Top Sensation (1969) review

TOP SENSATION aka THE SEDUCERS aka SKLAVEN IHRER TRIEBE (SLAVES OF THEIR DESIRES)

Rosalba Neri (Paola), Edwige Fenech (Ulla), Maud De Belleroche (Mudy), Maurizio Banuglia (Aldo), Ruggero Muti (Tony), Eva Thulin (Beba), Salvatore Puntillo (Andro)

Directed by Ottavio Alessi

***WARNING! This review contains an image of nudity***

The Short Version: Leaving nary a stone unturned, this rare Italian sex thriller sets a course for a myriad number of subjects and taboos during its carnal voyage at sea. Politics share beds with such topics as bestiality, incest and rampant sexual deviancy. Of course, all this leads to murder in a shocking finale that portends to be a morality play by capping the last shot with a biblical quote, no less! On this 'Love Boat', everybody screws everybody one way or another. Starring two of Italian genre cinemas most sensual, and popular actresses, TOP SENSATION is a top film for fans of sleazy European movies. 



A dominating, abusive oil baroness whisks her mentally deficient, pyromaniacal son off on a yacht cruise in the hopes of turning him into a man via sexual stimulation. To do this, she invites a greedy, sex-hungry married couple and a voluptuous prostitute along for the voyage. When the young man shows interest only in matches and his toys, a break comes when the yacht runs aground near a small Mediterranean island inhabited only by a beautiful farm girl and her oafish husband. Coming out of his shell, the boy shows a strong interest in the peasant girl. Tragically, the resulting culture clash leads to disastrous consequences.



Italian cinema has had a long history of taking themes not uniquely their own and making them so. They've also shown a tendency to take pure escapist entertainment and make a blatant political statement out of it. Their westerns are arguably the most famous example whereby politics glaringly raided the typical 'Cowboys and Indians' scenario. The crime pictures that replaced them were understandably political; even more so. Their horror films didn't escape subtextual social relevance, either. TOP SENSATION is, on its outer crust, a sexploitation picture that takes advantage of many opportunities to showcase its cast of lovelies both in bikinis and out of them; wantonly indulging in their carnal proclivities. But at its core, it would seem the director wanted to explore other areas outside of the female form.



About ten minutes into the film, it becomes apparent Alessi's movie is not only about sex, but about social class warfare via the seduction and subjugation of the gullible and the peasantly. This leftist cinema oasis propagates the myth that the rich are all evil and the poor are all naive, existing only as toys of the wealthy to be manipulated and played with; and discarded when their purpose is served. Like any other tale of good vs. evil, it makes for interesting cinema. The prime theme here -- at least in this reviewers eyes -- is greed. Greed takes shape in multiple forms, whether it be sexual or monetary. Greed knows no social status, and this is displayed in the film.



Without giving too much away, there's only one character in the picture who is remotely virtuous -- the inexperienced goat herder, Beba. Her character is devoutly innocent. Once she is enticed aboard the yacht, her mud-caked shoes and wooden staff she wields are a stark contrast with the gluttonous surroundings of the modernist interlopers. This barely inhabited island likewise clashes symbolically with the fancy seafaring vessel. The island represents purity. It's uncorrupted just as its two bumpkin occupants are uncorrupted. On the flipside, the yacht represents lust, greed, and decadence in its purest form.



Granted, Mudy, the overbearing, bossy, butchy businesswoman is the only wealthy character presented to us. We don't know how she accumulated her riches -- on her own, or inherited -- but all of her guests want a piece of her pie. The married couple, the devious Aldo and unscrupulous Paola, will do anything for an oil concession. The bubble-headed prostitute Ulla has dollar signs dancing in her head, as well.



Beba's husband Andro is revealed to be a chauvinist at one point; providing the catalyst by which the equally domineering Mudy takes advantage to sway Beba into liberating her femininity. Even here, Mudy's intentions are anything but good. Her pep talk isn't to awaken Beba from a doting housewife, but to manipulate her into awakening her son's libido. Unbeknownst to Mudy, her son Tony harbors deep hatred for her -- the origin of which we never learn. Tony is the most emotionally scarred character in the movie; at least from what we're given visually. 



Taken into context, Alessi's movie is populated by fragile, easily influenced, deceptive, or unstable characters. Nobody is totally free of guilt. 

When it's not politicizing social classes, TOP SENSATION moonlights as an erotic thriller; the camera frequently making love to its curvaceous cast, yet its sex and sleaze quotient titillate without going too far. With voyeuristic intention, Rosalba Neri (in one of her best roles) and Edwige Fenech (in one of her earliest roles) are the real reasons to watch. Not to mention that the yacht itself is rigged with surveillance cameras!



There's not only lesbianism and voyeurism, but a scene of bestiality wherein a goat takes a liking to one of Fenech's breasts before dipping between her legs to bring her to orgasm! The taboo of incest finds room amongst the carnal deviancy as well. If you view the ten minutes of additional scenes from the US version, you'll see even more sex, extended and alternate nude shots not present in the Italian release. Furthermore, nine minutes of additional scenes from the German version (mostly new footage shot for that market) are included on this set.

Sante Romitelli's music has some good cues, even though its catchy main theme feels out of place given the subject matter. The picture closes with this soaringly romantic theme; ironic in that the few remaining alive will not be for very long.



Camera Obscura's double disc DVD is the best version available of this rare, nearly lost film. It's not perfect, though. There's noticeable gaps in the script suffered by a drought in some of the characterizations; although we're teased with just enough exposition for some to get an idea of how they operate. The many nude scenes easily distract from this, although the social subtext is omnipresent. It often feels like there's two movies being made here. Diehard Euro fans will dig it regardless. The ingredients of a trash classic are present and accounted for, yet the film never quite goes too far over the top. Still, there's enough to offend passersby, and plenty to satisfy fans of European sexploitation fare.

This review is representative of the Camera Obscura R2 2 disc DVD.

Chatterbox! (1977) review

CHATTERBOX! 1977

Candice Rialson (Penelope Pittman), Larry Gelman (Dr. Pearl), Jane Kean (Eleanor Pittman), Arlene Martel (Marlene), Rip Taylor (Mr. Jo), Professor Irwin Cory (himself)

Directed by Tom DeSimone

***WARNING! This review contains images of nudity***

The Short Version: The adorable Candice Rialson stars in this adult fairy tale comedy about a young woman looking for love and becoming an unlikely celebrity because of her talking vagina. Crude sexual humor abounds from Rialson's talking pound cake giving ample opportunities to showcase the actress in various outfits and, mostly out of them. Even at just 73 minutes, porn and cult film director Tom De Simone's bawdily playful showbiz sex farce shows signs of wearing itself out early on. However, a diverse amount of naughty gags and libidinous musical numbers keeps things tantalizingly fresh till the film reaches its satisfying climax.



During a lovemaking session with her boyfriend, Penelope Pittman, a beautiful hair stylist, discovers her vagina possesses a remarkable vocal capacity from singing to mouthing off a catalog of haughty quips. Wrecking havoc in her personal life, Penelope tries to cope with her wisecracking blunt cunt, her new-found fame, and find Mr. Right in the process. Christening her cootchie with the name Virginia, the two take their "act" to television which opens her up to further sexual misadventures.



Arguably the best movie about a talking, singing, sex-hungry vagina, this is the ultimate Candice Rialson movie to boot. Vivacious from the first scene to the last, Rialson is in and out of various sexy and 'barely there' outfits; and she wears that patented pouty look of hers almost as much. But this isn't solely a showcase for Rialson -- she shares the screen with her nether regions (which are never fully exposed). Furthermore, her uncredited genitalia gets all the best lines in a scenario that gives new, less threatening meaning to the legend of the vagina dentata.



The premise wears thin rather quickly, but once the action shifts to Penelope getting "exposure" on television, the film gets kinkier, the gags come quickly, and the film finds its second wind even managing a few sex themed musical numbers. At just 73 minutes, it moves at a brisk pace, too. Overall, the script explodes in an orgasmic display of cock and cunt jokes that reaches passions peak during the riotous final scene wherein Penelope and Virginia end up living happily ever after.



Rialson's acting is about the same as it is in her other movies, but she has an innocence and naivete matching her fabulous frame that one can't help but be mesmerized by (the male members of the viewing audience, that is). There's no lead up to her lower lips' vocal prowess, it just occurs suddenly right at the beginning. From there on out, she's in and out of trouble via Virginia's big mouth till a stint on television briefly gives Penelope a thrill -- successfully (if only momentarily) curbing her desire to lead a normal life and win back the man of her dreams, the bespectacled Ted.



CHATTERBOX! (1977) may go overboard with its near constant deluge of genital jokes and sexual innuendo, but there's a few familiar faces in cameos that will bring a smile to some cult film fans faces. T'Pring herself, Arlene Martel has forsaken Vulcans and taken an interest in Earth women in Tom De Simone's movie. Here she's in a cameo playing a lesbian dominatrix who gets turned on by Penelope after her hot spot jokingly puts a good word in. Taking Penelope's shorter than short working attire into consideration, who could blame her?



Flamboyant Vegas comedian Rip Taylor plays Penelope's equally flamboyant, homosexual boss Mr. Jo in what amounts to the stereotypical effeminate male salon owner. For fans of his schtick, the only prop he whips out is a handkerchief. Still, he's hilarious for his brief amount of screen time. Taylor also pops up in small roles in the box office gong, THE GONG SHOW MOVIE (1980) and in the Cheech and Chong comedy adventure THINGS ARE TOUGH ALL OVER (1982).



Comedic genius and doctor of crudity, Professor Irwin Corey is on hand as an on-air R rated Johnny Carson. He's onscreen about as long as Rip, but he fares better in that he indulges in his own innuendo heavy brand of comedy. The Professors bug-eyed brilliance can be seen in Troma's splendid no budget sex farce STUCK ON YOU! (1982).



Former porn and cult film director Tom DeSimone tackled his first mainstream movie with this AIP release. Reportedly based on an old, unproduced porno story, CHATTERBOX! (1977) was a success and DeSimone and producer Bruce Cohn Curtis joined forces once again a few years later for one of the best 80s horror films, the haunted house/slasher HELL NIGHT (1981). Chuck Russell, who later helmed NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3 (1987), the 1988 remake of THE BLOB and THE MASK (1994), was an AD on CHATTERBOX!, and reunited with DeSimone and Curtis on HELL NIGHT as an executive producer.




If you enjoyed Paul Bartel's EATING RAOUL (1982), you'll likely want to swing with CHATTERBOX! as well. Both films have a similarly raw, quasi pornographic comedic aura. Bartel's movie is the trashier of the two while DeSimone's movie is dirty minded, but playfully skirts around its subject matter without ever getting too graphic. 1988s ME AND HIM was a male version of this story. For fans of Candice Rialson, this tale of talking private parts is a no-brainer. There are relatively few knee-slapper moments, but its barrage of bawdiness will likely keep a smile on your face throughout. You'll never think about the song 'Beautiful Dreamer' the same way again.