[.ca] Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy

From Amazon.com:
Anyone who fantasizes about becoming a porn star should see Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy, a cheerful documentary that paints a sympathetic but clear-eyed portrait of the most successful male porn star of all time. Through remarkably frank interviews with the man himself and a variety of friends and associates (including actresses, rival actors, and directors; porn moguls like Larry Flynt and Al Goldstein; and, most surprisingly, Jeremy's own family), Ron Jeremy emerges as a likeable but self-obsessed guy whose insatiable drive for fame and success is also a struggle to overcome loneliness and a lack of self-worth. Not that anyone's going to feel too sorry for a man who gets paid to have sex, but Jeremy's honesty and sense of humor deserve some respect. And despite all the flesh on display, Porn Star is more matter-of-fact than titillating, taking in its subject with a sociological distance. --Bret Fetzer

It's not a movie:
Boy, I was excited when I found out this "movie" was going to be made. There it was, the news they were making a movie about the life of Ron Jeremy.... only problem is, when I finally got to see this recently, I found out it's not a movie at all. It's just an hour and a half doccumentary. None of what was shown really surprised me, and I didn't really learn anything by watching it. nevertheless, it's an interesting docco to watch once because it's about Ron jeremy... the world's most recognised male porn star, who by every expectation has no place in the business. He's fat, hairly and not particularly good looking. Of course, that's what makes him so recognisable =) Good docco, but it's only one to watch once.

entertaining & humorous documentary:
first & foremost, you don't have to like pornography or documentaries necessarily to find this docu film enjoyable. in fact, it may very well give viewers an inside(no pun intended) look at one of america's happiest men. porn star succeeds because it's honest & has very little to hide as far as the industry goes in the eyes of mr. jeremy. ron jeremy speaks candidly in front of the camera & is always fun to watch. if you aren't careful, you jsut might learn a few things through a series of interviews with friends & those who've known or loved ron. we also get a very solid image of who mr. jeremy truly is which perhaps will break down many of our inevitable misconceptions. mr. jeremy is not only a legend in the adult film industry (having made thousands of skin flicks) but he is a big cult figure in the mainstream entertainment business as well. it's extremely rare to see an actor in the adult film industry do well in mainstream cinema but this is mr. jeremy's ultimate dream & he mentions this throughout the entire film. we also get a glimpse of ron's earliest childhood memories which is very poignant & heartfelt. in between the interviews or candid talk with jeremy, we are treated to some clips from his body(no pun intended once again) of work which could easily stand beside some of the greatest moments in b- movie history & even a little bit of animation like we would later see in michael moore's bowling for columbine. it's almost hard to believe that at one time the adult cinema closely resembles what are now considered to campy films or cult classics. in some ways, porn star is similiar to a reality tv show as we watch ron doing everyday activites such as traveling or being tested for sexually transmitted diseases at a local health clinic. although i've never been a real fan of documentaries as a general rule of thumb, porn star was an insightful & funny mixture of entertainment. i've seen this film several times since purcahsing my own copy last year in february. if you dig documentaries, this is most definately the film you'll want to see. if you don't like documentaries, this or bowling for columbine are a wonderful place to start. if only all documentaries could be this interesting, right?

better than you'd think:
I would have NEVER watched this but my brother in law dropped it off & told me I needed to see it -- It was surprisingly better than I expected, more of a bio of Ron Jeremy than a behind-the-scenes look at the porn industry. Ron Jeremy comes off as a normal guy --funny, optimistic, a little insecure, who just happens to act in porn films. It's a job. He could just as easily be a car salesman, accountant, or (as he once was) a special-education teacher. He seems so normal. His father, a physicist, interviewed for the film, seems like such a normal dad. They have a normal father-son relationship. His sister, interviewed for the film, seems like a straight-laced professional, very fond of her brother. Ron Jeremy comes off as a slightly slovenly typical guy. Other persons from the porn industry are interviewed for the film -- they don't come off nearly as well as Jeremy. Particularly entertaining are the interviews of Grandpa (from the Munsters -- I don't know his real name).

Ron Jeremy likes his life - and I like it too:
After watching this DVD, it's obvious that Jeremy is an average man in almost all facets - except for one. He likes to eat, he's cheap, he likes women, he wants a better life. This documentary is great in that it doesn't condemn him, make him a martyr, or apologize for him. There is nothing apologetic about Ron. Does he consider what his life would have been like if he'd taken a different path? Sure, but don't you? Like any life, there are some sad parts and some funny parts, although maybe there is a bit more sex than normal. The DVD is split between examining Ron's life and looking at where he is now. You see Ron's sister and Dad, learn about his mom dying, watch him take an HIV test, and see him host Nudes-a-Poppin'. He talks about what he's enjoyed about his life and his regrets. The bonus features - especially the commentary with Ron and the director - are great. What stuck with me, months after watching it, was Ron's book in which he scrawls the names and number of everyone he ever met. That book gives a lot of insight into how his mind works. The other thing I keep coming back to is how much Ron promotes himself. I once ran into Ron at an airport. Guessing that he wasn't too nice, I didn't approach him. After watching this movie, however, I regretted my decision. I should've asked him if he wanted to grab a beer. Once you've watched the DVD, you'll know that the topic of conversation would've been himself, but that would've been pretty interesting. This DVD, while short, is both enjoyable and thought provoking. You don't need to be a big porn connoisseur either.

Oh My God:
I don't know what it is; money, begging, 15 minutes of fame, or just luck. What is it that makes Ron Jeremy so fortunate. Personally, I would not be caught dead filming one of his flicks. If I met him, I would flat out ask him "What makes women get a piece of you?" In the meantime, go get'em Ron!!!