SEX: THE ANNABEL CHONG STORY A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2000 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): * 1/2
"I believe that sex is good enough to die for," Annabel Chong says, talking about why she was willing to set the (short-lived) world record for a gang-bang by having sex with 251 men in 10 hours. Like the rest of Gough Lewis's sensationalized but shallow documentary, SEX: THE ANNABEL CHONG STORY, her brave boast doesn't hold up under examination. The men either wore condoms or were HIV-tested porn stars, and Annabel is just an exhibitionist who doesn't care much about anything other that getting attention.
The documentary, however, tries with little success to paint a completely different portrait of Annabel -- that of a modern-day feminist. Annabel, the film suggests, is in the porn industry for a variety of reasons from the oppression of having to grow up in strict, Christian Singapore to her rape in London. Like much of the story, the devil is in the details. Her rape in London, for example, starts, she tells us, with her enjoying consensual sex with a stranger in a filthy, trash disposal area. She says how excited she was when he brought in his friend. After others came along, it got out of hand and was frightening for her, so she paints herself as a victim. She doesn't own up to causing some of her own difficulties.
Unlike the thoughtful and insightful THE GIRL NEXT DOOR about porn star Stacy Valentine, this documentary is built with one cheap shot after another. It even opens with the king of schlock, Jerry Springer. He asks Annabel why she did her famous sex extravaganza, and she gives that classic non-answer of "well, why not?" The movie is filled with such bad questions followed by even worse non-responses. "What sort of artistic statement were you making?" one fawning TV talk show host asks Annabel.
Perhaps my least favorite throw-away question is the one that the director asks Grace's mother. (Grace is Annabel's real name.) He wants to know if Grace has always been an overachiever. Guess, what? The mother says, "yes."
There are many good questions that could have been asked. One was how Grace, a woman with a horrible set of teeth, a modest body, no acting acumen and little to recommend her, ever made it in the porn business in the first place. Another might be, what was it that attracted men enough to have them rent her tapes before the marathon sex session which brought her notoriety. This crude movie is more concerned with a quick buck, so such informative questions are avoided.
The movie, which drones on and on, with one talking head after another, feels like it will never end. The movie concludes in a long and boring segment set mainly at Grace's home in Hong Kong, where she cries as she tells her mother that she'll make her proud again. (Annabel's lack of credible acting ability really shows through in these scenes.) One wonders if the director is trying to make the audience feel Annabel's exhaustion during her sexual Olympics, as he drags out his movie way past it's natural ending point.
A little mirth in such a dull movie would have helped. It does, however, contain one extremely funny bit of self-deprecating humor. The male porn star of a movie called "The Oral Majority," talks about Annabel's sexual stunt. "It's just giving porn a bad name," he complains.
SEX: THE ANNABEL CHONG STORY runs a very long 1:26. It is not rated but would be NC-17 for strong sex scenes and language. The film would not be acceptable for those under 19.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
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