Raw! Uncut! Video! review
If you’ve come across Palm Drive Video on an old tape or in a festival program, *Raw! Uncut! Video!* gives you the story behind the name. Ryan A. White and Alex Clausen’s 2021 documentary follows the studio’s founders, Jack Fritscher and Mark Hemry, and the work they made in Sonoma County during the AIDS crisis.
What the documentary follows
The film uses period footage and present-day interviews to tell the story of a home-video studio built outside the mainstream industry. The founders are part of the story as a couple as well as filmmakers. That makes this a specific entry point into the era. The Adult Film History Project takes a wider view through its collection of historic materials and its guide to preserving them.
Where to look for a screening
The filmmakers’ site has the synopsis, credits and a record of festival screenings. Its Watch section links to Vimeo On Demand and lists PinkLabel.TV with territory exclusions. Check the current listing in your country before planning to watch. If you’re researching the film, the press materials are also useful for identifying people and separating the documentary’s production photographs from the original studio footage.
Anabel’s take
I’d start here if I wanted to understand how two people made and distributed their own work before the web was part of the equation. I’d keep the filmmakers’ page handy for the names and dates, then follow whichever part of the story stuck with me.