There is a promising new player on the spanking video scene: Caned4Cash. Basically, the name tells you all you need to know, and the concept is as simple as it is effective. There is no plot, no scripted dialogue, no change of scenery or playing around with costumes. There is only a couple of dominas and their young female victims in a room, where the latter get, well, caned for cash. The more strokes they take, the higher their financial reward. And that's all there is to it.

It may sound boring on paper, but the results are very watchable. Personally, I've always had a soft spot for "reality" spanking videos. There is something pure, genuine and exciting about this approach, and it's astonishing that only a few producers are doing it. Most others keep recycling the same old scenarios, ranging from the beloved "schoolgirls in trouble" and various tales of "juvenile delinquents" to more vicious plots about "military discipline" or "interrogation of the secret agent Jane Bondage". With varying success, depending on how much creativity and humour the team brings into it, and how tolerable the "acting" turns out to be. But one of the most potentially interesting scenarios gets sadly overlooked, and that is what one could call the "documentary approach": just get a couple of "real" girls, spank them on camera and record their natural reactions, without artifice. The only other company I can remember doing this extensively was Raven Hill Studios with their "Beach Girl Spankings" and "Spankin' Down the Highway" series. Now, Caned4Cash are doing it, and what is even better, the action is harder, and better filmed, than anything Raven Hill ever did.

Actually, their first release is the most promising debut I have seen since Mood Pictures burst onto the scene a few years ago, and it bodes well for more great things to come. Appropriately enough, it is titled "The Budapest Girls", and I've actually seen two of the participants in videos by Mood Pictures before. I'm informed that Caned4Cash plan on covering other countries and "talent pools" with their future productions. Either way, even if they stay in Hungary, the results should be spectacular - that much is certain already after watching this first video.

There are three dominas, Gabirella, Kira and Angie Vicious (of "Gestapo" fame), and four girls for them to play around with. Erika, a stocky, dark-haired girl whom I've seen in "Hour of Penitence" and on the website "Spanked Cutie", among other releases. A beautiful, well-tanned blonde named Krisztina. Third, another Krisztina, a tomboy-type with short hair. And finally, my personal favourite of the video, Viktoria, a naturally pretty, long-limbed blonde with a calm, cheerful demeanor. After a short opener introducing the participants, to music and with behind-the-scenes type footage, we jump right into the middle of things.

Since there is no plot and not much dialogue, there is only so much one can write about what ensues. All of the action takes place in a large living room. The dominas take turns caning the girls, with strokes given out in doses of ten. The positions change as well. For the first "quarter", the recipients are strapped to a podium, for the second, lying down flat on a bench. After that, they kneel on all fours on that bench, and finally, the last canings are given with the girls standing, slightly bent over. The talk is kept to a minimum, with the dominas usually inquiring "are you ready for the next ten?", or complimenting one of the bottoms that she is "taking this very well". By the end of the whole thing - the video lasts 44 minutes -, all four have nicely caned, visibly welted asses. Blonde Krisztina takes a total 50 strokes, while all the others, by my counting, take 100.

The dominas are business-like, with hints of playfulness. They seem to be enjoying their work quite a bit, for obvious reasons. The canings are fairly severe - not as extreme as some of the stuff you will see from Mood Pictures or Rigid East, but pretty close behind. Taking into account that the girls take a high number of strokes, it is an impressive beating overall. My only complaint is that some of the segments go by too quickly, and that the dommes find it difficult to settle into a proper rhythm. In fairness, though, this is arguably impossible when you give out strokes in doses of ten. With all the switching and changing places that is going on, both for the dominas and the bottoms, the end result is a bit hectic. Maybe it would be a good idea to give the strokes in somewhat larger doses for the next release, or to let one caner give several segments in succession, so that she (and the recipient) can settle into a rhythm. As it is, there are too many breaks and interruptions.

But this is a minor gripe. Overall, "The Budapest Girls" is a highly laudable effort, especially for a debut. The most interesting aspect of such a "documentary" type video is of course the reaction of the girls. Erika and the short-haired Krisztina had been caned before, while the others were "spanking virgins", which makes it all the more exciting. The differences in their facial reactions, their tone of voice as they count the strokes, and their overall demeanor are what makes this video fascinating in a subtle way. The "veterans" Erica and Krisztina are both very vocal and loud, what you could call the "angry" reaction to being caned. The other, blonde Krisztina struggles the most. She is sometimes on the verge of crying, has to ask for rest periods, and ends up taking the fewest strokes overall. She doesn't participate in the last, "standing up" segment anymore.

As previously mentioned, though, my favourite here is Viktoria. Not only has she got a foxy, girl-next-door face and a magnificent body, she also shows hints (as much as it is possible in a production of this nature) of an interesting personality. All the girls are appropriately nervous, but Viktoria also seems curious and, at times, slightly amused by the proceedings. Her reaction to the caning is restrained and impressive, the more so for a debutante. It is obvious that she is suffering, but she is tough and proud and keeps her displays of anguish under control as much as possible. Her counting of the strokes is calm and steady, and she even manages a smile or two in between the segments, while she undresses or approaches the bench. In so many words, Viktoria exhibits all the traits I most enjoy seeing in a spanking video, and I sincerely hope that this is not the last we have seen of her.

The technical quality is good. Three cameras are used to film the action, one for a general perspective, one for the facial reactions of the girls, and one for the bottoms in close-up. It is always satisfying to see the welts developing in a pure caning video, especially on such shapely asses. Caned4Cash will make a member section of their website available, where not only the full, edited video of "The Budapest Girls" is available for download, but also the entire footage of the different perspectives. In addition, there is a 20-minute behind-the-scenes feature. With this wealth of material, even though it is still early in the year, I'm ready to pronounce that Caned4Cash have released the most promising debut of 2006, and very probably one of the best videos of the season.