''Michael Lucas' La Dolce Vita'' is a gay pornographic

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...

of the

Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...

classic film ''

La Dolce Vita ''La Dolce Vita'' (; Italian for "the sweet life" or "the good life"Kezich, 203) is a 1960 satirical comedy-drama film directed and co-written (with Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli and Brunello Rondi) by Federico Fellini. The film stars Marcell ...

'', directed by Michael Lucas and Tony Dimarco and released by

Lucas Entertainment Lucas Entertainment is a New York-based gay pornographic studio started by porn star Michael Lucas. It is one of the largest such studios in the world. The studio is known for lavish, big-budget films, and it contends that its 2006 film ''Mic ...

in 2006. The film stars Michael Lucas, Jason Ridge, Chad Hunt, Cole Ryan, Pete Ross, Derrick Hanson, Ray Star, Brad Star, Jack Bond, Wilson Vasquez, Jonathan Vargas, Ben Andrews, and more. It features non-sexual cameos by

Savanna Samson Savanna Samson (born October 14, 1967) is the stage name of Natalie Oliveros, an American former pornographic actress. The winner of several AVN Awards, she has spent most of her career as a contract performer with major producer Vivid Entertain ...

Kevin Aviance Kevin Aviance (born Eric Snead on June 22, 1968) is an American drag queen, club/dance musician, fashion designer and nightclub personality. He is a personality in New York City's gay scene and has performed throughout North America, Europe and ...

Amanda Lepore Amanda Lepore is an American model, singer, and performance artist. A former Club Kid, she has appeared in advertising for numerous companies. Lepore is noted as a regular subject in photographer David LaChapelle's work, serving as his muse, as ...

, Heather Fink,

Will Clark William Nuschler Clark Jr. (born March 13, 1964) is an American professional baseball first baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 through 2000. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, an ...

and Johnny Hanson. Lucas contends that the film is the most expensive

gay porn Gay pornography is the representation of sexual activity between males. Its primary goal is sexual arousal in its audience. Softcore gay pornography also exists; it at one time constituted the genre, and may be produced as beefcake pornogra ...

film ever made due to a budget of $250,000 and multiple celebrity cameos.

Cast

* Ben Andrews *

Rod Barry Rod Barry (born 5 December 1973; also ''Rob deBaer'', ''Rod Berry'', ''Rod'') is a former pornographic actor and director from the United States who has been credited in over 150 pornographic films and internet-based shows since entering the indus ...

* Jack Bond * Jamie Donovan * Erik Grant * Derrick Hanson * Michael Lucas * Jack MacCarthy * Spencer Quest * Pete Ross * Cole Ryan * Brad Star * Ray Star * Jonathan Vargas * Wilson Vasquez

Cameos (non-sexual)

Gus Mattox Tom Judson (born November 14, 1960) is an American musical theatre actor and composer, particularly for off-Broadway plays, and a retired pornographic film actor. His credits include writing music for the films '' Metropolitan'', ''Good Money'' ...

Michael Musto Michael Musto (born December 3, 1955) is an American journalist who has long been a prevalent presence in entertainment-related publications, as well as on websites and television shows. Musto is best known as a columnist for ''The Village Voice ...

* Johnny Hanson *

* Heather Fink

Awards

In 2007 at the GayVN's in San Francisco, it won all 14 awards it was nominated for, including best picture, best director (Michael Lucas & Tony DiMarco), best threesome (Michael Lucas, Derrick Hanson, and Jason Ridge), best actor (Michael Lucas) and best non-sexual performance (

). * 2007

GayVN Award The GayVN Awards are film awards presented annually to honor work done in the gay pornographic industry. The awards were sponsored by '' AVN Magazine'', the parent publication of ''GAYVN Magazine'', and continue the recognition for gay pornograp ...

: Best Picture * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Actor * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Threesome * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Director * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Supporting Actor * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Non-Sex Performance * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Screenplay * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Editing * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Music * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Art Direction * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Videography * 2007 GayVN Award: Best DVD Extras/Special Edition * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Packaging * 2007 GayVN Award: Best Marketing Campaign

Issues of trademark and copyright infringement

Lucas Entertainment, Inc., its distribution wing and Michael Lucas were named as

defendants In court proceedings, a defendant is a person or object who is the party either accused of committing a crime in criminal prosecution or against whom some type of civil relief is being sought in a civil case. Terminology varies from one jurisdic ...

in a lawsuit filed by International Media Films, Inc. in February 2007. The suit alleges willful

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from others ...

and

copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...

against the ''La Dolce Vita'' mark. International Media Films owns the rights to Fellini's ''La Dolce Vita''. The suit seeks unspecified

damages At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognised at ...

and to stop sales of ''Michael Lucas' La Dolce Vita Parts 1 & 2''. In May 2007, a Manhattan federal judge rejected the request to enjoin the sales of Lucas' film, primarily on the grounds of "inexcusable delay" on the plaintiff's part. The judge noted that there were serious issues raised regarding trademark infringement or tarnishment, but also wrote that it "seems extremely unlikely that a hapless purchaser seeking to buy Fellini’s film will inadvertently stumble across ''Michael Lucas’s La Dolce Vita''”, which would be an important element in proving IMF's case. Lucas won the lawsuit in April 2010 in a

summary judgment In law, a summary judgment (also judgment as a matter of law or summary disposition) is a judgment entered by a court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes ...

by Judge John George Koeltl, who dismissed IMF's claims of copyright infringement.

References

{{Reflist Gay pornographic films 2000s pornographic films 2006 films American remakes of Italian films Films directed by Michael Lucas 2000s English-language films