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July 20, 2011

Movie Review: Carter Stevens "Teenage Twins" Collection (1976-1977)

After Hours Cinema is back with yet another dose of their “Grindhouse Directors Series”. This time around smut film pioneer Carter Stevens has three of his finest films in a handy dandy collection with the Carter Stevens Teenage Twins CollectionTeenage Twins, Punk Rock and Rollerbabies.

Buy The Teenage Twins Collection on DVD

Teenage Twins is an interesting animal. It’s pretty much a one location sex film produced on a super low-budget. The budget and simple set doesn’t matter here because like other Carter Stevens films - it has a gimmick. This device may not sit well with some folks but it involves the two stars of the film who are identical twin sisters, Brooke and Taylor Young. There really isn’t much of a plot here but it does showcase these very “loving” sisters partaking in a sixty-nine position and one even masturbates with a Bible. Adult film legend, Eric Edwards (a frequent performer in Stevens’ films) is on hand for some of the fun.



For some odd reason I chose to watch Rollerbabies even though it’s listed below Teenage Twins. I’m very glad I did though as it is the gem of this collection. It also features a commentary which I’ll get to later. The plot is much more involved then Teenage Twins. In Rollerbabies, it’s the future and sex is illegal BUT sex in front of the camera isn’t. Here Stevens latches on to another gimmick: Rollerskating.

Sherman Frobish (Alan Marlo) is the producer of one of the big live-sex shows, entertaining the millions of sexless viewers. Frobish's amazing creation is called the "Fuck and Suck Show". The acting Marlo is surprisingly good. He almost reminds me of Gary Cole, right down to the delivery of his lines and his voice. The ladies in Rollerbabies are pretty stellar as well – in particular Yolanda Savales, Suzanne McBain and the super-sexy Terry Hall. McBain and Hall have some of the wildest sex scenes with Marlo. One involves Hall and Marlo getting very mess with ice cream and another preposterous but completely fascinating with McBain performing mental masturbation on. Marlo . Yes, I said mental masturbation of Marlo. The screenplay by Wesson Smith is pretty funny and Stevens’ gimmick pays off beautifully in one of the wackiest porn finales ever. Sex acts on roller skates is an especially amusing concept and if only the studio heads of the major networks could appreciate it the way I did.



Seventies porn pretty-boy turned eighties soap opera actor, Wade Nichols, stars in Stevens’ kooky crime-drama, Punk Rock. I probably should take the “drama” away from “crime-drama” because Punk Rock is far from serious – it’s actually quite funny. Nichols plays Jimmy Dillinger, a down-on-his-luck former cop turned detective who’s trying to crack a case involving some stabbings that including his partner. In the meantime Dillinger is doing some stabbing of himself via his meat stick. Naturally, the punk rock gimmick is used here and it’s used most effectively during an orgy. I highly doubt anyone was listening. Richard Bolla (AKA Robert Kerman - Cannibal Holocaust, Debbie Does Dallas) is a detective put on the case that Dillinger gets swallowed up in. There really is nothing too outrageous sex-wise here but there is a scene with Bobby Astyr (Blue Ecstacy, Corruption) that I’d like to call, “Blow-Job Interrupted”. I have to give kudos to the late-great Astyr for not shriveling up when Dillinger aims his piece at his unit. Astyr is always good for a laugh.


After Hours Cinema, thankfully, has Stevens involved in the extra features. Included here we have a commentary moderated by adult film and cult film historian, Michael Bowen, along with Stevens and After Hours Cinema producer Michael Raso. Stevens talks about how he is a science fiction buff and how that had an influence on the Rollerbabies story. He’s also very candid about some of the actors on the film - including Alan Marlo who apparently had a nervous breakdown after production. It’s an excellent commentary that’s informative and frequently funny.

Carter Stevens is also on hand for a video interview where he covers all three films on the set. Deborah Harry was originally the lead singer in the punk band "Elda and the Stillettos" who were featured in Punk Rock. She barely missed being in the film. Wade Nichols was what Carter liked to call “Straight for pay”. Nichols was openly gay but played several straight roles in porn films that include Maraschino Cherry and the Amero brother’s Blonde Ambition. Carter Stevens has some enjoyable stories here, no doubt. To round out the extra’s, Bowen contributes some detailed liner notes on Stevens and we’re also treated to some trailers.


Quality wise the materials are good all-around for 70's porn films. Their certainly not perfect as you will see some wear on each of the films. Punk Rock has some more noticeable damage to the print of the three. The color on all look just fine though. Punk Rock is also the uncut version so that's a definite plus.

If you're not already a Carter Stevens fan, this superb collection of smut is gonna do it. The extras are plentiful and all three films are entertaining enough for repeated viewings. I know I'll definitely be watching Rollerbabies again. Highly Recommended!

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