"Politicians make strange bedfellows" in Henri Pachard's Watergate-on-the-cheap porn send-up PUBLIC AFFAIRS, on Blu-ray/DVD combo from Vinegar Syndrome.

Buttoned-down, Ivy League ideal Nicholas Stern (Paul Thomas, EMANUELLE AROUND THE WORLD) is running for congress to clean up the streets of New York of porn and prostitution, a self-proclaimed ally to feminists but also secretly to shadier interests by way of real estate mogul Fritz von Holenwohl (Richard Kerman, DEBBIE DOES DALLAS) – husband of Stern's socialite old flame Marybeth (Kelly Nichols, THE TOOLBOX MURDERS) – who is hoping that Stern can circumvent current laws that require reporting on the amount of American land owned by foreigners like wealthy Sheik Hassan Ben-Que (Jeffrey Wallach, NEW YORK NIGHTS). An avid follower of the congressional hopeful is reporter Elvira Lawrence (Annette Haven, DEEP TANGO), but what she does not realize is that Stern flagrantly betrays his ideals within the confines of his ultra-modern campaign mobile home, being sexually serviced by plucky volunteers – along with pining assistant Jodee (Annette Heinz, HOT LIPS) – and rounding up prostitutes to entertain his business interests with the help of campaign manager/former procurer Tommy Corona (Joey Silvera, SEXWORLD). Jodee's devotion to Sterns sours upon learning that he has arranged a strategic marriage to respectable Priscilla Hasselhoff (Chelsea Blake, JAILHOUSE GIRLS), and more so when he pimps her out for entertainment at a party for the sheik (in a lesbian duo performance with THROAT… 12 YEARS AFTER's Michelle Maren). After Jodee makes a public spectacle of herself at a rally, Elvira starts looking in Stern's operations with the hindrance of her coworker Harry (George Payne, THE TAMING OF REBECCA) who is concerned about ratings as well as the more concerted efforts of Corona to get into her bed.

One of a subgenre of porn films about political hypocrisy, the slick but modest PUBLIC AFFAIRS fares better than say Carlos Tobalina's over-long and badly-acted MARILYN & THE SENATOR due not only to an overall better cast and direction from Ron Sullivan (as Henri Pachard), but as much to a script that exposes such hypocrisy for more than titillation. Screenwriter Joyce Synder's later slasher PLEDGE NIGHT had used the formula to actually make some points about hazing and peer pressure, and PUBLIC AFFAIRS is unambiguous about where its sympathies lie, emphasizing Jodee's disillusionment and feelings of emotional betrayal – focusing throughout an orgy scene on her sour expression at her surroundings to the point of making what should be arousing in the shots look vulgar – as much as Elvira's own disappointment and anger about being taken in by Stern (contrasted with the greater cynicism of her colleague). Production values are high, and there certainly is some entertaining comedy to balance the drama, particularly Kerman's German-language ramblings during sex and Silvera's easy-going sleazebag who actually has some nice chemistry with Haven.

Released on VHS and DVD by Caballero in an old video master, PUBLIC AFFAIRS comes to Blu-ray from a 2K scan of the original 35mm camera negative, restoring a degree of gloss to the locations and the performers while the various on-the-fly New York location scenes also benefit from the preparation of industry stalwart Larry Revene (DOOM ASYLUM). No complaints about the DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 track or the unnecessary back-up 2.0 Dolby Digital track. Optional English SDH subtitles are also included.