A documentary (narrated by porn star Mark Woodward) by and about Hand in Hand Films, the influential early gay porn studio and distribution company that produced films from 1972 to 1983. This is a history of the New York-based studio and how its three founders (Jack Deveau, Robert Alvarez, and Jaap Penraat) dedicated themselves to moviemaking, typically with an artistic and narrative approach. Mixed with lengthy hot sex segments from several of their releases are there are explanations of how adult films are made, behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with directors and soundtrack composers, bloopers, and a long segment from the never-completed film Beyond These Doors (directed by James Bidgood of Pink Narcissus), which was in production at the time Good Hot Stuff was being filmed. This documentary is an exciting watch that is also historically important in terms of gay film history and porn history.

Disclaimer: Good Hot Stuff is a fascinating behind the scenes historical document about gay porn filmmaking in the 1970s, but it should be noted that it contains segments that are problematic. In one scene where Jack Deveau and Peter de Rome are reviewing trailer footage in an editing room, there’s a brief flash on screen of a racial slur on a movie theater marquee. The ending segment of the movie is the footage from a never-completed film by James Bidgood entitled Baghdad, which is racist and appropriative. We have chosen to present the film, preserved in its original form, as an historical document of the times in which it was made.