TABOO (1980) 92 Minutes
w/p – Heiene Terrie, d – Kirdy Stevens. Cast: Kay Parlcer, Mike Ranger, Dorothy LeMay,
Juliet Anderson, Michael Morrison, Tawny Pearl, Miko Yani, Jesse Adams, Don Fer
nando, Brooke West, Turk Lyon, T J. Carson, Holly McCall, Ken Scudder, Star Wood,
Sarah Harris and Valerie Darlyn.
TABOO is a film that dares to tackle a very sensitive subject and treat it more honestly
than Hollywood films. It wasn’t the first, but it is the best. The subject is incest — mother
and son variety Mainstream films hint around, TABOO is explicit. Forget the sociology incest
can be a most devastating thing. But it does happen, and dealing with it openly is better
than hiding, lying and remaining in the dark. From my experiences with thousands of porn
fans and buyers, they treat incest and rape scenes as just another sex scene, with no fear
of sociological ramifications on their delicate psyche. The interesting development in this
film is that the incident has more impact on the mother than the son.
Mike Ranger plays Paul, a happy sexually adjusted student with a very active sex life
with girl friend Dorothy LeMay. His mother, Barbara Scott (Kay Parker) is trying to put the
pieces back together following a messy divorce. Her chats with friend Juliet Anderson and
her attempt at a job (courtesy of on the make Michael Morrison) leave her even more
confused. A visit to an orgy does little to help. Meanwhile, the son has watched his mother
undressing, and he has become aroused by her still sensual body. Finally, she checks on
him while he’s asleep. The act occurs, and although she initiates the action, he is a more
than willing participant. It is she who feels remorse the next day, while he is not bothered
at all and would not mind continuing.
The sex in this film includes a twelve person daisy chain, involving many of adult filmdom’s
stars of the future. The Kay Parker—Mike Ranger footage is really excellent, as is the
casting by the producers. In PRETTY PEACHES, for example, it is difficult to think of John
Leslie as Desiree Cousteau’s father. But in TABOO, the age difference and appearances
are believable enough to be true. Kay could be Mike’s mother. Tape sales started slowly,
then skyrocketed, and I’m afraid it was more out of curiosity of forbidden fruit. To this day
it is a top ten all time seller. It is a well made film, but many may never notice that.