Porn Machete Murder Hits Sundance via ‘Mope’

In 2011, Michael Albo wrote a haunting, detailed account of a “porn machete murder” for the LA Weekly. In the piece, Albo recounts events occurring in 2010 involving Steve Driver’s work as a mope and eventual murder/suicide.

Per Albo, the mope — as a person and as a job — came to “rootless, shambling life” in 1995 during production of The World’s Biggest Gang Bang starring Annabel Chong.

The film’s “pitch” stated that Chong would engage in various sex acts with up to 300 men. Finding that many men already in the industry and willing to work in such a situation, however, was prohibitive (read: downright impossible) on many levels. As such, a casting call went out via various sex weeklies and adult magazines. In the end, about 70 men made it to the shoot — mopes.

It wasn’t long before numerous copycat productions were created, and the mope gained a foothold as a new kind of performer — but not one that was taken very seriously or treated very nicely. For instance, Albo’s work quoted Jim Powers saying: “[Mopes a]re worthless, D-list load-droppers.” This was the tenor of the space that helped shape Driver’s work in the industry years later.

Fast forward to 2019. Though Albo’s work may or may not have informed it, you can now watch a version of Driver’s end-of-days via Mope.

According to Deadline.com, the film Mope is based on the “true story of a real-life murder in 2010 at a San Fernando Valley porn company” wherein “a mope (slang for a wannabe porn star), who was living in the company’s warehouse at the time, went on a rampage with a sword when he was told he was fired.” Simple as that, apparently.

Mope is Lucas Heyne’s feature directing debut and will premiere later this month in the Midnight section of the Sundance Film Festival. Deadline has an exclusive, first-look clip of the film that you can watch at the link above.

Once can expect the film rendering of this story will be neither as nuanced nor as accurate as Albo’s account — but you never know. Regardless, though Mope may or may not be worth the watch, Albo’s piece is definitely worth the read.

Image via Carlos Sillero.