Top Model

I saw this movie in Sri Lanka in 1997 and I loved it. But most of the scenes were censored and no body could not enjoy it that well in the cinema. Most of the sex scenes were cut for no reason. Does anyone know how to get the uncut version of this film on VCD/DVD. Please let me know.

Joe D'Amato's 1988 film "Top Model" is a curious blend of erotic drama and quirky humor, wrapped in a visually engaging package that both intrigues and frustrates. The film's atmosphere is thick with a sultry, almost voyeuristic energy, largely due to D'Amato's restless camera work. His use of tracking shots to follow the lead, Jessica Moore (credited as Luciana Ottaviani), creates a sense of intimacy and immediacy, drawing the viewer into the world of high-class escorting with a gaze that rarely rests. Some of the cinematography choices stand out, such as extreme low angles during intimate scenes and a particularly memorable sequence involving a toy factory owner surrounded by oversized, smiling toys that oddly seem to react to the unfolding events. These visual flourishes lend the film a surreal, sometimes unsettling edge that elevates it beyond typical softcore fare.

However, the film's narrative and acting performances are less consistent. The plot, revolving around a writer who goes undercover as a prostitute to research her book and then faces blackmail, lacks tension and coherence. The blackmail subplot feels underdeveloped and surprisingly unthreatening to the protagonist, which diminishes dramatic stakes. Acting across the board is uneven; Luciana Ottaviani delivers a reasonably solid performance, managing to hold the film together with her screen presence and occasional charm. In contrast, James Sutterfield, playing a shy programmer, is notably stiff and unconvincing, and many of the supporting cast members, mostly non-professionals, struggle with natural line delivery, making some scenes feel rehearsed and flat. Despite these shortcomings, the film injects a quirky sense of humor that occasionally lightens the mood, with bizarre client requests and eccentric characters adding a strange but welcome flavor.

In summary, "Top Model" is a film where style often outpaces substance. Its visual inventiveness and Ottaviani's compelling presence make it watchable, but the sluggish pacing, weak plot, and uneven acting prevent it from rising above a middling rating. Fans of 1980s Euro-erotic cinema might find it a curious artifact, but those seeking a tightly woven story or polished performances may come away disappointed.

In the mid-1980s Joe D'Amato made largely soft pornos and this is one of the better ones, despite being filmed in the US (his Italian films tend to be better). Following the commercial success of "11 days, 11 nights", this was marketed as a sequel, but it is rather more like a remake, and it is a slight improvement on the original. Both films were clearly inspired by "9 and a half weeks" (there is also a nod to Zulawski's Femme Publique) but D'Amato changed the story by putting the woman in control, a modification which works very well. No cinematic masterpiece, but a superior example of the genre.

Working as a high class call girl in order to gain material for her new book, an esteemed author has to contend with blackmail when a client learns of her secret in this surprisingly well filmed sexually explicit drama. Joe D'Amato's camera almost never sits still, with many tracking shots that voyeuristically follow lead actress Jessica Moore around. There are some thoughtful extreme low camera angles as she undresses too, and in one of the film's most memorable scenes, she makes love to a toy factory owner, surrounded by smiling large toys that -- akin to the lions of 'The Battleship Potemkin' -- are filmed so that it looks like they are reacting to what is taking place! The film is not particularly well plotted though with the blackmailing not seeming to worry Moore at all who is more confounded by her inability to turn on a young computer engineer, played by James Sutterfield, oblivious to the fact that he is gay. The acting here is pretty second rate too with Sutterfield the worst offender, though most of the (mainly) non-professional cast have trouble delivering their lines in a way that does not feel rehearsed. Moore is, however, quite decent and while the narrative might have some deficiencies, it more than makes up for it with a very zany sense of humour shining through at several points. The opening scene, for example, has Moore fingering various mannequins that have been set into explicit poses; later on, she finds a couple of clients who want to be ridden like bulls at a rodeo, and the aforementioned toy store scene occurs on a Santa's sleigh of all places!

Top Model (1988)

** (out of 4)

Kristin Rose plays a writer who goes undercover as a prostitute and nude model so that she can do research for her newest novel. This film is known as Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2: The Sequel but it's also known as Top Model, which is probably the best title to be used. This here is basically a remake of Eleven Days, Eleven Nights, which became a huge box office hit and put D'Amato back on the map for a short time before he ended his career making hardcore porn. I wasn't too thrilled with the original film but this one here manages to be somewhat better due to some nice humor in the form of the strange men that come in and out of the woman's life. That includes a creepy little photographer who's always wanting something more. D'Amato's main woman, Laura Gemser, has a small role here and is also in one of the strangest scenes as a cowboy wants her to ride him like a bull. And yes, she's partially naked. Rose doesn't come off as the best actress in the world but this is a softcore film so the most important thing is her body and she has a great one to look at throughout the film. The movie itself runs way too slow and goes on for way too long but there's certainly a lot worse out there.