- First Impression
It’s fun to check out the way we wanked. VintageGayLoops.com is a site completely devoted to 70s gay porn clips, digitally remastered and available for download or streaming. The clips were originally 8mm videos that were shown in private clubs—they didn’t have the Internet, DVD, cassettes, or even X-rated theaters yet. Next Door Studios is behind the site, which is more of a project than anything else, and their work is thorough and fascinating. Right away, you’ll notice the blurry images and mustaches (lots of mustaches), and you need to understand that these clips are the site; not just one aspect of a larger gay porn stash. You should also know that everything the site promises is delivered. Whether it’s up your alley is another story.
- Navigation
The site is well-organized and basic. You get the latest updates on the homepage, links to the different pages, and simple instructions on downloading and streaming. Next to the clip is a (short) summary of the action, and underneath it says when the video was added, how long it is, etc. Streaming or downloading is via Windows and they have several speed options. I had no problems when I tried both methods. There is a big ad at the bottom of the homepage, but otherwise the site has few distractions. -
- Content
The content and the photos are all extremely blurry—but that’s the point. You can only do so much with re-mastering, so you’re pretty much looking at the real thing. There are photo sets for each clip, and they are terrible. They are also hysterical. The camera work is horrible, the lighting is dreadful, and there is no actual sound—just corny 70s Muzak in the background. These videos highlight porn’s beginnings, with their tiny plots involving guys in bathrooms, etc., and they’d be a hoot at a party. You don’t get anything close to high definition, but you do see the basics; kissing, sucking, fucking, cum shots. The site updates about once a week. -
- Guys and Sex
There’s a blog on the site, and it contains some interesting background information. One thing that stood out was the idea that, back in the day, gay men weren’t classified as "Twink" or "Jock" or "Bear." Each man looks like he was judged on whether or not he was cute, and whether or not he had the goods. Muscle definition had a whole different standard back then, and these guys are muscular, but not steroidal. Almost all of them have chest and body hair, big, poufy hairdos, mustaches, and lots of hair around their private parts—manscaping hadn’t come into fashion. In some respects, sex has not changed a whole lot since the disco era. The one big change is condoms, as they don’t wear them in these clips. It’s almost eerie knowing these clips were made right before the AIDS epidemic began, and you’ll no doubt wonder how many of these men were affected. -
- Value
Since this site is more of a museum piece or party favor than a place to get you off, I’m not sure how much you’ll get from it after the novelty wears off. You don’t get bonus sites—if you want anything else by Next Door you’ll have to pay for it. As I mentioned before, there is a blog that’s very well-written. They have a gay timeline on it, with information on events like the Stonewall Riots, and more stuff on how these clips were made. There are no live chats or webcam shows, so don’t get all revved up for other stuff. If you’re a retro porn lover, chances are that you’re in the right place. If you came to cum, you might be out of luck. -
- Overall Impression
I had a great time checking this site out, and even showed a couple of the clips to friends. I read the blogs, and learned a little about the history of gay porn. Now that I’ve done that, I don’t really need to keep coming back; and I don’t want to save any of the clips. I might reconsider if I was having a bunch of guys over and needed a fun video theme. Regardless, the site is very well put together, interesting, and fun. It even made me wish that we weren’t so label-conscious in today’s porn world, and just sought out the right guy for the right shoot. -
- Bottom Line
VintageGayLoops.com is a site of 1970s gay porn clips that have been re-mastered. They are hokey and corny, showing tons of hair and mustaches. But the guys fuck like they do today (with no condoms), and it’s a fascinating look at the origins of gay porn. -
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