The 2008 addition to the series of sumptuous calendars of naked male athletes (rugby players) is a marked departure from earlier Dieux du Stade calendars. Most obviously, gone is the setting of locker room, showers, practice fields, and other venues of sports machismo. The settings are in either elegant palatial rooms that Voltaire would have frequented in the 18th century or, in a few cases, outdoors, all photographed in richly textured colour, sometimes phantasmagorical (e.g. in the Pierre-et-Gilles-like tints for player Mercedo Bosch for 16-31 January or the squatting cover-lad for the secondary cover of the calendar). Perhaps such settings of aristocratic splendour are meant to suggest the godlike nobility and strength, with a touch of Promethean bondage, of these astonishingly beautiful men.
There is no 100% buck-nakedly full frontal nudity, the genitals mostly concealed completely in the poses, with the tantalising exceptions (apart from pubic hair that appears more frequently in many other shots) of the bonus post-April standing (knees to head) photo-portrait including the bottom of both of Nicolas Jeanjean's testicles (as well as of the full outer half of his right-sided one viewed from uppermost to lowermost of its extent), and the top of Sept. 1-15 Juan Martín Berberian's penis and scrotum. The poses are very stylised, often highly mannered, with the kind of Neo-Classical aura of male nude photography so common in early 20th century nude homoerotically-destined "physique" camera art, but, of course, much more sophisticated and tasteful. Despite the genitals-shy restraint, one is glad that Steve Klein, 2008's master-photographer, has "made a go" of it with a "making-of" DVD to pair with the 2008 calendar, as one could tell from the hand-held motion cameras visible in many of the photos.
As for favourites among the calendar's photos, I would start with both "cover boys" (front and inside-back covers), standing, their wistfully sensuous physical power enchained (as so many of these lads in similar elegant bondage), in the one case, and squatting, boyishly quizzical edginess on the other; Jan. 1-15 Mirco Bergamasco's Apollonian, blond, lushly corporeal beauty; March 1-15 David Skrela's mildly aggressive leaning pose, muscular even in the crotch area; March 16-31 Vincent Clerc's sweaty, strong-yet-sweet punk pose nude astride the front of a motorcycle; April 16-30 Loic Jacquet's youthfully defiant-yet-slightly-simpering Celtic sleekness, hair delectably black on head as well as on muscular chest cleavage, lower abdomen, and legs; that stunningly latin look of smoothly powerful and smolderingly intense eroticism of the Nicolas Jeanjean poses for post-April bonus and post-Dec. bonus photos; the sumptuously lush yet muscularly scupted beauty of May 16-31 Thomas Comezou; Sept. 1-15 Juan Martin Berberian; all of Mauro Bergamasco's poses (as ever in preceding years' calendars!), that perennial favourite's Oct. 16-31 poses also redolent of Pierre-et-Gille's sultry, tinted phantasy; the sweetly boyish, more juvenile post-Oct. Thomas Bartolini and Oct. 1-15 Julien Fumat poses, such laddishness rare in the calendar which, even more than in previous years' Dieux du Stade calendars, puts the emphasis on adult muscularity more than on such post-adolescent grace; June 16-30 Clément Poitrenaud's plungingly strait torso lines and graceful posing of his lifted leg on toe-points; post-June bonus Ignacio Corleto's youthfully vigourous, magnificently latin muscularity (spoilt only by wearing intrusive, form-fitting briefs banally hiding part of his thighs and crotch), with his confidently manly and smiling gaze; Aug. 16-31 Matthieu Nicolas' sweaty, coital, hip-thrusting bliss in a latin abandon of sexual ardour; post-August quiveringly hispanic beauty and thirstily carnal gaze of the ever-gorgeous Julien Arras (so memorable in photos of previous years' calendars); Sept. 16-30 Geoffrey Messina's sulky, defiant yet tenderly expressive face and pose; Dec. 1-15 Matteo Pratichetti's ravishingly beautiful, Caravaggio-like hairless perfection of form and linearity, with an hauntingly, luminously and invitingly erotic gaze; and in the back outside cover photo the hieratically grouped display of dark male beauty and force posed from the rear of compactly muscular buttocks, faced by the serenely blond beauty of the youth standingly in a frontal pose.
All in all, depite its break with the kind of photography and settings of past calendars, this 2008 Dieux du Stade calendar is quite remarkable in its own, very different way. I would prefer a return to the jock locker rooms and shower settings of prior calendars for 2009 and years following, but 2008's calendar succeeds splendidly on its own terms. Enjoy!..

The softcore version of Bruce LaBruce's hardcore Skin Gang leaves no stone unturned in it's goal of disturbing and arousing the viewer. LaBruce takes several stories and ties them together for a rousing finale using a traditional filmmaking technique, but this is no traditional film. We are presented with images of a skinhead jerking off onto Hitler's Mein Kampf, a Jewish gay skinhead singing Hebrew songs, a circle jerk surrounding a skinhead screwing a black man and chanting "monkey, monkey, monkey" and the more traditional porn images of toilet sex and plumber seduction.
Borrowing from Wash West's breakthrough film Squishy Does Porno, LaBruce switches back and forth between black and white, video and film to great effect. Integrating these effects with a terrific punk soundtrack gives us an original and engrossing film. Yavolslav Mogutin wrote text/poetry which the gay Jewish skinhead reads and sings over some of the sex scenes. The poetry is disturbing s/m text that somehow fits this crazy quilt of a film.
Stretching the boundaries of what we call "softcore," there are several cum scenes here, but no penetration shots. For that you'll need to get the full, unedited, and even more twisted hardcore version. Regardless, this is very hot stuff, indeed. Enjoy!..

The 2012 Dieux du Stade will offer a much-needed new, fresh theme with the naked athletes portraying the last survivors of a world that has disappeared, embarking on a boat for new horizons. Sounds promising! Enjoy!..

Presents 6 new Body Guards, fit and hunky men from the glamorous Las Vegas Strip. With backgrounds in university sports, military, and security, these fitness guys are ready to do it all for the best possible nude photo shoot. Our photographer knows how to add the finishing touches to make these body beautiful guys really show off in front of the camera. Enjoy!..

Two young hot guys are working their way through college cleaning pools. When they discover a showplace empty for the weekend, they invite a half-dozen of their muscle buddies over for the ultimate wet and wild pool party. The only rule: no swim suits! The beer and good times flow as these gorgeous naked guys lounge, play and get rowdy under the California sun. The party moves indoors and underwater as our cameras catch all the close-up naked action in the most private areas of the house. It's Hollywood's buffest nude summer blowout...at least until the owners come home. Enjoy!..

Claude Pérès takes viewers on a haunting journey with this groundbreaking erotic drama. The premise is simple: Pérès and a man he's never met will sleep together while the cameras roll. No contract, no film crew, no boundaries. The end result is a film that challenges viewers to look into the heart of human desire.
There’s palpable tension as "the director" (Pérès) and "the actor" (Marcel Schlutt from Locked Up, The Boy with the Sun in His Eyes, and Otto; or, Up with Dead People) engage in conversation and gradually give in to the film’s unusual and unpredictable scenario. Pérès loosely structures the encounter as an interview in which he poses piercing questions to his onscreen lover, himself, and the audience. It’s is the kind of film that seeps into the viewers’ subconscious and rattles their comfort levels. After watching Unfaithful, audiences will never look at cinema the same way again. Enjoy!..

Scott's smooth, muscular physique, and extraordinarily handsome features give him a "come fuck me" look that is hard to resist. The lighter wrestler, Scott, is aggressive from the outset. You'll love it as he completely manhandles the struggling Raul. Enjoy!..

More a tape of handsome, well-toned athletics frolicking in the nude than gay erotica, this video should be of interest to naturists and those who admire the male form. This good-natured take-off on the old TV staple, The Wide World of Sports features eight Playgirl model-athletes who "compete" in a series of "sports" to come up with a winner -- the catch is, most of the events are to be done in the nude. The five competitions include dodging a ball while on a trampoline (we're not talking mountain climbing here boys), mud-wrestling, Bucket Ball Scramble, soccer and an all-terrain marathon. We meet each athlete (and even see them linger in the shower), but the emphasis is on the athletic prowess (posing for the camera is a constant) as well as their dangling appendages (let's be honest).
For the first time, 8 Playgirl model-athletes share the same screen and playing field in the hottest, wildest, nude athletic competition ever. Their ripped, naked bodies strain against each other as they compete in five challenging events designed to show off every muscle of their stunning physiques. Watch them fight for supremacy in Bucket Ball Scramble, bounce ever higher in Trampoline Dodge Ball, use everything but their hands in Soccer Skirmish, strain for the lead in the All-Terrain Running Race and get down and dirty in Naked Mud Wrestling. And after marveling at the power and strength of their exquisite bodies, you'll meet them one-on-one as each hunk eagerly shows off every flexing muscle of his stunning nude body. If Wide Nude World of Sports were on television, you'd never change the channel! Enjoy!..

A young American soldier travels to Europe in search of the companionship he found with a fellow soldier during the war. Paying a visit to a bathhouse in Budapest, he is drawn into a world of male sensuality that re-awakens his sexual longing. Enjoy!..

Incredibly masculine men expose themselves for the camera in the behind the scenes video featuring photo shoots from famed German photographer Felix Drobek-Tresdale. Form the California beaches to a mountainside stream to a dark seductive getaway; you’ll experience these real men revealing their sexy rugged bodies. Mature, hairy, and trim; this voyeuristic film includes a variety of men that share the masculine bond this brilliant photographer is known for! Enjoy!..