Before the internet and skyping became the norm, Playboy marketed on the phone sex craze of the decade by launching one of the most popular adult talk shows of the decade. “Night Calls” was, for a long time, a mainstay on the Playboy Channel in America and targeted a lot of the fantasies of their callers. Hosts Doria Rone and Juli Ashton were very ahead of their time, as broadcasting live and taking requests from various callers has become routine entertainment for literally every adult website on the internet these days.
Even aspiring adult entertainers have web shows where they perform for their fans, so it’s no surprise “Night Calls” was huge for a while. It also helped that Juli Ashton and Doria Rone were blond bombshells who’d often indulge their callers in sexual fantasies, and sometimes even perform said fantasies with one another. It was only a matter of time that Ashton and Rone would appeal to their fan base by starring in a movie that banked on their show’s cult success. And while the very rare film is by no means a masterpiece, it does have its considerable camp value. What I like about the movie is that you’ll be compelled to choose which among the pair you find sexiest.
For me Juli Ashton takes the ball running with her ditzy personality and lust for sexual experimentation. Ashton and Rone play themselves in “Night Calls,” as they’re both pretty stressed from a long bout of committing to late night calls and sexual performing. When Juli gets a vision from a magical elf to seek her fortune in the North, she and friend/co-host Doria go out on the open road looking for their own sense of personal fulfillment, while also thinking back to their past sexual conquests.
I wouldn’t accuse the hosts of “Night Call” being amazing actresses, but they commit to their attempts at comedy quite often and dig their movie out of the monotony of typical Playboy softcore entertainment. There is a large share of softcore sex that unfolds, including a lot of girl on girl, as Juli is prone to indulge in, so it compensates for the utter lack of conflict and narrative. That said, “Night Calls: The Movie” is a fun diversion with Juli Ashton and Doria Rone reminding us time and time again why their show was such a huge late night cable hit for over a decade.
