"The Valley"

August 1, 2005 12:23 PM

"Bay Area photographer Larry Sultan's The Valley series focuses on the San Fernando Valley, where he grew up, and addresses the use of ordinary homes as sets for pornographic films." [most links, particularly the last four, are NSFW]
posted by the_bone (6 comments total)

Going to porn movie sets (whatever they are,) ending up not shooting the action nor too much of the actors but just the set itself. Great project and nice post. Thanks.
posted by NewBornHippy at 12:33 PM on August 1, 2005

I saw this series at the San Francisco MOMA - very impressive work. Something deeply sad and alienating about the tacky fake grandeur of the furniture (candelabras, fireplaces) and the dull-eyed actors lounging around naked on their smoking breaks.
posted by piers at 1:12 PM on August 1, 2005

Absolutely fascinating. I wonder what the criteria are for choosing a house for a porn movie.
posted by Hactar at 2:31 PM on August 1, 2005

I like the concept as I do Sultan's work. I just wonder in this case whether it might be controversial material simply for the sake of publicity. Obviously, its working out that way whether that was the intent or not.
posted by gm2 at 3:26 PM on August 1, 2005

I first saw Sultan's photographs in Salon, apparently back in 2003. The fairly good article includes a link to a photo gallery halfway down the page.

I think the fact that Sultan apparently grew up in the area these photos were taken adds a lot to the project. The idea of my childhood neighborhood become a porn capital strikes me as odd and hard to even imagine.

Of course, it'd would be odd in rural Michigan.
posted by mdbell79 at 6:30 PM on August 1, 2005

When I lived in Los Angeles, I couldn't understand why anybody lived in the Valley; it always looked like one giant porn set to me.
posted by maxsparber at 5:37 PM on August 2, 2005