“The Best of Mike Branson”
Falcon Studios, 2007
Director: John Rutherford
Cast: Mike Branson, Tom Chase, Kyle Becker, Matthew Anders, Tony Manchester

If you want to stretch your porn dollar—really, really stretch it, to the point where you end up walking funny for a few days—give “The Best of Mike Branson” a try. The best movies in Falcon’s anthology series are the ones that involve people who spent most of their careers with Falcon, like Tom Chase or Jeremy Penn. Here, we have what appears to be the complete works of a godlike man who left the adult industry long before the industry was ready to leave him.

There’s one jaw-dropping scene involving Mike and pals gangbanging Matt Anders after kidnapping him and throwing him in a trunk. (They let him out only when they need freer access to the creamy blond’s bottom.) But the most surprising thing about this anthology, aside from the fact that it’s three hours long and that Falcon held back absolutely none of the good scenes, is that Mike was so often tender. Far from the aloof, 1980s trade-stardom world of Ryan Idol and Jeff Stryker, several of Mike’s scenes here are one-on-one. In fact, the first two appear to depict him as one half of a loving, monogamous couple. In still another scene, Mike connects with his “I never thought of doing this with you before” buddy, Tom Chase. Tom bottoms for the first time in this scene, and he couldn’t have given his cherry to a better guy.

“Two Handfuls”
Bijou Video, 1986
Director: John Travis
Cast: Brian Maxon, Doug Jenson, Mike Henson, Michael Gere, Kevin Wiles (as Gary Hurt), Doug McCall (as Steve Wright)

There’s something very 1980s about “Two Handfuls” besides the condomless sex. Director John Travis seems to be going for a certain era of GQ Magazine—lots of smooth, bronze 20-year-olds with flawless but unexaggerated muscular builds. Brian Maxon looks like the photo on a box of Calvin Klein underwear, and he plays that “you want me more than I want you” cockiness to the hilt. For Brian’s part in the movie, there’s also a persistent “frustrated straight boy” premise that adds nothing. But don’t let that deter you from this movie. Travis did not become a porn legend for nothing. Not only is it hard to take your eyes off Brian despite the hetero subterfuge, but his is not even the best part of the viewing experience.

That title goes to the scene in which boy pals Mike Henson and Kevin Wiles decide to hang out together in the local adult theater. They buy popcorn and soda (of all things), and take a seat next to humpy, furry Doug McCall. Kevin and Mike are both extremely sexy young stars in the making. You might not recognize their names because they spent their careers taking all the cock while their costar tops took all the notoriety. But Kevin and Mike are really a dynamic duo in this scene, double-teaming Doug. The three eventually strip fully nude and exchange fucks in the seats and on the floor of the theater in spectacular fashion. That scene is followed by more adult venue hijinks as Michael Gere gets fucked in a coin-operated video booth. Brian and Mike bring the movie to a less flamboyant but still very appealing close with a scorching one-on-one.