Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is Tinto Brass' most delightful film, full of vitality and joie de vivre. There is practically no plot. Lola (Anna Ammirati) wants to experience sex. Her puritanical boyfriend, Masetto (Mario Parodi), does not. He wants her chaste until their wedding. But Lola is so achingly beautiful and gaminely charming that even celibate priests can't help looking twice and staring in rapt adoration. Ordinary mortals lust for her in much more sinful ways. So it comes as no surprise that Lola gets her wish. The film is a zesty celebration of life. It leaves you feeling refreshed, happy and puts a smile on your face for the rest of the day. It is NOT porn. It is Italian erotic comedy at its finest. It is sad that many viewers today cannot see the beauty of such films anymore, films that celebrate the beauty of the female form, the joys of sex, and ultimately, the simple fact of being alive.
Anna Ammirati is absolutely gorgeous as the winsome and irrepressible Lola. The camera cannot get enough of her. There is no explicit sex here, but there is plenty of full frontal nudity and Tinto Brass' trademark fetish for round female bottoms, hairy bushes, and the obligatory shot of his heroine peeing. If this disturbs you, then you should stay away.
The 1950s-influenced soundtrack contributes much to the happy feel of this film. From the upbeat title track, "Mona Monella," sung by Anna Ammirati herself (during the bicycling sequence and the end credits) to the half dozen other gems, including the infectious and very danceable "Mambo Italiano," to American classics like "Be Bop A Lula," "Let's Twist Again" and "In the Mood," the songs breathe with the sunny nature of this happy film.
Unfortunately this "Special Edition" DVD from Cult Epics is a disappointment. It is presented in its entirety, finally uncut and in its orignal theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1. However it comes without anamorphic enhancement (not enhanced for widescreen TV). But what is so unforgivable about this edition is how poor the picture actually looks. It doesn't look at all like it was made in 1998. It looks more like a half-hearted transfer of a film from the early 70s. Colors are lacklustre, especially so in exterior shots where they appear washed out. Picture is soft and grainy, partly due to the director's use of soft-focus but also in large part due to the transfer. A lot of the exteriors (and some interiors) look like they were shot through a perpetual soft haze. A very poor effort by Cult Epics. Thankfully, Cult Epics has provided the original Italian Dolby Stereo track which sounds surprisingly good, especially in the music sequences. Optional English subtitles are also provided. This is a treasurable film and it deserves to be properly remastered.
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