As we reported last summer when Tiger Orange world premiered at Outfest, Frankie Valenti (aka Johnny Hazzard) is not the first gay adult star to transition into the gay indie film world (most recently Sean Paul Lockhart/Brent Corrigan comes to mind). Valenti does have the distinction, though, of receiving nearly 100 percent rave reviews for his acting chops (as does his Tiger Orange co-star Mark Strano). The duo have each nabbed Best Actor honors on the gay film fest circuit for their portrayals of Chet and Todd, a pair of small-town brothers who each grapple in different ways with their gay identities in the aftermath of their father’s death. With Valenti playing the out and proud bad-boy to Strano’s uptight closet-case, the tension between them (no, not that kind of tension) builds steadily over the course of the film.
A characteristic dialogue exchange sums up their polar-opposite personalities:
Chet/Strano: “Everything is sex with you, isn’t it?”
Todd/Valenti: “Everything is sex, period, with everybody.”
Co-written by Strano and the film’s director Wade Gasque, Tiger Orange debuts today on VOD across most digital platforms including iTunes and WolfeOnDemand.com.
About WolfeOnDemand.com
WolfeOnDemand.com is the global LGBT digital movie platform from LGBT specialty distributor Wolfe Video. The service showcases more than one hundred titles — features and documentaries — including popular favorites and hits like I Am Divine, The Circle, Getting Go, Undertow and many more. Most titles are available in HD and are priced at US $3.99 for streaming rentals and US $14.99 for digital download to own. Most of the films are available worldwide and are all also available on DVD directly from WolfeVideo.com for viewers in the US and Canada.
dazzer
I saw this film ages ago on the indie circuit.
It’s a good film. Bits of it are excellent. You don’t expect much from a film that’s so low budget, but scenes from the film will punch you in the gut because it’s so unexpected. It’s a good film. It’s indie and it’s not easy but it’s good. Very good. But not easy.
Valenti/Hazard is a complete and utter revelation as a talented actor.
I went into the movie thinking: “Hazard, I’ve seen you naked and being fucked rigid by strangers – impress me with your physicality, porn boy”.
I left the film thinking: ‘That Valenti boy, i’d love to see him naked’.
As an actor he makes a complete disconnect between his porn persona and his acting character.
Once you step beyond the Hazard porn persona, Valenti is an exceptionally good actor. He doesn’t project an emotion to the audience, he keeps it quiet and lets the viewers create their own emotions and project them on him.
The film is good and Valenti is a complete and utter revelation as an actor. He’s really good. I saw the film the first time with a couple of straight film critics and they were all commenting about how good he was.
It’s a good film with excellent acting.
I was always a supporter of Johnny Hazard doing porn. But I’m a complete and utter fan boi when it comes to Frankie Valenti. He’s completely excellent.
EdWoody
I agree completely, dazzer.
Frankie was always one of the better actors when he was doing porn. I remember the two-part porn film Wrong Side of the Tracks (from back when porn actually did films instead of just scenes) – Frankie/Johnny was the lead in that, and he was simply brilliant. He also released a single at one point which got reviews along the lines of “Yes, we all roll our eyes when porn stars try to sing, but this is actually genuinely good.” He is obviously a very talented performer no matter what the art.
And yes, he is ridiculously sexy as well. He’s not my usual type – I don’t really go for tattooed bad boys – but there’s something about him that’s mesmerising and draws you in regardless.
Kangol
Good for him. He’s a sexy little thing, and it’s good to hear he’s finding a new career after porn. Wishing him all success.