High Desert Pirates: Special Edition

VCA Pictures

Genre: Feature

Director: Jim Holliday

Cast: Katie Morgan, Jynx, Alex Sanders, Kylie Wilde, Sky Lopez, Crystal Ray, Talon, Taylor Rain, Felecia, Alexis Malone, Buck Legends, Steve Hatcher, Avy Scott, Cassie Young, Tanya James, Tanya Danielle, Mr. Pete
Non-Sex Roles: William Margold, Root Loggins, Merlin Perkins, Coyote Snakebite

Length: 117.5 minutes (full movie); 84.5 minutes (wall to wall option)

Date of Production: 10/2003

Extra's: My favorite extra was the full length audio commentary by Jim Holliday and Sky Lopez (Felecia and Alexis Malone were stuck in traffic). His first comment was a shot across the bow at Vivid, stating Sky was too much for them to handle, but the opinionated Jim carried on throughout the commentary about a lot of varied topics (including comments about critics again but this time directing them at the professional critics that work for a few magazines, the industry, and the shoot) with Sky jumping in at times too. She sounded a bit high but to be having a good time nonetheless. I also liked the 18.5 minute long Behind the Scenes feature by Al Dorado that was shot during the making of this movie, Eye Candy 3: Special Edition and She Devils In Pink. There was extra nudity and the kind of playfulness usually found on one of Jim's sets though, so it was worth checking out. The emphasis was on providing clips and short bits from each movie, with Alexis, Felix Vicious, Jynx, Kira Rossi and others getting a chance to shine. There were also some minimal Star Bios, a true double sided DVD cover, trailers for movies like Witch Coven College, Paradise Hole, and Little Town Flirts, (but not Floss, Sorority Sex Kittens 3, Eye Candy Refocused, Perfect Smiles, Brown Eyed Blonde), a photogallery, a bit on the multiple angles used, and a jump to the scene bit too.

Condoms: None

Audio/Video Quality: High Desert Pirates was presented in the originally filmed 1.33:1 ratio full frame color as shot by director Jim Holliday for VCA Pictures back in October 2003 concurrently with Eye Candy 3 and She Devils In Pink. The picture was crystal clear and had a wonderfully diverse cast as seen on the front DVD cover. The fleshtones were accurate thanks in large part to the flat and plentiful lighting, eliminating grain and other visual defects in a manner I wish contemporary companies would at least consider. The audio was presented in the usual 2.0 Dolby Digital English with the vocals very solidly captured and the music still a cut above the pack as far as I was concerned. The music was trademark Jim Holliday style with Reno & the Rumrunners, Jan, Derol, & the Steamrollers and the Ghosts of ZZYZX Road Rainwater Band with Hollis Dietz and Twilight Thunder as well (lots of musical credits!). There was the normal range of music here for those who care but the movie seemed to be more of an after thought or filler in between the other movies made at the same time.

Body of Review: Jim Holliday left this mortal coil back in 2004 as the result of health issues but even with budget cuts at VCA Pictures as a result of being purchased by Hustler the year before, he managed to make better movies as he developed some of the many ideas he had over the years. One that had been sitting in the back of his mind for years (as a result of a conversation with Jill Kelly), was High Desert Pirates; cashing in on the Johnny Depp movie long before Digital Playground came up with their massive blockbuster a few years ago. The story involved a bunch of gals hijacking trucks in the desert, using their sexual charms to persuade the drivers of said vehicles to forget the details of the robberies. The back cover said it like this: "On the high desert back roads, trucks are being hijacked by a gorgeous gang of topless pirate babes with perfect tits. For what purpose? The drivers are screwed silly and released, but say nothing. Why? Feds and locals are investigating. Every now and then Jim Holliday jerks a movie clean out of the ball park...High Desert Pirates is just such a movie, with 9 scorching sex scenes – and not a dud among them. The only rubbers are on the truck tires. Fast-forwarding pinhead critics who can't detect Holliday's plots will be flat out lost in this desert. High Desert Pirates...it's a mystery, it's an allegory, it's a hip and cryptic commentary on historical and contemporary pop culture. But more importantly, it's a sex fest extraordinaire with the female cast of the year - marking the return of Sky Lopez to adult features. In fact, it's pure, vintage classic Holliday from the opening Haiku to the end credits. You will not soon forget the ghost ship that sails the high desert sands." In all, it was a lot of fun, and while it was made concurrently with two other fluff flicks by the master, a lot of attention was directed on this one, making it a sweet little title worthy of your time and money. Here's a quick look at the scenes, noting that no condoms were used:

Scene One: Katie Morgan, the cute blonde sexpot regular in Jim's movies, newcomer brunette Jynx, and studly Alex Sanders, were up first as they had a threesome in bed. He rimmed Jynx; a vocal gal that I think used to strip in Dallas, while Katie slobbed his knob and Katie blew him actively. This led to him pounding on her asshole before the vaginal sex on her, Katie disappearing midstream before returning to the partake of the facial.

Scene Two: Kylie Wilde, one of the hottest gals Jim used in the last year of his career, was up next with cute Sky Lopez on backup. The ladies had a short lesbian scene on the open plain with plenty of oral and fingering; generating a lot of heat in the process.

Scene Three: Crystal Ray, a light haired lass with a nice body, was up next with Talon in a night scene relating to the story. At 5 foot, 8 inches, she looked taller then he did but her oral was such that even those who hate taller women for some reason won't care. She impaled herself on his cock vaginally in reverse cowgirl before moving to anal with her gonzo skills in full evidence. He was around for the ride and did a decent job, and she showed a lot of potential for a former gonzo performer trying to change her image a little bit. If she wasn't having an orgasm, she was a fine faker but the scene was a lot longer then expected compared to his previous work and as a fan, it showed me that Jim was continually improving his craft. The facial wasn't big but it went to her mouth and she gave him some post coital sucking.

Scene Four: Taylor Rain, Felecia, Alexis Malone, and Jynx, were up next in a modest (for Jim Holliday at least) lesbian orgy outside on a bed. The scene was edited into some plot points with Bongwater (Root) but it wasn't a problem as Felecia was going to town eating ass and pussy. The others participated too with the gals pairing off and switching partners a lot. There was not a lot of foot action here and Taylor's anal fisting action was edited out for the American audience but if you like women doing each other, you'll love the action here.

Scene Five: Sky Lopez, playing the spaced out pirate, convinced tattooed Buck Legends, that she was one of the good pirates as she gave up her goodies to him in exchange for his silence. He rimmed and ate her out fairly well, fingering her a bit as she got wet before she gave him a short hummer that led to an active vaginal ride. The anal was not quite as active as some of the other ladies but the way she explained it in the commentary was childishly hilarious, like most of her over the top comments. The scene ended when he gave her come on her bum, the scene cutting away to Tanya in the office.

Scene Six: Katie Morgan and Alexis Malone, both appealing blondes, were up next after hijacking Steve Hatcher to bring him back to the cabin. The "two chicks fighting for dick" was really interesting with each sitting on his face and showing superior blowjob skills before showing they knew how to ride with passion. Alexis got the nod this time as being best but only by a little thanks to the way her ass cheeks rippled during the cowgirl. He rubbed out the final load onto Katie's titty but it was one of the smallest loads I recall seeing in a very long time.

Scene Seven: Avy Scott, Cassie Young, Tanya James, Crystal Ray, Katie Morgan, Kylie Wilde, and Tanya Danielle went at one another in a night time lesbian orgy in the desert. There was some rimming but cunnilingus was the primary focus point with no foot fetish, no toys, and a distinctive change in terms of not using floodlighting and a faster pace for the editing. I counted seven while Jim's commentary mentioned six but math was never his strong suit and the chemistry between the ladies was palpable.

Scene Eight: Taylor Rain, in a black fishnet top and blue bandana, went to work on the cock of Mr. Pete, in the sheriff's office, slobbing his knob like crazy to celebrate his reported first feature flick role. The demented look in Taylor's eyes showed that she was going to town on his rod while he held on like a champion during the sloppy hummer. He reciprocated with some good oral as he set her on the desk, moving to a powerful ride by her as he spread her ass cheeks far apart. The anal wasn't bad either, even if it wasn't as active as his trip through her cookie, resulting in a large pop to her face.

Scene Nine: Sky Lopez, Alexis Malone, and Felecia, were up last in a concluding lesbian scene that truly showed some passion and energy setting it apart from the pack. The shade of the tree helped keep the light from being too harsh on the ladies, with lots of rimming for fans. Alexis was sent packing part way through but the other two really showed how they were into one another with tremendous chemistry. There was some toy use this time but only enough to stretch Sky's perfect pucker.

Summary: High Desert Pirates by director Jim Holliday for VCA Pictures had bareback anal sex, lots of lesbian licking, and plenty of entertaining fuck for the buck to augment the strokability and replay factors. The editing wasn't always the best and some of the lighting choices were not as solid as always but the casting once again proved that Jim could roll with the punches better than anyone, serving him well as the only contract director at VCA to stay with the company once it was bought out. In short, High Desert Pirates: Special Edition was well worth at least a Recommended or better, even if long time fans might be put off by the lack of foot fetish material, some of the minor changes in casting and crew, or the way certain aspects of the limited plot were handled.