Elegant Angel

Elegant Angel Productions
Private
Industry Pornography
Founded 1990
Founder Patrick Collins
John Stagliano
Headquarters Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California, U.S
Area served
 United States, Europe
Key people
 Patrick Collins, (Co-founder, owner, President)
Graham Travis, (General Manager)
Products Pornographic films
Owner Patrick Collins
Divisions Elegant Angel Europe[1]
Website www.elegantangel.com
Footnotes / references
[2][3]

Elegant Angel Productions is a pornographic film studio located in Canoga Park, California and owned by Patrick Collins.[3] The company is considered one of the early pioneers of gonzo pornography, and its films have won numerous awards.

History

Elegant Angel (EA) was founded in 1990 by Collins in partnership with pornographic film maker John Stagliano as a subsidiary of Stagliano's Evil Angel Video.[2][3]

The two labels soon became a pioneer of Gonzo pornography, along with other producers such as Rodney Moore and Ed Powers. Stagliano had pioneered the Gonzo genre in the late 1980s.[2][4]

In 1996, Collins established Elegant Angel as a separate company, and in 1998 it ended all cooperation with Evil Angel.[2][5] His departure from Evil Angel has been called "less than amicable", and he and Stagliano are apparently "ex-friend[s]".[5] At the time Collins said that Stagliano "couldn't run a business, and would fail without him".[5] According to Stagliano, "Patrick's a bully", "and he wasn't doing his job properly". "I should have fired him years ago".[5]

On 27 May 1997 Elegant Angel employee Israel Chapa Gonzalez shot dead Glendale police officer Charles A. Lazzaretto and wounded two others at the company's warehouse in Chatsworth.[6][7]

Operations and management

In 2003 the company attempted to switch from Gonzo to producing "Feature" films. However, by early 2004 it was clear the change had proved "unsuccessful and costly", according to General Manager Graham Travis.[2] At the same time the company experienced technical problems with its DVD authoring, and lacked a common brand identity on its DVD covers.[2] During this period the studio did not have a website, or any full-time Public relations liaison.[2] With difficulties mounting in 2004, rumors began to circulate that the company was up for sale.[2]

In order to resolve its problems the studio stopped production for two months.[2] Collins then refocused the company on producing niche-themed pornography, and discontinued some series that had more ambiguous themes and were not selling well.[2] The firms logo and box-cover art was also redesigned and simplified.[2] It hired a new DVD authoring contractor, and launched a new PR campaign.[2] The company then went back to producing as many as eight new titles a month.[8] Production was also halted for a month in early 2004 when the studio joined the moratorium on filming caused by Darren James's HIV infection.[3]

In August 2004 the company opposed calls from Democratic California Assembly member Paul Koretz for the adult industry to use condoms.[9] In response to the HIV outbreak in the industry in March the same year, Koretz had threatened to instigate legislation requiring mandatory condom use.[9] EA head of production Graham Travis responded that there was consumer demand for scenes without condoms, and that forcing condom-use would force some studios out of business.[9]

From June 2006 onwards Elegant started to see a sustained increase in DVD sales, however Travis thought that in the near future sales would take place almost exclusively online.[2]

In 2007 the company started launching a number of paysites. SwallowSquirt.com was launched in April, followed by BigWetAsses.com in June, and PornStarSquirt.com in September.[2][10]

In June 2014, Collins announced the installation of a new management team at EA. Premiere Sales Group president and proprietor Drew Kennedy was selected as the new president and So-Cal Wholesale Distribution owner Gabriel Guzman will serve as COO.[11] Collins changed his mind after a week due to complications from his pending divorce.[12] Guzman instead started ArchAngel Productions in October 2014.[13]

Films

Elegant Angel has produced several multi-award winning film series including Buttwoman, Big Wet Asses,[14] Cumback Pussy, and the Sodomania series.[4][15] Several EA films were included in AVN's book on the Top 500 Greatest Films.[4]

In 1993 Collins bribed a Hungarian transport official to allow him to film Buttwoman Does Budapest on the city's busiest Number 18 tram, as it travelled through the Taban Park neighborhood.[16][17] The bribe was US$100 and a box of chocolates, and Collins became the first American pornography director to film in Budapest.[17] The film starred Collins' wife Tianna, and features public sex scenes in front of the city's main tourist attractions.[16]

Niche-themed series that followed the 2004 hiatus included Cum Drenched Tits, teen-themed films like It's a Daddy Thing, and ethnic-themed releases like Up That Black Ass, Big Black Wet Asses and Latin Booty Worship.[2]

Some of Elegant Angels' most successful series have focussed on the niche of female ejaculation. Squirtwoman was the first, followed by Swallow My Squirt, Flower's Squirt Shower starring Flower Tucci, Cum Rain Cum Shine and Squirt in My Gape.[2]

More recent series include Blow it Out Your Ass, which focusses on milk enemas and anal creampies, and the snowballing line, Sperm Swappers.[2]

Actresses

Actresses who have starred in EA films include; Cytherea, Flower Tucci, Brianna Love, Jada Fire and Alexis Texas.[18] English star Nici Sterling appeared in many of the company's earlier films.[19]

Tiana Lynn starred in Cum Rain Cum Shine in 2004. She then started working for the company behind the scenes, as a receptionist and in public relations. Lynn quit performing in February 2006 to work in Elegant Angels' sales department full-time.

Directors

Patrick Collins originally directed several of the companies films himself. He had previously directed the Sodomania series whilst working with Stagliano. Collins would go on to direct Squirtwoman starring Cytherea, Cum Rain Cum Shine in 2004, and the solo masturbation line All By Myself.[2]

Collins praises the contribution of cameraman Michael Cates to the studios early success.[20] Cates later directed films including Sodomania 7 and Sleeping Booty.[21]

The studios original directors were Collins, and the young team of Rob Black, Tom Byron and Van Damage.[2] These three had previously worked for Collins creating films under the Extreme Associates label, when Extreme was a partner of Evil/Elegant Angel.[2] During this period they directed series like The Blowjob Adventures of Dr. Fellatio, Cumback Pussy, Miscreants, and Filthy First Timers.[2] In 1997, Black, Byron, and Damage left Elegant Angel to establish Extreme Associates as a separate company.[2]

Mason and Jake Malone directed for EA at the start of their careers, however both left in early 2004.[2]

Thomas Zupko directed three films in the Big Wet Asses series.[2]

William H was responsible for Tails of Perversity 2, and the Flower's Squirt Shower and Big Wet Asses series.[2]

Marc Wallice directed the series, Marc Wallice's Tales of Perversity.[22] Wallice had previously acted, however turned to directing when, after a false HIV test scandal, he was revealed to be HIV-positive.[22]

Performer and director L.T. joined Elegant in early 2006, and worked on lines including Big Black Wet Asses and Up That Black Ass.[2]

Writer and director David Stanley also worked for Elegant Angel before moving to Wicked Pictures.[23]

Distribution deals

In late 2003, Elegant Angel arranged for Devil's Film to take over the exclusive distribution of Elegant Angel titles in the U.S.[24] The deal was dissolved in early 2004, in a mutual agreement by both companies.[2]

In October 2006, Elegant Angel entered a deal with LFP Broadcasting, owner of Hustler TV, for Hustler TV to distribute Elegant Angel content over cable and satellite pay-per-view and video on demand television.[25]

In November 2006, Elegant Angel announced that it would distribute its videos in Europe exclusively through Red Light District Video,[26] but in April 2007, Elegant Angel launched its own European division, Elegant Angel Europe.[1]

Awards

The following is a selection of some of the major awards EA films have won.

References

  1. 1 2 David Sullivan (2007-04-26). "Elegant Angel Launches European Distribution". Adult Video News. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Hunter, Tod (2007-08-10). "Elegant Angel". XBIZ. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kandyba, Slav (2004-04-26). "Product backlog to see porn firms through hiatus.". San Fernando Valley Business Journal. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  4. 1 2 3 "ELEGANT ANGEL". AVN. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  5. 1 2 3 4 O'Toole, Laurence; Kerekes, David (2003). Headpress: Powered by Love. Headpress. p. 30. ISBN 1-900486-22-9.
  6. ↑ "SHOOTOUT LEAVES 2 DEAD". Long Beach Press-Telegram. 1997-05-29. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  7. ↑ Lee Condon (1999-06-11). "PLAN WOULD NAME PORTION OF 134 FOR SLAIN POLICE OFFICER.". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  8. ↑ Madigan, Nick (24 August 2004). "Sex-Film Industry Threatened With Condom Requirement" – via NYTimes.com.
  9. 1 2 3 Nick Madigan (2004-08-24). "Sex-Film Industry Threatened With Condom Requirement". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  10. ↑ "XBIZ Premiere's Top 50 Newsmakers of 2007". XBIZ. 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  11. ↑ Staff. "Elegant Angel Names New President, COO". AVN.com. Adult Video News. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  12. ↑ XBIZ. "Elegant Angel Parts Ways With Drew Kennedy, Gabriel Guzman".
  13. ↑ XBIZ. "New Studio ArchAngel Productions Debuts".
  14. 1 2 3 4 "AVN Award Winners Announced". Adult Video News. 2006-01-09. Archived from the original on February 23, 2008. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "2005 AVN Awards Show Winners Announced". Adult Video News. 2005-01-08. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  16. 1 2 Sigel, Lisa Z. (2005). International Exposure: Perspectives on Modern European Pornography, 1800-2000. Rutgers University Press. p. 182. ISBN 0-8135-3519-0.
  17. 1 2 Hughes, Donna M. (2001). The Impact of the Use of New Communications and Information Technologies on Trafficking in Human Beings for Sexual Exploitation: A Study of the Users (PDF). Committee for Equality between Women and Men. p. 34.
  18. ↑ See "Awards" section.
  19. ↑ Petkovich, Anthony (2002). The X Factory: Inside the American Hardcore Film Industry. Critical Vision. p. 34. ISBN 1-900486-24-5.
  20. ↑ Petkovich, p.93
  21. ↑ Petkovich, p.95
  22. 1 2 Ford, Luke (2004). XXX-Communicated: A Rebel Without A Shul. iUniverse. p. 48. ISBN 0-595-31894-0.
  23. ↑ Hunter, Tod (2008-02-28). "Adult Thespians". XBIZ. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  24. ↑ "Devil's Distribution Takes Over Distribution for Elegant Angel". Adult Video News. 2003-09-03. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  25. ↑ Anne Riley-Katz (2006-10-23). "Angel deal". Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  26. ↑ Larissa Gates (2006-11-01). "Red Light to Distribute Elegant Angel in Europe". Adult Video News. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "AVN AWARDS PAST WINNERS". AVN. Archived from the original on January 18, 2014. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  28. 1 2 Heidi Pike-Johnson (2004-01-12). "Evil Angel, Wicked Pictures Big Winners at 2004 AVN Awards". Adult Video News. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 "2008 AVN AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED". AVN. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
  30. 1 2 Hunter, Tod (2009-02-20). "'Pirates II' Dominates 2008 Empire Awards". XBIZ. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "THE 2009 AVN AWARDS WINNERS". AVN. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  32. 1 2 Hunter, Tod (2009-04-17). "XRCO Winners Announced". XBIZ. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  33. ↑ Hunter, Tod (2009-02-13). "XBIZ Awards Winners Announced". XBIZ. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 XBIZ Award Winners, XBIZ, February 2011
  35. 1 2 3 4 XBIZ Award Winners, XBIZ, January 2012
  36. ↑ XBIZ Nominees 2013, XBIZ, January, 2013
  37. 1 2 3 "2013 XBIZ Award Winners Announced". XBIZ. 11 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  38. ↑ XBIZ Award Winners 2014, XBIZ, January, 2014

External links

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