Interview: Angela White Rewinds on ‘FUCK ANGELA’

Anyone who grew up with VHS cassettes can recall the distinctive whir and hum of a VCR. It evoked an exciting feeling of discovery as new onscreen adventures whisked their way onto your television. Pornstar Angela White can vividly recall this once-familiar sensation.

She has accompanied porn on its journey from VHS to DVD to streaming video. While White has thrived in every stage, she admits a particular affection for the analog and VHS era. It was a time when an energetic, exciting breed of gonzo porn pervaded. To salute this unique period in porn history, AGW Entertainment has released a head-turning throwback DVD: FUCK ANGELA. Styled like an early-2000s gonzo classic right down to the packaging and presentation, it rocketed almost instantly to Adult Empire #1 Bestseller status. In this new blog interview, White is poised to “be kind and rewind” on the behind-the-scenes story of one of the biggest releases of the year.

Adult Empire: What was the origin of this particular project?

Angela White: FUCK ANGELA was the result of many factors. I’d been wanting to shoot a multi-director sequel to Angela Loves Gonzo (2016) going all the way back to 2019. I’d also been wanting to produce something that would serve as a memento of my time in the adult industry. And over the past 18-24 months, I’d become really interested in shooting content that took the fun to eleven. FUCK ANGELA really started to take shape when I came across Jonni Darkko’s old Sony VX2000 at his studio and my production manager and I figured out how it could by used to shoot a whole movie. From there, the project really took on a life of its own.

 

What explains audiences’ affection for the types of physical media and analog formats this movie salutes?

I’m not sure I can speak to my audiences’ affection for physical media beyond saying that many consumers, not just of pornography, continue to value physical media: the way it feels in the hand; the way it sounds when you open the case; the way it looks on the shelf. It just has a special feeling when done right that can’t be replicated digitally. What I can say with certainty is that my fans have always shown amazing support for my physical products and FUCK ANGELA has been no different. They’ve really loved the packaging, the booklet, the sticker, etc. It’s been really overwhelming how strong the fan response has been to the DVD’s release and the fact that a VHS version was available to a lucky 100. [Editor’s note: all copies of this limited-edition VHS bonus item were snapped up by eager fans within just days of the movie’s announcement.]

What are your own favorite memories of the VHS/analog media era? Which analog formats do you have the most nostalgia for?

Much of the early porn I watched was on DVD. However, VHS was also part of my early exposure to porn. What I loved and remember most about VHS porn was the lower quality visuals and the audio hiss. It somehow felt and feels more dirty and perverted. I love the sound it makes when you put a tape in the VCR. I love the whole experience of fast forwarding, pausing, and rewinding porn. This movie is very much a throwback to 2003 specifically, which was not only my first year in porn, but also a very profitable year for the industry as both VHS and DVD were sold next to each other in meaningful numbers. While I sadly don’t have a copy, my first movie was released on VHS, and I wanted FUCK ANGELA to have a little nod to this quirk in my journey.

The movie comes in a distinctive collector’s edition package. Tell us what you decided to include in this package and why.

I’ve always taken box covers and box art seriously, but I’d never been in a position to go all out on packaging. Given the nature of the project, its aesthetic, and the fact that we don’t know how much longer doing physical releases like this will be possible, I thought it was the perfect time to do something special. Rather than a simple DVD in a crystal case, I wanted to do a double disc, with an “o” card, booklet, and illustrated sticker. I wanted to give the fans something to get excited about. And when I realized that it was actually possible to do a VHS release, however limited, I had to do it. It was the inclusion of the VHS release that prompted me to do the genuine holographic authenticator stickers just like VHS tapes used to have. It was so much fun putting it all together and I hope the fans are enjoying the added touches.

Talk about the importance of releasing this project under your AGW Entertainment label, which has been home to some of your most iconic work.

Having AGW Entertainment for the past 12 years has been an amazing blessing. I think the reason it’s been home to some of my best work is that I can paint with small brushes. I can take as long as I want with a project. I don’t have to compromise with someone else’s vision. I don’t have to meet a budget; I can spend as much as I need to get the project just how I want it. And that’s because AGW Entertainment titles have never been about profit, but simply making something that I can be proud of and hopefully my fans appreciate.

How did you decide what type of action to include in the movie?

I wanted to do five or six scenes from the outset; that was a must as I wanted the movie to feel as old school as possible. I also wanted it to have a lot of great BTS. Not just a camera in the corner capturing the photo shoot, but really cool BTS that would give the viewer insight into the energy on set that day. Finally, I wanted the directors that contributed so generously to FUCK ANGELA to shoot something they like shooting and, equally, were known for producing in the 2000s: Jules [Jordan] with an anal scene; [Chris] Streams with a curvy threesome; [John] Stagliano with a girl-girl anal scene; Darkko with a blowbang scene; Aiden [Riley] with the solo and BTS and; Mike [John] working with Lex [Steele].

What are the hottest and most memorable moments in the movie?

That’s a really tough question. Without a doubt, the highlight of the movie, and something I’ll never forget, was getting to work with all of these amazing directors on one project. I think I’ll let the fans decide what was the hottest moment in the movie. If anything, for me sexually, what I liked most about the movie was how free-wheeling it was on set. It was very comfortable and open. I knew everyone really well, we all had strong understandings of each other’s boundaries, and with that comfort and confidence came a sexual fun that I really enjoyed. What was most memorable? The whole movie, from the excitement of pre-production in April, production in May and June, to the long days and nights of post-production with my editor, Evil Ricky, in July and August. FUCK ANGELA is how I will remember the summer of 2024. When I was watching the final edits of FUCK ANGELA, all I could see was wonderful snapshots of me on set with these highly influential directors, close friends and fantastic performers. I have no doubt that one day these moments will be the “good old days.”

What surprised you the most during the shooting of the movie?

Definitely the energy that the old cameras brought to the production. As soon as the VX2000s came out, got turned on, and were in the director’s hands, there was a playfulness on set that I feel really comes through in the final product. I knew this movie would have a different look, but I didn’t anticipate how much the camera and format would play in giving the movie a different feel. The spontaneity and almost devious energy in FUCK ANGELA is one of my favorite things about the movie.

Was it a conscious decision to make the movie an epic length (five hours), or did that evolve organically as the project developed?

It definitely evolved organically as the project developed. It was always going to have five to six scenes and it was always going to have BTS, so I knew it was going to be a long movie. But I didn’t anticipate it would end up being five hours. It could have actually ended up longer. But because the maximum run time for the VHS was 151 minutes per tape and because I wanted the VHS and DVD to include as much of the same footage as possible, I had to edit the BTS down aggressively. In the end, the only difference between the VHS and DVD formats in terms of content is the DVD includes a BTS segment for the Aiden Riley directed solo scene.

Did you employ any stylistic aspects or post-production effects to give the movie more of a VHS/analog feel?

No post-production effects or plugins were used. I wanted this to be as authentic as possible. Everything that you see in FUCK ANGELA was captured organically: the footage; the black offset border and aspect ratio; the black noise between scenes; the room tone hiss etc. The only “effect” that you could say was used in the entire movie was the flickering in the animation at the start of the trailer, and even that was created by actually playing the animation through an old-school CRT TV and recapturing it digitally.

Are there any references, callbacks, or Easter eggs in the movie that eagle-eyed fans should watch for?

Definitely. Beyond the camera and look of the footage, there are constant references and call backs in FUCK ANGELA, be it the locations used, the wardrobe chosen, or the music that drives the scene teases. All locations used in FUCK ANGELA were actually used in the early 2000s. The use of the LC4 chaise lounge and E1027 table in scene one with Zac Wild and Jules Jordan was definitely a reference/callback – the LC4 chaise was like the “white couch” of the 2000s. The use of the dog bowl in the blowbang shot by Jonni Darkko was another deliberate callback. I went to great lengths to get the black velvet and rhinestone studded collar for the scene with Lexington Steele and Mike John. It was a superstar accessory in the 2000s. Teasing and fucking on stairs was another reference to the period. So was the squirting and spitting on the camera lens. The same applies to the squared off French tip nails and smokey silver eyeshadow; both were a nod to the look of the period. All the tease tracks used in FUCK ANGELA are from Jonni Darkko’s own back catalogue of music he has composed over the years. For example, the track used in scene one is from the Bree Olson scene in Trophy Whores 3 (2007) (Jonni Darkko/Evil Angel) and the track used in scene four with Vince Karter, Angel Youngs, and Chris Streams, is from the Missy Monroe scene in Slut Collector (2006) (Jonni Darkko/Evil Angel). If the fans are interested, there’s actually a tiny Easter Egg in the legal matter that plays at the start of the DVD.

Why did you decide to forgo an initial video-on-demand release for the movie?

Given that FUCK ANGELA is a throwback to the early 2000s, I didn’t think it made sense or was in the spirit of the release to debut the movie digitally as that wouldn’t have happened 20 years ago. To keep the theme going I even made sure, with the help of Moose and Girlfriends Films and Adult Empire, that the movie dropped on a Tuesday, just like porn movies always used to.

How has the transition to digital video and streaming most reshaped the way we watch porn?

It’s hard to dismiss the way digital video and streaming in conjunction with personal devices has reduced friction when it comes to buying and watching porn. With the purchasing and consumption of porn, not to mention the production of porn, now frequently taking place on the same device: the phone, the way we engage with porn has been entirely reshaped. It has never been quicker, easier, and more private, to watch porn.

Do you foresee a return of physical media “special editions” akin to what was common in the early DVD era?

Unfortunately no, at least not at scale. I hope we see more “special editions” in the future. If FUCK ANGELA has shown anything, it’s that a compelling physical product release invigorates and excites customers. There is a wonderful community of porn consumers out there that value what we do and desire a physical copy. But it can’t be ignored that the time, money and energy required to deliver a special physical product is increasing greatly.

If this project is successful, would you consider releasing another throwback project centered on physical media? Do you think fans will always have an attachment to physical media in some form or another?

Never say never. I would definitely love to. For me, this project is already a success. I have a wonderful memento to look back on. And, to be honest, at the start of this project, I was also just interested in seeing if it was possible to produce a movie on 24 year old cameras and have it look like we were back in the early 2000s. I think FUCK ANGELA, thanks to everyone involved, definitely achieved everything I set out to. And the fact that my fans are really enjoying the release makes it all the more awesome. For someone like myself who grew up with physical media, I will always have a special attachment to physical product, with all of its beauty and quirks.

FUCK ANGELA is available on DVD!

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