I saw "Sister Dearest" on video back in 1984 and it was among my favorite X- rated movies, especially in its treatment of the topic of incest. That film is gone thanks to censorship (I did a phone interview with Traci Lords a decade later on the topic), so here's an assessment of the revamped no-Traci version "Back to Class" that replaced it.
Structurally the new edition reeks of paste-up-job elements, sometimes making no sense and relying heavily on insipid narration to tie scenes together. The new story of lead Tom Byron's nostalgia about his college hijinks and life at a fraternity house does not jibe with many scenes that seem irrelevant, notably those of Ginger Lynn who is elevated to female lead in the rearranged edition.
True female lead is attractive Susan Hart, but the re-editing and re-jiggering confusingly have Tom alternating between her and Lynn as his dream girl, with zero consistency. Other gaffes include Marc Wallice having a mustache during his brief ensemble footage at a fraternity party introducing the film's heavy flashbacks, but appearing cleanshaven in his sex scene that appears to be taking place in the same remembered time frame.
Censors and bluenoses evidently only care about the letter of the law and not the spirit of the law, since Traci's footage is excised but typical cradle-robbing porn of artist Harry Reems humping his model/student Hart is retained, merely because Hart was not found to be underage. Even today when "characters depicted are all over 18 years old" is an added restriction, the trend toward jail- bait porn has accelerated rather than diminished in a creepy "barely legal" fashion.
In the new version much of the name talent is wasted, with Christy Canyon appearing only briefly and the team of Crystal Breeze and Lois Ayres mere eye candy with no roles to speak of. The proverbial all-star cast doesn't give Sahara much of an opportunity, other than checking off the mixed-combo department. Subplot of Peter North as the old hand showing frat pledge Byron the ropes is not developed well.
Other than earning Tom Byron two paychecks for making a single film, the new edition is a total loss.
Structurally the new edition reeks of paste-up-job elements, sometimes making no sense and relying heavily on insipid narration to tie scenes together. The new story of lead Tom Byron's nostalgia about his college hijinks and life at a fraternity house does not jibe with many scenes that seem irrelevant, notably those of Ginger Lynn who is elevated to female lead in the rearranged edition.
True female lead is attractive Susan Hart, but the re-editing and re-jiggering confusingly have Tom alternating between her and Lynn as his dream girl, with zero consistency. Other gaffes include Marc Wallice having a mustache during his brief ensemble footage at a fraternity party introducing the film's heavy flashbacks, but appearing cleanshaven in his sex scene that appears to be taking place in the same remembered time frame.
Censors and bluenoses evidently only care about the letter of the law and not the spirit of the law, since Traci's footage is excised but typical cradle-robbing porn of artist Harry Reems humping his model/student Hart is retained, merely because Hart was not found to be underage. Even today when "characters depicted are all over 18 years old" is an added restriction, the trend toward jail- bait porn has accelerated rather than diminished in a creepy "barely legal" fashion.
In the new version much of the name talent is wasted, with Christy Canyon appearing only briefly and the team of Crystal Breeze and Lois Ayres mere eye candy with no roles to speak of. The proverbial all-star cast doesn't give Sahara much of an opportunity, other than checking off the mixed-combo department. Subplot of Peter North as the old hand showing frat pledge Byron the ropes is not developed well.
Other than earning Tom Byron two paychecks for making a single film, the new edition is a total loss.