Domino

This is not so much a review as it is a warning: when you see the video cover for this film, you may think "Brigitte Nielsen + Domino + black leather = dominatrix". Well, forget it. Despite a few soft-core scenes, "Domino" basically wants to be an "art" film, and it is - a plot less, pretentious, pseudo-philosophical one at that. Nielsen has a nice body, but some unflattering close-ups of her face reveal signs of early aging. She does have one steamy scene, about 70 minutes into the film, where she pleasures herself on her bed. Watching that scene (and fast-forwarding through the rest of the movie) is the only pleasure YOU can get out of this cinematic nightmare. 0.5 out of 4 stars.

I didn't quite know what to expect of Ivana's Massetti's, Domino, and was pleasantly surprised how engaged I was by the end of the first scene. Famed model, Brigitte Nielsen plays a glamorous director named Domino who's on a quest of self discovery to see if she can truly fall in love. Meanwhile, she's become the object of a stalker who's had his eye on her for some time. When Domino becomes obsessed with his identity, she quickly turns the tables on her pursuer.

Even today there's an eroticism found in this late '80s film not seen in American pictures. While the sex and glamour don't necessarily drive the movie, it's integral to the plot and a high selling point. There are some interesting conversations made about the viewpoint of sex versus love making, particularly through the eyes of a woman. Throughout the movie there are images and sounds that evoke elements of Argento, Lynch, or even Cronenberg films. While a plethora of characters come and go, Nielsen's Domino remains the contestant, occasionally appearing unintentionally wooden, but showing the sincere emotions of a woman cutting herself off from the rest of the world.

This is a unique film I had wanted to see for years. There's a depth not found in many of Briggite Nielsen's movies. I'm hard pressed to name another film exactly like it. But it is entertaining and thought provoking.

My review was written in August 1989 after watching the movie on IVE video cassette.

Though pretty to look at, "Domino" is a Brigitte Nielsen vehicle that's hopelessly pretentious. Falling between art film and sex pic, Italo import has had a modest theatrical release but is likely to bewilder curious video fans.

With a murky script by Nielsen and frequent Roman Polanski collaborator Gerard Brach, filmmaker Ivana Massetti tries in vain for avant-garde effects and an almost sci-fi atmosphere: all the action is shot on abstracted sets at Cinecitta with even car-driving scenes reverting to process photography. Though the pithy, pretentious English dialog is delivered well by an unidentified cast, none of it makes sense.

Nielsen is Domino, a platinum-blonde beauty (given to wearing numerous dark wigs) who's working on a video documentary about Billie Holiday. We're treated to "You Don't Know What Love Is" and other terrific recordings by Lady Day, plus vintage footage of her, but Massetti's endless homage has little to do with the plot.

There is little action, but a lot of languorous scenes of masturbation) (R-rated in terms of explicitness), Neilsen operating her own video camera and soul-searching talk about sex. Lest this sound like the Italian version of "Sex, Lies and Videotape", note that Massetti has little interest in character interaction -she prefers monologs directed to human sounding boards.

Nielsen sees a silhouetted couple making love in the apartment across the street and a voyeur with a telescope. And she's plagued by obscene phone calls. She wanders around, talks to several beautiful black women and consorts with a sexy sound man. Pic's silliest stretch for philosophical import is her monolog about the meaning of a growing spot on her skin (not shown), diagnosed as dermatitis.

The viewer does get to see plenty of Nielsen's unblemished skin, presumably the film's drawing card. However, unlike a previous Italian effort "Bye Bye Baby", in which her acting was fine, Nielsen's bored line readings here are embarrassing. Rest of the cast is functional, with British thesp David Warbeck popping up as a blind neighbor.

Massetti's visual expertise is evident, with fascinating lighting by Tonino Nardi and some amazing (if occasionally trashy) costumes for Nielsn by Silvana Fusacchia.

All of the other reviews posted here notwithstanding, I found this movie to be uniquely charming.

This is soft-core erotica from a woman's viewpoint, with a lens on the feminine mystique. Guys, if you (like me) have ever gotten all worked up with that "get laid or bust" feeling; found someone to get your rocks off with; but then felt like "Is that all there is?" … this film is about what was missing sexually. It depicts arousal as much more than an eager boner. Time slows down. A river of warm, liquid feelings is flowing by. It looks like an art deco moon; it sounds like Billie Holliday's slow, unhurried voice, womanly and girlish at the same time; and it feels like a woman's hot, naked body writhing in a stretchy white lace body stocking. This is not a 30-second ad for Pepsi or Viagra; this is the journey of a warm-blooded soul experiencing urban life.

Yes, the plot may seem disjointed and meandering, like the way we dream.

One of the intriguing images in the movie is a jet-black male mannequin, in a fedora or a white bow tie, which Domino adopts as a partner. It makes me wonder: Is this what women really want in a man: someone who will just be there when they come home, waiting for them, ready to listen, with no drama or needs of their own and nowhere to go?

There's no hurry here — Wait until you get bored with the whiz-bang titty-poppers (which I also love dearly), and then give yourself an evening with this film. Watch it with your partner if you have one; compare impressions; and don't have anything planned after that.

I worked at a theater that showed this film back in 1989. At the beginning of the day, the film was in a 400 seating capacity theater. By the end of the day, it was moved to a 100 seater. One customer came out of the theater and I asked him how he liked the film. He said, "A sad excuse for a porno movie." Of course, it sparked my curiosity and went to see it 2 days later (The film stayed at our theater for only 2 weeks). To this day, I cannot figure out what the film was about! The acting was INCREDIBLY BAD!!! I came out of the theater more confused than when I went in. A total waste of time and not even worth watching if someone gave you a free copy of the video.