Living Dolls

Kendo, who's called "Kenny" in the BTS short subject on the DVD (real name: Kenneth Docherty), complains he's been assigned to do a sissy "Pink" themed video, but it turns out to be a brilliant strategy. Instead of the previous fetish shows that made his name, and unlike the pretentious & increasingly cold features he shot over the next decade Living Dolls" is an upbeat, lighthearted Adult video, one of his all-time best.

Perhaps stepping out of his rut, even just once, was just the thing to breath life into Kendo's formula for porn. Visually, the film bears his stylistic marks, as shot by him and his partner (implied in the BTS as he points to a ring on his finger that she's his wife) Lisa Loves. But the colorful pink color scheme, frequently smiling players, and general joie de vivre are refreshing.

With femme voice-over narration giving us a minimal story line and sexual play-by-play commentary (just a bit of English dialog is briefly heard), the five vignettes are tied together for a change. Main character is Bobbi, pleasantly portrayed by Linda Shane (IMDb identifies the Euro beauty as Alexa Weix, from Budapest where this was lensed). She is featured throughout, though lets her co-stars also have sex scenes, sometimes presented as her dreams.

Kendo emphasizes both d.p.'s and lesbian sex, but in a strictly hedonistic atmosphere where there is no drama, and everyone constantly having a good time. None of the stasis and "couldn't care less" aloof performances of actors in his hundred-plus other videos is present here, and I hope to discover other departures in his filmography from the usually dull, monotone presentation.

Besides Linda/Alexa, other standouts are her very sexy cleaning lady and lover Jennifer Love, the always reliable Dorcel regular Black Angelika and a sexy brunette Lucy Belle, last-named paired with a handsome bespectacled stud with the odd stage name of just Cruz.

Highly recommended, especially for Adult Cinema fans (including me) who gave up on Kendo ever approaching mainstream porn content, based on his innumerable dull, lookalike releases.