperation is way more fun than witnessing a loving success story. And if the thrust of the plot gets a little limp, writer/directors Gregg Sacon and Michael B. Silver can always fall back on Saltzman's back-story, featuring plenty of interview segments and posters for his old films. (We all know what an easy laugh porn parody titles are, and there is no shortage of such material here.) Love Shack tries pushing the envelope with outrageous sexual humor; the brothers are still dealing with fallout from a DP scene in which they accidentally touched tips, and even worse things are mentioned. Much of this will probably, regrettably seem old-hat to audiences weaned on Internet porn, yet the gee-whiz zeal with which these jokes are thrown still garners plenty of yucks.

Less obvious things cause Love Shack to rise, standing proud above the crowd. For starters, the cast is loaded with talented character actors whose names you might not recognize, but whose faces are terribly familiar - it's comforting knowing you're with the pros, even if you don't know who they are. Ian Gomez as Saltzman is a high point; either waxing rhapsodic in a hot tub, full of cherubic love; or later when he seems to have degenerated into a Colonel Kurtz type character, Gomez brings out an eerie, dreamlike quality. Boyer's proud desperation and collapse is poignant for the truth it reveals, and his attempts at heating up the screen are hilarious, especially the coupling of his more senior cast members, thankfully heard but not seen.

Sacon and Silver might not break the originality barrier; in fact they take the low road in crafting their redemptive tale of down-and-out pornster Mac Hollister. By employing documentary techniques they have a built in way to take the pressure off of narrative build-up, plus, they are able to throw as many cheap jokes as they want in there without disrupting the flow. Not everything works, of course, but you'll still get plenty of laughs from this stupidly outrageous sexual throw-down.

The DVD

Video:
Our Strand Releasing screener disc looks like full-featured final product, only it arrives sans packaging, so we can't be quite sure. The 1.85:1 ratio presentation looks sharp and solid, whatever the case. Colors are naturalistic but not terribly rich or saturated, and digital artifacts are a no-show. There is a chance that retail product may be different, but I'm betting that what I saw is the real deal.

Sound:
English Dolby Digital Stereo Audio provides a relatively immersive experience - especially since the movie relies on plenty of off-screen moaning - for what is essentially a dialog-heavy movie. Everything is mixed well; no volume control riding is necessary, unless you have little ears lurking nearby.

Extras:
12 minutes of Deleted Scenes provide more of the same in less carefully edited form. A Photo Gallery gives you a chance to take a close look at those Mo Saltzman movie posters, while the Love Shack Theatrical Trailer and other Strand Releasing Previews round out the package.

Final Thoughts:
A porn mockumentary is an easy way to get a movie in the can; minimal plot is needed, and the format allows for near non-stop joking while allowing interview segments and voice-overs to provide explanation and back-story. Tons of outrageous humor delivers plenty of laughs (more hits than misses), and you may even catch a heartwarming whiff from this riotous and raunchy comedy. Recommended.

www.kurtdahlke.com