I occasionally come across a classic porn feature and notice a particular flair. And more often than not, it turns out to be the work of Paul Thomas.

Starting out as a performer, Thomas turned to directing in 1985 and was behind some of my favourite films of the golden age of porn.

I usually scoff at the idea of “plot-driven porn” – don’t we all just skip ahead to the sex scenes, anyway? – but Thomas has a particular knack for making it work. His films are often rooted in the recognizable lives of relatable characters – depicting the intense sexual urges and frustrations bubbling just below the surface of our civilized daily lives. As in “Bad Wives” where two bored housewives indulge in their erotic fantasies about a hot and dangerous stranger.

In other words, the plots works because they’re basically about sex – with an undercurrent of sexual tensions running through every scene.

Today, many porn performers have acting skills to go with their sexual talents – and directors shoot scenes with dramatic and emotional heft. But already in the early 90s, Thomas was a trailblazer for using porn to tell a serious story.

As a result, many Paul Thomas sex scenes are arousing on a different level: You’re not just watching two random performers banging – you’re witnessing a sexual act between characters you relate to and care about.

And his films look great: Thomas pioneered the use of soft lighting and elegant cinematography to acheive what porn is all about: To make sex look as good as it feels.