Dave chats to porn icon Eric Edwards about the circumstances that led to him directing his first feature.

In Robert J. Stoller’s book, Porn: Myths for the Twentieth Century, industry icon Bill Margold describes Eric Edwards as “the Babe Ruth of porn” [1]. It’s a fair assessment: the Michigan native – born Rob Everett – sits comfortably in the upper echelons of XXX icons, having been involved in some of the most epochal adult films over the course of his long career. By the mid-’80s, though, two things happened to Edwards that brought about a change in direction. In 1985 he turned forty, and the following year he married his second wife, fellow performer Renee Summers.

Summers proved a big influence in Edwards’ life, suggesting that he try his hand at directing and giving him the inspiration for the type of movie that he might consider making – specifically romantic videos that would appeal to couples. To that end, Edwards began penning lengthy scripts that just had a smattering of sex sprinkled in, and, aesthetically, paid particularly close attention to production design and lighting, relying on what he’d learned from one of the best in the business: Gary Graver.  

“Gary loved directing anything, and he was very good at it,” remembers Edwards. “I really enjoyed working with him and I added his demeaner to my directorial skills. As any good director knows, you never lose your cool, and I never saw Gary angry at anyone. He was one of the most laid back yet professional directors I knew back then.” 

“I’d directed before, of course – namely several stage productions in various theaters across the country. But, really, directing was just another way to make a buck for me when my body told me it was time to retire! But then, my wife at the time convinced me to quit! [laughs]. Seeing as how I had a name in porn, it was relatively easy for me to get handed thousands of dollars to make a film.”

On the face of it, that last anecdote from Edwards sounds like a rather hyperbolic simplification of the infinitely complicated film investment process.

It is, however, exactly what took place.

“I forget the guy’s name, but he was referred to as Mr. Big.  And they flew me out to Cleveland to meet him. We had a nice talk and then he reached under his desk and came up with neatly bound stacks of hundred dollar bills! Forty thousand in cash. Then he said, ‘Go make me a good movie!’.”

Nominated for two AVN awards in the categories of Best Shot-on-Video Director and Best Shot-on-Video Feature, IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES (1986) ensured that Edwards delivered with aplomb upon his remit.

Two love-hungry people (Caroline Connelly and Johnny Nineteen) wander into a bookstore and simultaneously purchase the latest romance novel by a bestselling author (Edwards). Individually, and in the privacy of their own homes, they both immerse themselves in the books romantic fantasies, which in turn leads to a steamy reunion.

There’s a distinct element of class to In All the Right Places – a real rarity amid the swathes of XXX features that took advantage of the economically attractive switch from film to video tape. Edwards comes good on his desire for a specific look to the film, and in doing so pays homage to Graver’s inadvertent mentoring with a lush fireside sex scene in the first third that’s not far off replicating the quality of the filmmaker who was affectionately referred to as ‘Rembrandt’ by his peers.

Nineteen, Francois Papillon, Herschel Savage, and Randy West all stand out among the men, although with the ladies, it’s hard to take your eyes off the mysterious Connelly. Little is known about the actress: she featured in only a handful of skin flicks, but a hint of a Yorkshire accent certainly makes her both memorable and unique – especially with the numerous pages of flowery dialogue that she has to recite via voiceover. “He could sense my tightness, and entered slowly with his throbbing manhood,”, she confides – even if you can’t help but expect it to continue with, “By ‘eck, lad! ‘Appen I was chuffed with tha’”.

For Edwards, he looks back on his directorial debut with a deserved level of affection, as it opened the floodgate to fifty more films:

“It was an el cheapo by today’s standards, but I was thrilled! I guess I was a little under pressure, but it was my first, and I wanted to prove that I could bring a show in on budget or even below, which I did. Then, I was able to ask for more next time. Lots more! Almost everyone thought of me as just an actor, so I had to prove myself.”  

“Another obstacle – as contentious as it might be – was the fact that I wasn’t Jewish. I know that may sound strange, but it was true back then: most of the money men were Jewish and I had to earn their trust. Usually though I’d triple their investment, so I had it made!

Postscript: This interview was conducted with Eric Edwards in September 2022. Since that time, he has received the devastating blow of a dementia diagnosis. On behalf of The Schlock Pit, both Matty and Dave wish Eric the best of health.

[1] Porn: Myths for the Twentieth Century by Robert J. Stoller, Yale University Press, 1991.