Gunther's New Love

Gunther's New Love

Bruce Von Stiers

I haven't reviewed a porn film, yet anyway. And, though I've reviewed films with quite of bit of kink in them, that isn't the type of film I usually write reviews of.

But every so often, I come across a film with a kinky plot that is bizarrely comical. One such film is Doll It Up.

On the surface, Gunther is just an average guy. He has a significant other. But really, this is no ordinary relationship. It seems that this significant other is actually a blow-up sex doll Gunther has named Natalie.

Things get stagnant in their relationship, or so it seems in Gunther's twisted mind. So he opts for a new romantic partner. That is, he gets a new blow-up sex doll. But this new romantic entanglement doesn't quite go as planned.

Timothy J. Cox played Gunther. He's starred in several short films including Creatures of Habit and After and co-starred in films like the comedy Static Cling.

Devin Craig played a delivery guy who ends up delivering more than just Gunther's new doll. Among other screen credits, he had a recurring role on The Sex Lives of College Girls. Jeff Mandel played one of Gunther's neighbors who has his own doll entanglement. He has over thirty screen credits, including appearing in Monster Mash and The Waiting. Wayne DeBary played a hobo who takes a shining to Natalie. He has played a henchman, a biker and a mayor in film roles.

Yalan Hu wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Her screen credits include directing the documentary series The Glory of Global Chinese. The cinematographer was Bailey Liu. He has held many behind the camera positions, including being camera operator for the series, Lost You Forever.

One thing I didn't realize at first is that this was a student film. It was done through the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts.

In a statement, Hu wrote that she wanted to portray dark humor such as the Real Girl and Harold and Maude. With that humor, she also wanted to explore the changes in relationships and fidelity, while making fun of men who think they get a better deal by trading up.

I think that Doll It Up did pretty much what Hu wanted. It has satiric dark humor that takes sexuality and fidelity and blends it into a strange, yet bizarrely funny film.

Doll It Up was featured at several film festivals. It won Best College Film at the Gasparilla International Film Festival. It also won Best Comedy at the Dirigo International Student Film Festival.

You can check out Doll It Up for yourself at https://vimeo.com/320747348

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