The story shifts focus away from Paul to Sherry (Dorothy LeMay) and her family, the McBrides. Sherry’s brother, Junior (Kevin James), becomes fascinated by his mother, Joyce (Honey Wilder), and his sister. The film expertly juggles multiple incestuous relationships: brother-sister, mother-son, and father-daughter. One reviewer humorously noted the sequel’s shift in tone, describing it as “slapstick” rather than dramatic, writing that it was “determined to screw their brains out with one another”.
The sequel, Taboo II , released in 1982, faced the classic problem of the sophomore effort: how to top the original? Director Kirdy Stevens and producer Helene Terrie returned, but this time they escalated the stakes by expanding the "taboo" from a single mother-son relationship to a web of family entanglements.
The "Taboo" Franchise (Vol. I–IV) Era: The "Golden Age of Porn" Transition Key Creative Figures: Kirdy Stevens (Director), Helene Terrie (Writer), Kay Parker (Star)
The film’s release ignited a firestorm of controversy. It was one of the first major pornographic films to eroticize mother-son incest openly, moving beyond softcore suggestion into hardcore reality. Some praised it for its “eloquent and honest depiction of incest, in a way that’s accessible and understandable”, while others were horrified. A contemporary reviewer noted that Taboo was "controversially discussed" upon its arrival due to its depiction of the mother-son affair.
Taboo I-II-III-IV -1979-1985-: Breaking Barriers in the Golden Age of Adult Cinema Taboo I-II-III-IV -1979-1985-
The second installment, released in 1980, shifts its focus to bestiality, depicting a man's relationship with a series of animals. The film's use of close-ups, lingering shots, and eerie sound design created a sense of unease, making it a fascinating and unsettling watch. Taboo II sparked heated debates about the limits of on-screen content and the exploration of unconventional desires.
The Taboo series is not for the casual viewer. It’s stark, often ugly, and refuses the happy endings of typical adult cinema. But as a cultural artifact, it’s essential. It arrived at the tail end of the Sexual Revolution, just before the AIDS crisis and the Reagan-era crackdown on “obscenity.” Stevens and Parker created a portrait of American loneliness that transcends its genre. The films argue that the deepest taboo isn’t the act—it’s the silence, the denial, and the hollow search for love in the only place left when the outside world has failed you.
The brainchild of artist Stephen Colletta and writer Steve Englehart, among others, Taboo was first introduced by Savage Dragon publisher Tom DeFalco. The series was initially conceived as a one-shot but due to its popularity, it quickly spawned a series of annuals: Taboo I (1979), Taboo II (1980), Taboo III (1982), and Taboo IV (1985).
To the uninitiated, that string of Roman numerals and dates looks like a cryptic code or perhaps a dusty library filing system. But to connoisseurs of adult cinema history, those numbers represent a watershed moment—the "Golden Age" of the-taboo genre. The story shifts focus away from Paul to
, the series gained notoriety for its emphasis on high production values, narrative depth, and the iconic performance of British actress Kay Parker Core Series Overview (1980–1985) Release Date Primary Theme March 7, 1980 Mother-son attraction Kay Parker, Mike Ranger May 3, 1982 Multi-family incestuous relations Kay Parker, Dorothy LeMay February 18, 1984 Shared illicit pasts Kay Parker, Joyce McBride February 18, 1985 Trauma & psychologist perspective Jamie Gillis, Ginger Lynn Key Films and Narratives Taboo (1980): Following a divorce, Barbara Scott
: Further explores the repercussions of these relationships, maintaining the series' signature focus on narrative-driven adult drama. Taboo IV (1985)
Marketed originally as the conclusion to the narrative arc, Taboo III (1984) brought the focus back to the long-term psychological aftermath of the characters' choices.
During this timeframe, the industry moved toward higher production values and more complex narrative structures compared to previous decades. Filmmakers often attempted to blend traditional cinematic storytelling with adult content, utilizing professional lighting, synchronization of sound, and scripted dramas. One reviewer humorously noted the sequel’s shift in
family, exploring various forbidden pairings including brother-sister and father-daughter dynamics. Taboo III (1984) Focuses on the friendship between Barbara Scott Joyce McBride as they reconcile their shared illicit histories. Taboo IV: The Younger Generation (1985): Introduces Dr. Jeremy Lodge
While the Taboo name would eventually be serialized into more than 20 installments extending all the way into 2007, the initial golden era of remains the definitive benchmark for cinematic quality, narrative risk-taking, and cultural influence in adult film history.
In the early 1980s, the adult film industry was riding the tail end of its so-called “Golden Age.” It was an era of feature-length productions, relatively high production values, and an earnest—if often naive—attempt to bring narrative depth to erotic cinema. Against this backdrop emerged a film series that would become arguably the most infamous and influential of its kind: Taboo . More than just a collection of explicit scenes, the first four Taboo movies, released between 1979 and 1985, fundamentally pushed the boundaries of on-screen narrative by tackling a subject so deeply forbidden that its very title became a warning label.