The Washing Machine

I wasn't expecting too much from this movie-this is surely no "Cannibal Holocaust",but a decent erotic thriller from infamous Ruggero Deodato.It's very well-made,atmospheric and it has some really sensual sex scenes.The acting is pretty good(Polish actress Katarzyna Figura shines here as one of three sisters)and there's an unexpected and rather gross dismemberment scene which reminds me brilliant "Cannibal Holocaust".My evaluation:7 out of 10.Recommended!

In first few minutes of "The Washing Machine," Vida (busty Katarzyna Figura) has make up sex with her gangster boyfriend/pimp Yuri (Yorgo Voyagis) in front of an open refrigerator. Watching from the stairs is one of Vida's two sisters she shares the apartment with, Ludmilla (Barbara Ricci). Ludmilla hikes up her nightgown and spreads her legs to give us a perfect view of her white panties. Then she starts playing a triangle (no, that isn't a euphemism), Vida and Yuri seemingly oblivious to her musical accompaniment, until Vida looks over her shoulder to give her sister a knowing smile.

Things get weirder later that night when Ludmilla discovers Yuri's body hacked to pieces and stuffed inside the washing machine (hence the awful English title). Or did she? By the time the police arrive the next morning there is no body, because what's a giallo without a mysteriously disappearing corpse? But Ludmilla and her sisters Vida and Sissy report a murder anyway. Inspector Stacev (Philippe Caroit) dismisses the women as cranks, only to be drawn into conducting an investigation when the sisters contact him separately, alternately trying to seduce him (or flat out forcing themselves on him like Vida does) and tease him with information that might prove Yuri was murdered.

The plot of "The Washing Machine" doesn't withstand close scrutiny and often revelations are made as if screenwriter Luigi Spagnol just thought of them the day of filming (e.g., Ludmilla having a drinking problem, Stacev being into S/M). But with such crazy set pieces as Sissy (Ilaria Borrelli) having sex with Stacev in the middle of a museum while blind students wander around them, who cares?

"The Washing Machine" promises a sleazy good time and almost delivers. Where it disappoints is how it handles its numerous trashy elements. It's not that it goes too far; it often doesn't go far enough. Given that the movie is directed by Ruggero Deodato, the man who gave us "Cannibal Holocaust," it's downright tame. Breasts are exposed every 10 minutes or so, but the numerous sex scenes aren't terribly creative or explicit. The women seldom get totally naked (only Borrelli does full frontal) and the men all have sex completely clothed. There are Shannon Tweed vehicles that push the envelope further than this movie does. Deodato is less restrained with the gory moments, but there are few of those. For me, "The Washing Machine" is summed up in its opening scene: kinky and weird but refusing to take off its underwear.

In multiple reviews I read that the director wasn't too happy with the end result. I only can imagine what he had envisioned but I completely disagree.The Washing Machine is an extremely enjoyable modern giallo that is stylish and offers thrills ranging from sexy to freaky. The viewer will get tricked multiple times.Which is a pleasure since most is done by three beautiful and immensely seductive sisters.One hornier than the other.They way they use their sexuality not only offers very titillating and arousing scenes but at the same time really do have a function in the sordid plot.The plot is filled with so many surprises that it is a joy to see what happens next.Not without flaws though.Some developments are left open and maybe only were present to give details about the main character. What I liked most about The Washing Machine that it keeps you guessing about the characters.Once you think you figured them out they do something completely opposite.One last remark,contrary to what the director thought the relatively unknown actresses accomplish what very few can do which is engage the viewer.Absolutely a rewarding viewing experience!

Despite an incredibly stupid English language title ("The Washing Machine"), this is a real return to form both for the Italian giallo genre and for infamous Italian director Ruggiero Deodato. Ironically, Deodato never really directed too many giallo back in their 70's heyday. (He was either making nihilistic Third World cannibal films or being put on trial in Italy or other places for making nihilistic Third World cannibal films). In the late 1980's and 1990's, however, he made two fairly decent ones in a row(after "Stagefright" and "Opera" probably the best two of that period), "Off Balance" in the late 80's and this one a few years later.

This movie is about a cop who is trying to find out which of three sexy prostitute-sisters (a very aggressive one, a deceptively shy one, and a mysterious one in between) was responsible for killing their thuggish pimp. This naturally involves him having sex with all three. The end is not entirely unexpected, but enjoyable nevertheless.

Like Fulci's movie "Aenigma" made a few years earlier this was filmed in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Iron Curtain, obviously in an attempt by the declining Italian film industry to open up new markets, and more importantly, to save money. Unlike with the Fulci film though, the unknown Eastern European actresses here are not only very sexy, but also pretty good (especially the one playing the middle sister). Mostly though it's Deodato's effective directorial style that really does the job. The movie has enough sex in it that it could be mistaken for one of the multitude of "erotic thrillers" that were big at the time (after the success of the Hollywood thriller "Basic Instinct"), but this movie is actually GOOD,and deserves to be included more as a late entry in the vastly superior giallo genre. Anyway, if you like decent gialli, or are willing to see an "erotic thriller" that DOESN'T mightily suck, be sure to see this one.

A fine little film from cult director Ruggero Deodato, not one of his personal favourites but one of the few you can see in the UK uncut. It is certainly worth watching, most people think of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST when the name Deodato is mentioned, which is a shame because he has directed some very entertaining films and this is one of them. If you like erotic thrillers then this is for you, if you just like to be entertained then this is also for you.