Seven Years in Four Hours - Speed Addiction

Last night I watched Matt Pollack’s film about his addiction to porn, Run Run It’s Him.

His filmmaker pals have banded together to help Matt launch this, his first film, shot on Super 8 over a period of 7 years. He and I have a mutual friend, the curmudgeonly Alan Zweig, who labored in irritable obscurity until his documentary, When Jews Were Funny, won Best Canadian Feature of the Year at TIFF 2013. Now Zweig is a slightly less curmudgeonly success story.

A few weeks ago I offered to review the film. I’ve pretty much abandoned my idea of becoming a pop culture social media pundit, at least until I get a more solid grounding in IT. and, oh Lordy, a lap top. Until then, I’m going to be a “wannabe” pop culture social media pundit for the land of the silver birch, home of the beaver – Canada.

I thought I’d do Matt a favor and launch my latest freelance endeavor at the same time.

I’ve never met Matt Pollack but he’s awfully adorable, I discovered when I went to his not-very-user-friendly website and watched a twelve minute interview with him. And damn, kudos for his honesty.

Happily someone stepped in to run the website. The film became available for download on April 1. I tried to purchase it at quarter after midnight and failed. By now I’m muttering, “Jesus, Matt,” as if I do know him. A quick post to the new facebook page dedicated to his film ("Is it already sold out?" I politely enquired) and his web manager had handled the problem. I don't know what Matt was doing. Probably sleeping.

Since then, he’s garnered a lot of high profile press in Canadian media. I’m not really doing him the favor I thought I’d be, but by now I have some interest in my review and my own interest in the film, so I soldier on.

Last night I sat down to watch the film. I was well into it when it occurred to me that I’d only seen three porn movies in my life. I know quite a lot about "porn theory" (thanks to my Lust Bites days) but I’ve always been a fan of written sexual titillation. Aside from the pesky tingling sensation in my loins, it seemed prudent to take a look at some of the sorts of films that are featured as mere clips in Matt’s movie.

Four hours later, I surfaced for air. In that time I’d gone from “How about a little spanking porn?” to “This stuff is boring, how about some BDSM?” to “Extreme BDSM” to “Forced fisting and dp.”

Jesus! I finished up a 21 minute foreign film, having managed not to sign up to any sites, and was grumpily wondering, “Now what?” when I noticed I had fifteen windows open, invitations from “neighbors” to chat and was actually considering digging just a tad deeper, perhaps into the not-quite -so-legal stuff, when my somewhat sticky hand moved to my mouse, almost of its own accord, and speed-closed all the windows.

My PC can’t handle this sort of action and neither, apparently, can I.

Four hours isn’t seven years but it’s enough. This stuff is insidious. Mere interest had become a feverish need for satiation that had all but obliterated any sense of reality. I’d reached for my credit card more than once before deciding there was no way I was spending my precious toonies on pornography. There had to be some free stuff that would alleviate what had gone from curiosity to an insatiable quest for satisfaction. Right?

I finished watching Matt’s film. I have my notes and my interview questions.

Another night turns to day. The cat is biting my elbows, a sure sign his food bowl is empty. So – is Run Run It’s Him a tribute or a warning? I’ll say no more. You’ll have to read the review to find out.

Run Run It's Him