Cinema-X Review: The Demise (and the complete 1981 issues)

Cinema-X Review magazine was launched in January 1980 by four friends long associated with the adult film industry – Bobby Hollander, Bob Genova, Teddy Snyder, and Jason Russell. (The Rialto Report told the story of the magazine’s origins here.)

But after flourishing in the first year, the magazine came to an abrupt end after six issues in 1981.

These final issues include articles and interviews with people like Marlene Willoughby, Sue Nero, Kelly Nichols, Phaedra Grant, and Rhonda Jo Petty, reviews of movies such as Fascination, Blue Ecstasy, American Pie, Inside Seka, Randy, The Electric Lady, High School Memories, and much more…

You can find The Rialto Report‘s growing library of digitized resources by clicking ‘Library’ in our site menu.

Check back for more digitized adult film magazine collections soon.

Click on the covers below to access the full magazines. Due to the fact that the magazines are scanned in high definition, allow a little time for each page to load. If you are viewing on a phone, view in landscape orientation.

Magazines are fully searchable; use the icon displayed in each magazine to search by keyword.

Publications are being shared here purely for the purpose of research. They should not to be used or reproduced for any commercial gain.

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Cinema-X Review – The Demise

By 1981, the four founders of Cinema-X Review had added a number of high profile writers to contribute to the monthly magazine – including Vanessa del Rio, Lesllie Bovee, Candida Royalle, and Tina Russell. Each of these contributors was paid $25 to view a newly released film and submit a 500-word review. For a time, the formula worked: the magazine catered to an audience hungry for information about the adult film world, and its combination of star features, film reviews, industry gossip, and salacious ads proved instantly popular.

In truth however, by the second year most of the original ‘group of four’ had lost interest in publishing a magazine in New York when they could be producing adult films in California. Bob Genova, Teddy Snyder, and Jason Russell all jumped ship early in 1981, leaving Bobby Hollander, the driving force behind the creation of the publication, in charge.

Hollander moved the magazine’s main office from New York to California, but delegated much of the magazine’s daily grind to two New Yorkers – sometime adult film director David Davidson and his partner, adult film performer turned publicist Erica Eaton. David and Erica used their contacts to cobble to together enough material for each issue, but the challenge of producing a monthly magazine with input from both coasts took its toll.

By the middle of 1981, the writing was on the wall, and the magazine was sold – with the June 1981 being the last issue. It morphed into Adult Cinema Review, and continued under new management.

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Cinema-X Review: The Complete 1981 Issues

January 1981 (Vol 2, No. 1)
(click on cover to view magazine)

Contents:

– Ballgame (1980) – One Way at a Time (1981) – Marlene Willoughby feature – For the Love of Pleasure (1979) (reviewed by Erica Eaton) – Candida Royalle‘s adventures in Sweden – American Pie (1981) – Fascination (1979) (reviewed by David Davidson)

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February 1981 (Vol 2, No. 2)
(click on cover to view magazine)

Contents:

– Getting Off (1979) – Candida Royalle’s diary – Inside Seka (1980) (reviewed by Bobby Hollander) – Kelly Nichols feature – Pink Ladies (1980) (reviewed by David Davidson) – Prisoner of Paradise (1980) (reviewed by Lesllie Bovee) – Vista Valley PTA (1981) (reviewed by Erica Eaton)

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March 1981 (Vol 2, No. 3)
(click on cover to view magazine)

Contents:

– Games Women Play (1981) (reviewed by Erica Eaton) – Serena‘s diary – A Scent of Heather (1980) (reviewed by David Davidson) – Rhonda Jo Petty feature – Afternoon Delights (1980) (reviewed by Lesllie Bovee) – Randy, The Electric Lady (1980) – Sissy’s Hot Summer (1979) – Sweet Captive (1979)

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April 1981 (Vol 2, No. 4)
(click on cover to view magazine)

Contents:

– Taboo (1980) (reviewed by Lesllie Bovee) – Candida Royalle’s diary – A Woman’s Dream (1980) – Seka and Desiree Cousteau features – Beyond Your Wildest Dreams (1981) – Champagne for Breakfast (1980)

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May 1981 (Vol 2, No. 5)
(click on cover to view magazine)

Contents:

– High School Memories (1981) – A Place Beyond Shame (1980) (reviewed by David Davidson) – Sweet Dreams, Suzan (1980) (reviewed by Lesllie Bovee) – Sue Nero feature – Weekend Fantasies (1980) – The Master and Ms. Johnson (1981) – A Little More Than Love (1977)

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June 1981 (Vol 2, No. 6)
(click on cover to view magazine)

Contents:

– Worksex (1981) – Silky (1981) – Young, Wild & Wonderful (1980) – Phaedra Grant feature – Dracula Exotica (reviewed by Erica Eaton) – Blue Ecstasy (1980) – Sunny (reviewed by David Davidson)

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