Who would have thought amateur pornography could serve as a backdrop for a compassionate glimpse into a troubled man’s yearning for love and intimacy? Alexandra Berger’s pinpointing documentary “Danland” gave the 2012 class at the recent Slamdance Film Festival the full monty in capturing three and a half years in the life of the vivacious Dan Leal, aka “Porno Dan.”
From Leal’s roots producing amateur gangbang videos in his basement, to being nominated for an AVN Award, to being another nameless face in a familiar crowd, to chasing one failed relationship after another, Berger gives us the full picture--or of what Leal sees fit to give--of Porno Dan’s tumultuous rise.
Berger, with her husband as main cameraman, captures the multi-city rollercoaster with a tone that is much less scathing or glorifying than humanizing and empathetic. Instead, Berger chooses to dig into the psyche of Leal and other porn stars such as Mary Carey—who in a solo interview nearly steals the film--revealing a humanity and desire for intimacy rarely portrayed in neither the media nor pornographic films.
Essentially the documentary is a snippet of Leal’s quest for a lasting, fulfilling relationship. Sounds cliché? Far from it. Cliché would be Leal preposterously excusing his own flaws, which he refuses to do. He blasts himself for his mistakes more than anyone else, giving us a different view of what love means to different individuals.
Film Slate Magazine contributor Ian Hubbard had the chance to talk with Berger about the nature of her documentary, the personalities within the world of pornography, and what lessons she emerged with after making this film.
Film Slate Magazine: The most basic question has to be: How did this all start?
Alexandra Berger: I had a friend living in D.C. who came in touch with the porno scene, and in turn we were found by Porno Dan, who then invited us to shoot them at his house. Later on my friend got in touch with me while in New York and confessed that he had been making porn films. And that I should see it and photograph it. I became immediately interested in exploring what pornography meant to me.
FSM: What were the vibes you received watching a live gangbang with your husband?
AB: At first it was quite shocking. I had to get over the shock. I was curious as to what point the people (taking part) were actually enjoying it or putting on a performance. I wanted to know if they were happy doing it. I would like to believe the performers are doing it because they like it and it’s what really turns them on.
FSM: While looking over what you had to edit with, after shooting so much footage (over 99 hours) and having such a long duration from start to finish, did you ever feel there was something you missed?
AB: There’s a moment later in the film where I could tell, and it may not be obvious to the viewer, where Dan [Leal] was giving me intense looks. And I felt the duality, where if I pushed him further than where I did I could alienate him. I’m actually really happy with the way the scene turned out but in the moment, I wondered if I had pushed far enough.
FSM: Were you desensitized by the end of shooting?
AB: One of the most difficult parts was editing because I felt jaded, desensitized by the sex.
FSM: How has showing at Slamdance helped the film?
AB: It has attracted more screeners who’ve become interested in showing the film. It’s attracted many viewers and has people asking about it--which makes us very excited about the film.
FSM: There’s a scene where you have the cameras turned on you by Dan’s request. Was working with him continually uncomfortable?
AB: Dan always tried pushing me, putting me in uncomfortable situations, wanting me to jump. I think he always expected me to jump in and actually shoot with him but I never fell for it.
FSM: Did you ever feel like a pornographer?
AB: No. I always wanted to make a film, never a porno. I wanted this to be a humanizing portrait. I always saw myself as shooting a portrait documentary, as a social anthropologist exploring a very large sub-culture.
FSM: Who struck you the most in any way when you interviewed them?
AB: Mary Carey was fun to be around. She was able to put Dan in his place. And her story involving her estranged relationship with her family was actually quite shocking to me. To see the vulnerability … I did feel that Kaycie Monroe’s interview was very humanizing. That coupled with Mary’s scene made it compassionate and for the audience to relate to them.
