Pornography is the ablest example of decadence in modern society. It is consumed in droves, yet does not allow the purveyors of its work to be accepted after the lights turn off.

This documentary checks in on over half a dozen pornography stars in retirement. Fortunately, we have a diverse sample of their attitudes to pornography toward the propulsion of their lives. These range from celebration of their work – seen mostly with the men – to the recounting of one former starlet of her desperation to escape it through suicide.

The objectification of the body would predictably be more difficult to grasp for the fairer sex. And it is with the women stars whereby most have had the greatest difficulty in assimilation in “normal” society. For instance, Asia Carrera vacated to Utah with the specific intention of not being recognized, only to be discovered by her daughter’s daycare supervisor. Not that this is exclusively an issue with the women – even one male performer had an instance at his son’s baseball game. What was portrayed as a female problem was with the finances.

It was routine for the women at the height of their game to be earning $15,000 per month. Yet it was also routine for the money to be drained by the time their careers ended, leaving them having to find another profession. One such lady pursued real estate, only to be fired after the firm discovered her background.

“X is forever” notes a pornographer and now historian of the industry. That seems to be the most vexing issue of the performers. Drugs and alcohol are argued to be an individual’s lifestyle preference. But being documented sexually hangs over the head of all the performers who seek to live out life in other ways.

As noted initially, it is a strange schizophrenia in society’s puritanical treatment of sex. The sole critic interviewed condemned the performers repeatedly as “hookers”, and the consternation they face after-the-fact borders on a more juvenile plane of fear. Self-expression in society is condemnatory, for the reason it evades the mainstream consciousness. To be self-expressive in a taboo manner indeed acts as a permanent scar on the lives of the individuals. It is inescapable, which is why while this is only a small portion of their life, many of the retired stars interviewed are involved in some aspect of pornography, either as critics or as supporters of the transition of the stars.

Grade: B+