GayVNs: Gay Porn’s Superlative Lovefest

Outside observers assume that the porn industry is only after one thing — your money. But the rise in popularity — with both porn consumers and producers — is a testament to industry’s maturation. The release of the GayVN Award noms earlier this week — and the cock comparisons that soon followed — show an increasing number of studios are as interested in popular and critical acclaim as they are cash.

(I’ll temper any brag at our being nominated again for Best Screenplay for Wet Palms by putting parentheses around it, like it ain’t no thing.)

Of course, with award season comes boasting. Press releases for new films frequently tout their film as the director’s “best ever,” or the studio’s “biggest release yet,” to a degree that borders on comic. In the past year I’ve heard about ‘the most expensive porn ever made,’ or ‘the largest production ever staged’ or, merely, the most successful porn film ever. Films are routinely “historic,” productions “Hollywood quality.” Now, there have been some amazing productions this year, but the endless hype can devalue the linguistic currency.

The average week brings ten new movies — it’s a lot of porn to watch, so you can’t really blame producers are marshalling all their superlatives. But it doesn’t mean all films are equal (we do, after all fully deserve to win Best Screenplay), we just need to start articulating better what makes them so good. As we approach the GayVN Awards (March 9, West Hollywood), we’ll review some of our favorite moments from the 2005 year in porn. Here are the nominees:Best Actor
Rod Barry — Thirst (Adonis Pictures)
Brad Benton — Dirty Little Sins (Red Devil Entertainment)
Pierre Fitch — Through the Woods (Falcon Studios)
Johnny Hazzard — Wrong Side of the Tracks 1-2 (Rascal Video)
Junito — Wet Dreamz of Genie (Liquid Dreamz)
Michael Lucas — Dangerous Liaisons (Lucas Entertainment)
Gus Mattox — Dangerous Liaisons (Lucas Entertainment)
Brad Patton — Beyond Perfect (Buckshot Productions)
Bryce Pierce — 110° in Tucson (Titan Media)
Colby Taylor — Getting It in the End (Jocks Studios)

Best Actor — Foreign Release
Claudio Antonelli — Empire of Caesar (All Worlds Video)
Robin Hyde — RentBoy (Eurocreme)
Johnny Huzosh — Firestarter (Studio 2000 International)
Ricky Martinez — Decameron (Lucas Kazan Productions)
Lukas Ridgeston — Lukas in Love (Bel Ami)

Best All-Sex Video
Arabesque (Raging Stallion Studios)
Cirque Noir (Titan Media)
Gale Force: Mens Room 2 (Titan Media)
Heaven to Hell (Falcon Studios)
Hell Room (MSR Videos)
Manville (Kristen Bjorn/Sarava Productions)
Owen Hawk: Unleashed (Dark Alley Media)
The Red and the Black (Raging Stallion Studios)
Skuff 3 (Hot House Entertainment)
Wide Strokes (COLT Studio)

Best Amateur Video
The Bait Bus (Bang Brothers)
Dorm Life 7 (FlavaMen)
Hard Corps 2 (Active Duty)
School’s Out 2 (CuteBoy Videos)
Straight College Men 23 (StraightCollegeMen.com)
Wankers (AmateurStraightGuys.com)

Best Bisexual Video
Bi Bi American Pie 4 (Macho Man)
Bi Scream (Heatwave)
Bisexual Baptism (Spanky’s Boys)
Bisexual Healing (Evolution Erotica)
Lost Bi Way (Macho Man)

Best Director
Jett Blakk — Dirty Little Sins (Red Devil Entertainment)
Jerry Douglas — Beyond Perfect (Buckshot Productions)
Joe Gage — 110° in Tucson (Titan Media)
Lucas Kazan — Decameron (Lucas Kazan Productions)
Chi Chi LaRue — Wrong Side of the Tracks 1-2 (Rascal Video)
Michael Lucas — Dangerous Liaisons (Lucas Entertainment)
Brian Mills — Cirque Noir (Titan Media)
Steven Scarborough — The Missing (Hot House Entertainment)
Thor Stephans — The Paramedics (All Worlds)
Chris Ward — Arabesque (Raging Stallion Studios)
Kristofer Weston — LeatherBound (Buckshot Productions)
Michael Zen — Thirst (Adonis Pictures)

Best Ethnic-Themed Video
Black Manhole (All Worlds)
Bustin’ Out (Jackrabbit Releasing)
Dorm Life 7 (FlavaMen)
Hush (Thai Twink Productions)
Lights & Darks (Electro Video)

Best Foreign Release
Empire of Caesar (All Worlds)
Firestarter (Studio 2000 International)
Hangar (Sarava)
Love & Lust (LKP/Sarava)
Lukas in Love (Bel Ami)
Manville (Kristen Bjorn/Sarava)
RentBoy (Eurocreme)
Score! (High Octane)
Sex Lair (Mercury)
Surf Shack (Pistol Media)

Best Group Scene
Arabesque — Marketplace orgy (Raging Stallion Studios)
Beyond Perfect — Sex club (Buckshot Productions)
Manhattan Heat — Wilfried Knight, Erik Grant, Michael Lucas, J. (Lucas Entertainment)
Heaven to Hell — Full-cast final orgy (Falcon Studios)
Gale Force: Mens Room 2 — Gus Mattox, Blu Kennedy, Jacob Slader, Nick Parker, Justin Gemini (Titan Media)
Manville — Max Veneziano, Jason Kingsley, Matthieu Costa, Marcello Lars (Kristen Bjorn/Sarava)
Owen Hawk: Unleashed — Owen Hawk, Asoka, Felipe Carson, Brock Webster, Jason Tiya (Dark Alley Media)

Best Leather Video
LeatherBound (Buckshot Productions)
The Missing (Hot House Entertainment)
Prowl 4 (MSR Videos)
The Red and the Black (Raging Stallion Studios)
Owen Hawk: Unleashed (Dark Alley Media)

Best Newcomer
Benjamin Bradley
Tober Brandt
Jake Deckard
Alex Fuerte
Derrick Hanson
Roman Heart
Huessein
Andy Kirra
Pete Ross
François Sagat
Jason Tiya
Chris Wide

Best Non-Sex Performance
Andrew Addams — Dirty Little Sins (Red Devil Entertainment)
Fay Dubois — Raw 2 (All Worlds Video)
Joe Gage — Beyond Perfect (Buckshot Productions)
Chi Chi LaRue — Wicked (Rascal Video)
Lana Luster — Paramedics (All Worlds)
Christina Monet — Desperate Husbands (All Worlds Video)
Sister Roma — Wet Palms 7-9 (Jet Set Productions)

Best Oral Scene
Enrico Vega, Ray Grande — The Adventures of Enrico Vega (Enrico Vega Productions)
Ken Mack, Damon DeMarco — Alabama Takedown (Titan Media)
Tag Adams, Jacob Slader, Jason Crew, Jagger — Bang Bang (Mustang Studios)
Janeiro, Scarface — Cuckoo for Cocoa Cocks 2 (Latino Fan Club)
Kyle Lewis, Stetson Gable, Jonathan West — The Paramedics (All Worlds)
Nino Bacci, Andy Kirra — Thirst (Adonis Pictures)
Jacob Slader, Joey Jay — Wrong Side of the Tracks 1 (Rascal Video)

Best Pro/Am Release
A+ (Bel Ami)
ManPlay 21 (Titan Media)
Michael Lucas’ Auditions 4 (Lucas Entertainment)
Str8 Off the Base (All Worlds Video)
Stud Wood 3 (Pat & Sam)

Best Screenplay
Jett Blakk — Dirty Little Sins (Red Devil Entertainment)
John Bruno — CSI: Cock Scene Investigators (Massive Studio)
Jerry Douglas — Beyond Perfect (Buckshot Productions)
Joe Gage — Alabama Takedown (Titan Media)
Doug Jeffries — Wicked (Rascal Video)
Doug Jeffries, Chi Chi LaRue — Wrong Side of the Tracks 1-2 (Rascal Video)
Junito — Wet Dreamz of Genie (Liquid Dreamz)
Coco LaChine — Desperate Husbands (All Worlds Video)
Michael Lucas, Tony DiMarco — Dangerous Liaisons (Lucas Entertainment)
Jack Shamama, Michael Stabile — Wet Palms 7-9 (Jet Set Productions)
Chris Steele — Through the Woods (Falcon Studios)
Thor Stephans — The Paramedics (All Worlds Video)

Best Sex Comedy
Desperate Husbands (All Worlds Video)
The Paramedics (All Worlds Video)
Through the Woods (Falcon Studios)
Wet Dreamz of Genie (Liquid Dreamz)
Wet Palms 7-9 (Jet Set Productions)
Wicked (Rascal Video)

Best Sex Scene (Duo)
Spencer Quest, Luke Pearson — 110° in Tucson (Titan Media)
Huessein, François Sagat — Arabesque (Raging Stallion Studios)
Jason Kingsley, Brad Patton — Beyond Perfect (Buckshot Productions)
Troy Punk, Ty Hudson — Dirty Little Sins (Red Devil Entertainment)
Matthew Rush, Erik Rhodes — Heaven to Hell (Falcon Studios)
Tommy Ritter, Jake Samms — Lights & Darks (Electro Video)
Mario Cruz, Leon — Los Baños Latinos (All Worlds Video)
Wilfried Knight, Arpad Miklos — Manhattan Heat (Lucas Entertainment)
Edu Boxer, Manu Maltes — Michael Lucas’ Auditions 4 (Lucas Entertainment)
Shane Rollins, Alex Collack — Ram Tough (Hot House Entertainment)
Brad Benton, Bobby Williams — Running Wild (Adonis Pictures)
Brent Everett, Roman Heart — Super Soaked (Jocks Studios)
Pierre Fitch, Gus Mattox — Through the Woods (Falcon Studios)
Rod Barry, Jason Adonis — Wet Palms 6 (Jet Set Productions)
Johnny Hazzard, Tyler Riggz — Wrong Side of the Tracks 1 (Rascal Video)

Best Solo Performance
Johnny Hazzard — Wrong Side of the Tracks 1 (Rascal Video)
Leon — Decameron (Lucas Kazan Productions)
Miguel Leonn — Passport to Paradise (Raging Stallion Studios)
Niko — In the Jeans (Studio 2000)
Mike Roberts — A Matter of Size 2 (Matt Sterling)
Sean Wade — Twink Juice (Helix Studios)

Best Solo Video
Fratboy Sam (Fratmen.com)
Hot Bods Hard Rods (Citiboyz Video)
Minuteman 23 (COLT Studio)
Neighborhood Six-Pack 5 (NextDoorMale)
Str8 Shots 2 (Rascal Video)

Best Specialty Release
Bugs & Drugs (Tropixxx)
Buster’s Rubber Romp (Grey Rose Productions)
Daddy Hunt (Pantheon)
Extreme Boys 4 (Torsion Video)
Face Fuckers (Evil Angel)
Smoked Chicken (Bonerama)
Ticklicious Twinks (CuteBoy Video)
Way Below the Belt (Pacific Sun Entertainment)

Best Supporting Actor
Brad Benton — Desperate Husbands (All Worlds Video)
Blu Kennedy — Alabama Takedown (Titan Media)
Kent Larson — Dangerous Liaisons (Lucas Entertainment)
Kyle Lewis — Little Brother’s Big Secret (All Worlds Video)
Spencer Quest — 110° in Tucson (Titan Media)
Jason Ridge — Wet Palms 7-9 (Jet Set Productions)
Chad Savage — Wrong Side of the Tracks 2 (Rascal Video)
Jacob Slader — Dirty Little Sins (Red Devil Entertainment)
Enrico Vega — Wet Dreamz of Genie (Liquid Dreamz)
Justin Wells —Getting It in the End (Jocks Studios)

Best Threesome
Colby Keller, Zack Evans, Luke Montana — Alabama Takedown (Titan Media)
Pete Ross, Justin Gemini, Timmy Thomas — Beyond Perfect (Buckshot Productions
Cobalt, Stretch, Logan Steele — Cirque Noir (Titan Media)
Gus Mattox, Wilfried Knight, J. — Dangerous Liaisons (Lucas Entertainment)
Granger, Cole, C.J. — Hard Corps 2 (Active Duty)
Brad Patton, Josh Weston, Joe Sport — Heaven to Hell (Falcon Studios)
Jed Willcox, Rocky Oliveira, Jean Franko — Manville (Kristen Bjorn/Sarava)
Jan Fischer, Rafael Carreras, Simon Angel — Master of the House (Rascal Video)
Enzo Grimaldi, Nick Piston, Trevor Knight — The Missing (Hot House Entertainment)
Owen Hawk, Jake Corwin, Rick Gonzales — Mutiny (Dark Alley Media)
Ivan Andros, Carlos Morales, Miguel Leonn — Passport to Paradise (Raging Stallion Studios)
Jason Ridge, Collin O’Neal, Christoph Scharff — Skuff 3 (Hot House)

Best Videography
Richard Board — Mischief (Hot House Entertainment)
Kristen Bjorn — Manville (Kristen Bjorn/Sarava)
Ross Cannon — Thirst (Adonis Pictures)
Tony DiMarco — Dangerous Liaisons (Lucas Entertainment)
Brian Mills — Cirque Noir (Titan Media)
Max Phillips — Cross Country 1-2 (Falcon Studios)
Max Phillips — Beyond Perfect (Buckshot Productions)
Leonardo Rossi — Love & Lust (LKP/Sarava)
Ben Leon — Arabesque (Raging Stallion Studios)
Hue Wilde — Wrong Side of the Tracks 1-2 (Rascal Video)

Performer of the Year
Brad Benton
Jason Crew
Owen Hawk
Johnny Hazzard
Blu Kennedy
Gus Mattox
Nick Piston
Spencer Quest
Jason Ridge
Pete Ross
Jacob Slader
Bobby Williams

Best Picture
110° in Tucson (Titan Media)
Arabesque (Raging Stallion Studios)
Beyond Perfect (Buckshot Productions)
Cirque Noir (Titan Media)
Cross Country 1-2 (Falcon Studios)
Dangerous Liaisons (Lucas Entertainment)
Decameron (Lucas Kazan Productions)
Dirty Little Sins (Red Devil Entertainment)
Thirst (Adonis Pictures)
Wrong Side of the Tracks 1-2 (Rascal Video)

Best Editing
CH — Wrong Side of the Tracks 1-2 (Rascal Video)
Tony DiMarco — Dangerous Liaisons (Lucas Entertainment)
Junito — Wet Dreamz of Genie (Liquid Dreamz)
Egisto Mastroianni — Decameron (Lucas Kazan Productions)
mr Pam — LeatherBound (Buckshot Productions)
James Sheridan and Kawai — Cirque Noir (Titan Media)
Phil St. John — Czeski Friends (Euros Films)
Garcia Stevenson — Heaven to Hell (Falcon Studios)
Hank Toet — AMG: Resurrection (Athletic Model Guild)
Chris Ward — Arabesque (Raging Stallion Studios)

— Mike