The hidden truth about Chris Ward's "Tales of the Arabian Nights: Part 1" (2010) is that the decorousness of its Middle Eastern flavor is simply an excuse to weave the scenes together. It is actually five unrelated plotless scenes. However, the surface truth of the movie is that it contains some of Chris Ward's best direction ever, and some of Raging Stallions best scenes ever! It's a gigantic and opulent movie, but more because of the sex than the trappings.

In something this grand, we might be expecting more than just four twosomes and one threeway. But, expectations melt away in the first scene, to be replaced by the rush of watching some of the most potent and exciting sex imaginable. Frankly, whether the men have a drop of Arab blood in them or not, they have a shared desire to make "Tales of the Arabian Night Part 1" textbook classic gay porn.

The camera takes us through a screen wall where, amid lush carpets and backed up by the sound of Middle Eastern instruments, we see Alexsander Freitas and Andre Barclay making out. The smaller Andre, with a Mohawk-like hair arrangement and earrings, is like a toy to Alexander, an extremely sexy beast with half of his body decorated by tattoos. Not that Andre isn't a willing participant, but the opening is driven by Alexander's colossal lust. He at once shows off (flexing and preening) and dotes (deep kissing and pawing of his own when Andre isn't doing that). Alexsander has biceps and abs that could teach exercise courses of their own and he isn't shy about displaying them. Andre licks around every muscle of Alexander's upper body and then heads lower for the cock bursting out of Alexander's loose pants. There he finds yet another perfect body part, a hooked dick that he can relish sucking. Alexsander stays in control, snapping his hips into Alexander's mouth and also offering up his balls to be toyed with. The visuals of Alexander, standing in a center of light, being blown by Andre, are superb. Chris Ward is giving us visual and sexual brilliance in a stunning package. It's to Andre's credit that he's able to get through an intense face-fuck and do so deep-throating nearly the whole time. Alexsander pushes his mouth to the limits.

In that same pool of light directly in the center of the room, Alexsander bends Andre over and fucks him. Now The Alexsander Freitas Show really kicks into overdrive. Once he knows his cock fits in Andre, he tears off with remarkable speed, giving Andre the true fuck of a lifetime. You can see from the way he clenches his own muscles how much physicality it takes for him to be topping. When the camera is positioned above the action, Alexsander goes wilder, his abs leading the way into a magical ass-pounding that has no sense of boundary. These guys are given a lot of playtime, which means Alexsander can rip into Andre in so many positions with so many styles. But, never does Andre show any signs of fading, making him an equal partner in the wow factor of this scene. It would be easy to give all the credit to crusading Alexander, but Andre's asshole is the hero of the moment! While Alexsander is at his most outrageous, Andre cums being fucked. Alexander, his body coated in sweat, pulls out to drop a load as well. This scene, in my opinion an instant classic, is just the way to start out a movie -- raise the bar so high that no one can dare to perform anywhere underneath it.

The second scene is full of surprises. The rugs are back, but so is a cauldron filled with an endless supply of dry-ice smoke. Off to the side, Dominic Pacifico, one of my personal favorites, is balancing his body over Tony Aziz, about to sit down on Tony's cock. At the onset? Yes! Tight-bodied Dominic, so handsome and full of vitality, lets his own dick swirl in circles as he bounces energetically on Tony. The first few moments show why no oral is needed: Dominic is possessed by the need to get fucked. He rides, facing away from Tony, with unstoppable ferocity. Now and then, when Tony's cock slips out of his ass, it's rammed back in as if Dominic's life depends on it being inside him. Bearded Tony could easily be content to let Dominic ride and own the scene, but, as in the first scene, no one is allowed to let his guard down so the other guy can steal the scene. Dominic's success as a bottom stems partially from his chemistry with Tony. He is able to bend backwards so he can watch Tony while bouncing, making sure Tony feels the same pleasure he does. When the camera comes close to the fuck and really watches the intensity with which Dominic can skewer himself, the rush for the viewer is thrilling.

Virtually hairless Tony then takes over the fuck by putting Dominic on all-fours. Dominic's ability to take a gigantic fuck is proven even more with Tony's more active assault. The full out and back in blasts are simply amazing. Then Dominic is fucked on his back, Tony's thick piece still able to keep his body rippling with bursts of ecstasy as Tony continues at an incredible pace. Dominic's beautiful cum-shot is more deserved than any in the movie.

Wilfried Knight, bearded and handsome as ever, gulps the full length of Francesco D'Macho's massive uncut cock as the first image of the third scene. Set before a fire, I'm not sure if the glow on these guys is actually coming from the fire or from inside them. Wilfried, thankfully left full of body hair, is a one-of-a-kind performer, an ideal match-up for Francesco, inked dark god that he is, because Francesco loves being worshipped. His loud peals of pleasure at Wilfried's sublime deep-throat prove that. Francesco, so statuesque and glamorous, is so sexy that he can easily pull focus just to staring at his chiseled physique, but that will not be allowed here. That would undercut the performance abilities of Wilfried, who can suck a dick as well as anyone. When they move to a window, there is nothing else to watch but Wilfried's deep-throat, and that's a good thing. Francesco then sucks a momentarily relaxed Wilfried. There's a look in Francesco's eyes that belies the simplicity of the moment. He's about to explode, but he'll play tempest-in-a-teapot for now. Wilfried rims Francesco, who delights in it so much he sucks his own fingers just so he's not idle. Wilfried has a joyous time stuffing his face between Francesco's buttcheeks.

Back at the window, Francesco has escaped the confines of the teacup in order to unleash the tempest in Wilfried's ass. Here comes the surging throb of insane fucking. Actually, Francesco doesn't start out that way. Using just his hips and glutes, he fucks Wilfried with an almost loving pleasure, burrowing deep, but giving Wilfried a chance to get used to him. However, when they switch positions so Wilfried is on his back, any sign of sweetness melts away into Francesco's punishing variably-paced fuck. Now he's the strongman of the scene, his whole body a part of sending that cock into Wilfried's ass as deep and as hard as it can possible go. Francesco leaves a glob of cum on Wilfried's hairy stomach to punctuate the end of the scene.

No doubt of authentic Middle Eastern lineage, Aybars is not a typical of the models surrounding him in this movie. For that matter, neither is his scene partner, Conner Habib. Both are of smaller frame than titans like Francesco D'Macho and Alexsander Freitas. But, we're about to find out that no matter the look, they fit here ideally. Their soundtrack is actually made of mournful discordant strings, as they are positioned outside. There is a distinct air of quiet passion here, as the two spend a lot of time kissing, oblivious to anything around them. This is the grinding kissing and groping of the first scene, but something more deliberately emotional. With the reflection of light off water glistening behind them, Conner goes down on Aybars, offering up a shattering gulp that Aybars encourages with swaying hips. He has a mighty dick, but Conner has a mighty mouth to handle it. Conner's focus is terrific, even at the times when Aybars takes control of his dick. I can honestly say I did not expect Aybars to blow Conner, but he does, and he does so wonderfully. He buries his hairy face in Conner's wild pubes as many times as he can in order to gulp the whole piece. Aybars then fucks Conner on the steps, sexily pulsating in and out as Conner attempts to reign in his body and keep it still. What Aybars has that makes him so special is his style. His movements are very telling: he rears back, pulling out, with an almost casual ease, and then rams himself into Conner at the last moment. It's a hypnotic pacing and shows Aybars to be a consummate top. This is my favorite of his styles, but he also has a more standard domination demeanor at times that works just as well. The grunts of Conner are so real, full proof that this is a magnificent fuck. A missionary fuck is actually delivered with caring slowness, just as hot as any of the more rabid speeds. Aybar's cum-shot is luscious, following a loud pop from Conner.

The finale here is another straight-to-the-ass experience. It actually takes place in the same room as the other anal-only scene. Angelo Marconi is on his back with David Dirdam fucking him. Shot initially from far across the room, what's most evident is the boiling-point speed David is using. A muscular man of exceptional good looks, he looks like he's dancing instead of fucking, that's how rhythmic it is. Angelo, a porn pretty-boy with gelled hair, has his cock pumped by his top, who also manages to lick at his legs, while never losing his ability to fuck with that sexy grinding rippling. David is fiery here, completely devoted to his bottom's pleasure, be it in his ass, on his legs, on his cock or even on his fingers, which get sucked now and then during the whole process. The fucking gets bigger and bigger, with the two staring at each other to make sure their intense chemistry never flags. Sweat beads start to gleam and by the time David has pulled out to cum on Angelo, Austin Wilde has entered the room. Pay close attention to the seamless way it happens, though. David is kissing Angelo, pulls away for a second and Austin is right there to apply his lips to Angelo before shooting his cock inside Angelo's ass. David slips away, but the scene doesn't want to let go of its passion. In fact, Austin builds on David's speed to supply Angelo with a harsher fuck, what we have come to expect of hulking powerhouse Austin. Angelo seems just as entranced by this top as he did the other, and allows Austin to work him over regally. After what seems a lifetime on his back, Angelo is fucked bent over and at first, I thought I had accidentally hit the fast forward button, for that's how ferociously Austin fucks his gleaming gorgeous bottom (as sexy as the Middle Easterners are, so are the more typical porn boys like glambomb Angelo). Austin keeps getting inspired to go faster and harder until they return to missionary so everyone cum in the movie's preferred position.

I have to say that I think the Dominic Pacifico-Tony Aziz scene is the key to this movie. I say that because the fuck-only scene is the very essence of the raging snarling testosterone-filled glee with which director Chris Ward obviously wants it filled. To that end, he's willing to cut out everything but just Dominic getting fucked by Tony. Only the most scorching intensity is allowed in "Tales of the Arabian Nights: Part 1" and if that means cutting out acres of oral footage to prove it, so be it. When something is this good, it needs nothing else but what it is. The other four scenes are every bit as potent, but the fact that Chris Ward is willing to give us a scene that starts with penetration is the kind of rule-breaking zeal that drives the whole film into the terrain of unyielding perfection.

DVD features (2-disc set): Chapters; widescreen; bonus scene (from "Arabesque" with François Sagat and Huessein); solos (Tony Aziz, Antonio Biaggi and Conner Habib); behind-the-scenes; trailers ("Arabesque," "Mirage," "Focus/Refocus," "Hotter than Hell," "Lords of the Jungle," "Stag Fight," "Stag Reel," "Hard Friction," "Passport to Paradise," "Forbidden Dreams," "Grunts" and "To the Last Man"); and no regional coding (playable worldwide).

A DVD Review by Brent Blue ( http://www.mannet.com )

*** Highly, Highly Recommended ***