Behind the Green Door: The Sequel (1986) — Sex, Spectacle, and Safe Sex in the Age of AIDS

When Behind the Green Door: The Sequel debuted in 1986, it entered a world where adult cinema was no longer a quiet underground curiosity. The porn industry had gone through the “Golden Age” of the 1970s, the home-video boom of the early 1980s, and was now colliding head-on with one of the most urgent public health crises of the century; the AIDS epidemic.

The sequel was produced by Jim and Artie Mitchell, the notorious San Francisco brothers who had shocked and fascinated the world with the 1972 original Behind the Green Door, one of the first hardcore pornographic films to receive widespread theatrical distribution. That first film had been mysterious, wordless, and hypnotic, blending erotic performance with avant-garde surrealism, and it became a cultural lightning rod.

Fourteen years later, the Mitchells wanted to reimagine their classic for a different era — an era defined not only by home VCRs and high-gloss 1980s aesthetics, but also by the urgency of sexual health education. The Sequel would keep the theatrical erotic fantasy but embed within it a stark, deliberate “safe sex” message, making it arguably the first high-profile safe-sex porno ever produced.

It was a bold gamble: could an adult film still arouse while openly preaching about condom use, dental dams, and latex gloves? Could the surreal magic of the Green Door survive under the weight of a public service announcement?

The answer according to critics and audiences was complicated.

The 1986 film didn’t try to replicate the trance-like purity of the original. Instead, it embraced a more cabaret-style presentation, filled with music, comedy, and theatrical spectacle. The story followed a new heroine, Gloria (played by Missy Manners, real name Elisa Florez), a flight attendant whose journey would take her from the ordinary world into a surreal nightclub of erotic performance, eclectic sexual encounters, and finally, into a symbolic role as a safe-sex advocate.

While the film struggled commercially and critically criticized for its awkward narrative, weak acting, and jarring tonal shifts it remains historically significant for three reasons:

• Its public health mission: in the middle of a devastating epidemic, it boldly normalized protective sex acts in porn.
• Its political and casting intrigue: the lead actress was not a typical adult industry newcomer, but a politically connected Republican with a Washington, D.C. résumé.
• Its technical polish: while narratively flawed, the production values — cinematography, set design, costumes — were significantly higher than the 1972 original.

For adult film historians, The Sequel is a fascinating snapshot of a transitional moment — when erotic entertainment collided with public health advocacy, when a cultural icon from the Golden Age of Porn was reframed through the lens of 1980s AIDS awareness, and when the adult industry was struggling to balance fantasy with responsibility.

Missy Manners / Elisa Florez

The story of Behind the Green Door: The Sequel cannot be told without talking about its leading lady — Missy Manners, whose real name is Elisa Florez.
Her presence in the film was as much a cultural curiosity as it was a cinematic choice, and it sparked debates far beyond the adult entertainment industry.

From Capitol Hill to the Green Door

Long before she became the central figure in one of the 1980s’ most infamous adult films, Elisa Florez had an unlikely political pedigree.
As a teenager, she served as a United States Senate Page and later worked as a receptionist for Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch. She grew up with deep Republican ties, and her father served as Undersecretary of Education during the George H. W. Bush administration.

Elisa described herself as a “Reagan Republican” — conservative in politics, yet fiercely independent about personal freedom and sexual autonomy. This unusual blend of establishment politics and sexual libertarianism made her casting remarkable.

The Relationship That Led to the Role

By the mid-1980s, Elisa was dating Artie Mitchell. Some sources claim she demanded the role of Gloria, while she insists she auditioned fairly. Either way, her involvement was rare: a politically connected outsider stepping into the most high-profile porn sequel of its era.

Safe-Sex Advocate in the Age of AIDS

At the peak of the AIDS crisis, Elisa pushed for all acts in the film to feature condoms, dental dams, or gloves. She also created “Missy’s Guide to Safe Sex”, cementing herself as one of the first porn stars to openly merge erotic performance with HIV prevention activism.

Judith Martin, the syndicated etiquette columnist “Miss Manners” sued over her stage name. The press loved the clash between high etiquette and hardcore porn, and it made Elisa an even bigger headline figure.

Her father and stepmother were estranged from her for a year after the film’s release, unable to reconcile her work with their political world. Elisa never backed down, framing her career as an act of political self-expression.

Production Background & Comparisons to the 1972 Original

The 1972 Behind the Green Door was shot for $60,000, virtually wordless, and hypnotic in pace — a cult initiation ritual on film. It had raw charm, minimal lighting, and slow-burn eroticism.

The 1986 sequel was different:

• Cinematography: smoother camera moves, dynamic lighting, rich color palettes.
• Editing: faster, more varied shot compositions.
• Set Design: a lush, crowded cabaret space replacing the original’s sparse stage.
• Music: full cabaret numbers and synth interludes.

Erotically, the sequel traded hypnotic pacing for variety and spectacle. Safe-sex imagery was integrated into every scene — groundbreaking but polarizing. The mystery of the original was replaced with a voyeuristic meta-frame, making the sequel more self-aware but less enigmatic.

Scene-by-Scene Explicit Plot Breakdown

Gloria Returns from Flight

The film opens with the hiss of an airplane cabin door and the faint chatter of passengers. Cut to Gloria (Missy Manners), stepping into her apartment still in her flight attendant uniform, the skirt hugging her hips and the blouse crisp against her curves. She drops her overnight bag in the hallway, sighing with the relief of privacy.

She moves toward her bedroom, fingers sliding down the line of her blouse, slowly unbuttoning. Each release exposes more of the lace beneath until she lets the shirt fall open, shrugging it from her shoulders to reveal a soft white bra that barely contains her breasts. Her skirt follows, the zipper’s rasp giving way to the rustle of fabric as it pools at her feet, leaving her in pantyhose and panties.

She pours a generous glass of wine, slips a VHS tape into her player, and sits back. On the television, the 1972 Behind the Green Door flickers — erotic, surreal, hypnotic. Gloria’s eyes drink in the imagery; her lips part, and one hand drifts to rest on her thigh, fingers idly tracing circles through the sheer nylon.

Across the street, a man in a wheelchair leans forward over a bank of surveillance monitors. He switches between feeds — one hidden in her kitchen, one in her living room, one in her bedroom. His camera zooms in on the curve of her breast beneath the bra, then the parting of her legs as she shifts. We see her through his eyes: framed, focused, owned.

Voyeur’s Setup

The voyeur’s control is absolute. His hands glide over dials and sliders, the image sharpening until the lace of her bra is clear enough to imagine the warmth beneath. He tilts the camera to follow as she leans forward for her wine, her blouse gaping open to reveal a teasing line of cleavage.

Back in her apartment, Gloria exhales softly, her fingers brushing the hem of her panties through the nylon. She’s absorbed in the film — erotic scenes from the original Green Door reflecting in her eyes — but the intercut shots from the voyeur’s monitors remind us: her private arousal is being stolen, broadcast to an unseen audience of one.

It’s a layered fantasy: the audience watching Gloria, watching porn, being watched.

Cabaret Transition

The wine glass empties, and Gloria’s eyelids flutter. Without warning, the edges of her apartment dissolve, replaced by the glow of a streetlight over the Green Door Club. She’s now outside its grand entrance: a gold arch framing lush velvet curtains, the neon-green sign pulsing above.

A tuxedoed emcee steps forward, bowing slightly, his eyes traveling over her body in open appraisal.

“Every pleasure awaits inside, my dear — but remember, the only thing you should catch tonight is a smile.”

He pulls back the curtain to reveal dancers in glittering costumes, some with latex gloves incorporated into their outfits, others with condoms dangling from garter belts like cheeky charms. A safe-sex message is built into the seduction, but it’s playful, not clinical. Gloria steps inside, drawn by the music and the promise.

Arrival Inside

Gloria steps into the club, moving through a crowd as eclectic as it is sexual.

• Drag queens in corsets and feathered headdresses glide past.
• Masked fetishists mingle with half-nude burlesque dancers.
• A dwarf in a sequined vest offers her a champagne flute while stroking her wrist suggestively.

The camera lingers on these interactions — a hand brushing her thigh, a stranger’s lips brushing her ear — hinting at the intimacy to come. Gloria’s eyes are wide, her breathing deepening. She’s still mostly an observer here, but she’s beginning to lean into the atmosphere.

The club lights dim and the stage becomes the focal point. Sharon McNight, in a glittering gown, steps forward and belts a sultry cabaret tune. Her backup dancers move in synchronized, sexually suggestive choreography, each ending with a cheeky gesture involving a condom.

During the number, performers leave the stage to mingle:

• A masked man slides behind Gloria, his hand resting on her hip.
• A woman in a fishnet bodysuit leans in to kiss her neck.
• A couple seated nearby invites her closer with a clink of their champagne glasses.

The line between stage performance and audience seduction blurs.

The Main Orgy

The curtain sweeps open to reveal a multi-level stage drenched in deep crimson light, edged with gold trim. On the top tier, a pair of muscular men in leather harnesses are already locked in a slick, grinding embrace. One kneels to take the other into his mouth, his gloved hands gripping oily thighs, the light glistening on every flex and ripple of their bodies.

Below them, a plus-size woman reclines on a velvet chaise, her jeweled bra barely containing her breasts. She laughs throatily as her slender partner kneels between her legs, slowly peeling away her sequined thong. The camera moves in to catch the moment a latex barrier slides into place before the first long, deliberate lick over her clit, her hips rising to meet it.

To one side, a bearded lady in a tight corset sits astride a dwarf in silver sequins, their mouths pressed together in a wet, hungry kiss. Her hand disappears between their bodies, stroking him until he groans; she then guides his cock sheathed in latex into herself with a theatrical flourish, throwing her head back in exaggerated ecstasy.

Gloria, standing at the edge of the platform, watches it all with parted lips. A tall, masked man approaches, holding her gaze. Without a word, he lifts her hand to his chest, then slides it down to his belt. She undoes it slowly, feeling the heat of him straining against his briefs. When she pulls him free, the camera lingers on her fingers rolling the condom down his shaft an act framed as both erotic ritual and visual declaration of the film’s politics.

He draws her into the center of the stage, their mouths meeting in a deep kiss. She pushes his coat from his shoulders, her hands moving to grip his ass as he lifts her easily, her thighs wrapping around his waist. Her panties are tugged aside; he enters her in one slow, deliberate thrust. Around them, the orgy reaches fever pitch bodies moving in sync, hands and mouths everywhere, every act shown with its protective barrier in place but no less charged for it.

The camera sweeps across the chaos: a woman riding another’s face, her gloved fingers buried inside her partner; a man taking a cock in his mouth while stroking another with his hand; couples in a tangle of limbs and latex. The atmosphere is less choreographed ritual and more carnival of lust — loud, varied, unapologetically inclusive.

Gloria’s Double Fantasy

From the red chaos, the scene melts into the warm amber of a private bedroom. Gloria lies in the center of a wide bed, her body framed in soft focus, hair tousled over her bare shoulders. She’s wearing only a cream slip, the thin straps sliding down her arms.

Two men enter from opposite sides. The dark-haired one leans in first, kissing her mouth with slow pressure, while the blond kneels at her side, brushing his lips over her neck and down to her chest. Their hands work in harmony one lifting the hem of her slip, the other cupping her breast, thumb circling her nipple until it hardens under his touch.

They undress with unhurried care. The blond man kneels between her legs, his hands parting her thighs as he leans in. The first slow stroke of his tongue makes her gasp, her hips twitching upward. The dark-haired man kisses her deeply as her moans vibrate into his mouth. The camera catches her hands tangling in their hair, guiding them with small, insistent movements.

When they pause, both men slide condoms from the nightstand drawer, tearing the wrappers open in perfect sync. Gloria watches intently, her chest rising and falling faster now. The blond moves between her legs, guiding himself into her with a slow, filling thrust. She arches under him, her nails tracing lines down his back. The dark-haired man kisses her, then shifts to kneel over her chest, guiding his cock between her breasts before leaning down to let her take him into her mouth.

The rhythm is languid but charged the blond rocking into her with deep, even strokes while she moans around the other’s length, saliva glistening on her lips. They switch seamlessly, the change in position making her cry out as the angle shifts, the new depth hitting harder.

The scene focuses on their faces as much as their bodies her eyes fluttering closed, the men’s expressions as they watch her unravel. When release comes, it’s controlled, the camera fading on the sight of her lying back, chest heaving, a satisfied smile curving her lips. It’s the only moment in the film where everything —the sex, the intimacy, the safe-sex ethic aligns perfectly.

Fragmented Interludes

We return backstage. Gloria passes mirrors where performers adjust costumes and reapply lipstick. A safe-sex demonstration is acted out for comedic effect using a cucumber and a box of condoms.

Between these light moments, we cut to the voyeur’s surveillance feed again — reminding us that, in some way, all of this may still be under his gaze.

Gloria Empowered

When Gloria returns to the stage, the shift in her demeanor is clear. She now wears a black satin corset, thigh-high stockings, and opera gloves.

She leads partners rather than follows them — pulling a man into a kiss, unhooking a woman’s bra, tossing a condom to a waiting partner like she’s setting the rules. The choreography centers her as the director of the scene, a woman in full control of her sexuality.

Cabaret Finale & Puppet PSA

The stage fills with performers in a grand final tableau of erotic acts. Then, unexpectedly, a felt puppet appears at center stage, delivering a condom lecture in a sultry voice:

“Don’t be a fool — wrap your tool.”

The camera cuts between the puppet’s monologue and ongoing protected sex acts, hammering home the film’s safe-sex mission in its most absurd and unforgettable form.

Closing Shot

The club fades, and Gloria is back on her couch, the original Behind the Green Door still playing on her TV. Across the street, the voyeur’s silhouette is briefly visible before the blinds close. Whether her night in the Green Door Club happened at all is left a mystery.

Who Should Watch & Fantasies It Serves

Ideal Audience:

• Adult film historians.
• Safe-sex advocates.
• Fans of surreal erotic theater.
• Viewers seeking inclusive, body-positive representation.
• Those curious about Missy Manners’ political persona.

Fantasies:

• Voyeurism.
• Group play and carnival orgies.
• Safe-sex kink.
• Sensual threesomes.
• Femme-led sexual agency.
• Erotic surrealism.

Conclusion & Final Verdict

Behind the Green Door: The Sequel is part erotic spectacle, part public health manifesto.
As porn, it’s flawed; as a cultural document, it’s invaluable. It’s a bold, strange hybrid that dared to make safe sex erotic and gave its heroine control of the fantasy. Whether it fully succeeded is debatable but its ambition and uniqueness are not.

For those seeking raw arousal, it may frustrate. For those seeking history, inclusivity, and a vivid portrait of sexuality in the shadow of AIDS, it’s essential viewing.

The Movie

Main Cast

• Missy Manners (Elisa Florez) – Gloria
• James Martin – Barry
• Sharon McNight – Wanda / Club Singer
• Lulu Reed – Flight Crew / Maenad
• Marie Fallon – Flight Crew / Maenad
• Candi – Flight Crew / Maenad
• Friday Jones – Flight Crew / Maenad
• Aubec Kane – Herm 1
• Andrew Young – Pan
• Ja Kinncaide – Trapeze 2
• Lane Ross – Trapeze 3
• Brock Roland – Club Doorman
• Squirt – Club Host
• Claudine Wims – Waitress
• Rita Ricardo – Lady in Red Gown
• Noel Juar – Tattooed Lady
• Wednesday Will & Sixten Bjorline – Slow Dancers
• Susie Bright – Club Patron
• Erica Idol – Club Performer
• Marilyn Chambers – Archive Footage as Gloria Saunders (from the 1972 original)