Stiff Competition is a classic porn film starring adult video greats Gina Carrera, Kitten Natividad, Bridgette Monet, Herschel Savage and the legendary Susan Hart. Originally released way back in 1985 the movie regained relevance when Vinegar Syndrome put it out on Blu Ray in 2022.
Vinegar Syndrome remastered and reissued several classic porno films in recent years before spinning off the adult erotica part of their business. Apparently they did not want to mix business with pleasure. In any event their new adults only endeavor continues the tradition. So all is not lost.
I find Stiff Competition to be interesting for several reasons. One is that I remember the film from the past. So I was pleasantly surprised to see it being offered at mainstream outlets like Amazon and even Wal Mart today. Secondly the plot revolves around a fictional blowjob competition that is is some combination of tantalizing and hilarious.
Of course the pornographic content of the movie remains tantalizing even in the modern age of internet smut. Gina Carrera and Susan Hart look as good now as they did in the eighties. Which is to say that they are sexy and attractive. At least as they were captured in time on Stiff Competition. This is one of the wonders of film.
A movie about a blowjob contest
To avoid the danger of spoiling the movie I will simply give an overview of the story. It almost seems laughable to suggest spoilers are even possible with a porn film. But in this case it is true. The scenes are sexy and well shot. But the plot is what really ties the movie together. And no I am not joking (even if the writers were).
The story opens at a hole in the wall club where a blowjob contest is being held in front an adoring crowd. The reigning champ known as “The Mouth” (Susan Hart) walks off over a last minute dispute. The lovely Tammy (Gina Carrera) comes out of the audience and takes on the waiting cock. She quickly finishes the job and is proclaimed the winner.
Afterwards the guy in charge of the event ends up cozying up to Tammy. The two form a partnership that will take the competition oral sex world by storm. Though they have their ups and downs as they navigate through the various contests that lead up to the super bowl of suck jobs.
The now disgraced and decrepit Ron Jeremy plays a Don King like promoter behind an annual blowjob world championship. He puts up a then-massive $50,000 grand prize to the winner. In the end, Tammy ends up facing off with The Mouth to find out who is best at giving head.
The end of an era
Stiff Competition came out after the golden age of porn came to a close. Still the film manages to be professionally done. This is a high quality porno from the past. It simply can’t be compared to the straight-to-video cassette recordings that would follow. If you want to see how good porn once was you will want to watch Stiff Competition.
That is not to say that this is some Oscar worthy piece of art. Ultimately the movie aims to entertain in more ways than one. There is comedy throughout. It can be cheesy but still enough to elicit a laugh. When it comes to the sex the action is recorded from multiple angles and looks quite good.
It helps that Gina Carrera was in her prime. Looking like a precursor to porn superstar Jenna Jameson you wonder why Carrera didn’t end up becoming a household name. Susan Hart is another looker though she managed to be more notable in the adult entertainment industry. At last count Hart appeared in more than 50 full length pornos!
Herschel Savage also plays an important roll in the film as the lover and manager of The Mouth. This guy performed in over 1000 porno movies throughout his career. That alone makes him notable even if often seemed unable to maintain a hard on. His presence doesn’t do much for more but it is worth mentioning.
Stiff Competition on Blu Ray
Stiff Competition looks very good on its Blu Ray release. Indeed it is superior to the original film. That’s because it was restored from its original 35mm camera negatives into 4K quality. At this quality the movie is even superior to a lot of the modern porn that is being created on digital devices today.
Everything from the lighting to the set pieces and editing look like they belong in “real movies”. There is even a score in the background to add to the overall feel. Stiff Competition’s Blu Ray release really shows what professionally shot porn was like in its heyday.
The original Vinegar Syndrome release can still be found for sale on the internet. Vinegar Syndrome spinoff Melusine is the official distributor. Some enterprising pirates have probably ripped the movie and uploaded it to various tube and sharing sites as well.
Call me old but I still believe the physical edition of this Blu Ray is worth owning. It comes in a newly designed slip cover that hearkens back to the 1980’s. It also includes extras like English subtitles as well as interviews with Gina Carrera and Kitten Natividad. At such a reasonable price I can’t help but give the total package four stars. 
