In an attempt to penetrate (sorry) the porn industry in the UK through the media of song, the film interviews several actresses and ex-actresses both in their homes and on the set. The actresses talk about their feelings and experiences of their chosen career and also sing songs and poetry on the subject.
I was a massive fan of Feltham Sings when it was made - it basically put the same principle into a young offenders institution. That was telling, moving and had some really good music in it. This film came on a greater wave of media speculation since it boasted `the most graphic scenes ever seen on terrestrial tv'. And I guess, if you've never watched porn, then you may be shocked by the sort core shot material that is occasionally shown. To the film's credit none of it could be accused of being in there for arousal value as is the case with many so called sex `documentaries'. However this does not mean that anything else is really of value.
Many other films have tried to show porn for what it is to several people - some do it well and others come off as whacking material at best. The media of song is not the best way to do it and the film is overwhelmed by the scale of the subject and ends up not really having anything new or of interest to say. Only at one point was I gripped - where a woman talks (long after the shoot) about her first `water sports' film (basically people urinating all over each other). She looks physically shaken by the whole thing and she is very verbal about how disgusted she is by the whole experience. Other than that the women don't really say anything of interest. Most talking heads are banal while some (the wonderful anal sex anecdote) are just gross.
The songs are all pretty awful. Not only can the women not sing in tune, but the music is uninspired and the lyrics are just poor and don't say anything. I was surprised as I though Simon Armitage could work with anything, but here he is at a loss to turn this sow's ear into a purse. The actresses themselves all start to look the same and all (except one) seem to say, `yeah it's nasty but it's not that bad'. No real insight or vulnerability to them.
Overall this film was a real disappointment. Aside from seeing the aftermath of some shoots and seeing how `damaged' some of the women are, it doesn't really do anything of any great value. The songs and lyrics are uninspired at best and banal at worst. I wanted to like this because I loved it's predecessor - but there is just too little to like here.