Top Model

Like many prolific Euro and Italian directors of Joe D'Amato's era, he would rightly be accused of self plagiarism today. This movie so echoes his Emmanuelle films, themselves a knock off, that it even features Laura Gemser in a supporting role. But all that aside, it's not a horrible film. It starts off slow, and one almost wishes for more explicit sex to keep things going, --- but after around the 45 minute mark... half way in... a love plot starts unfolding involving a gay or bi male, that really actually seems somewhat heartfelt... and moves the movie into more watchable territory. It's usual D'amato, revisiting themes, but if you like to see a new one from him you haven't seen - then check it out. But don't expect Emmanuelle and the Last Cannibals.

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.

I love this movie. Okay, so maybe it looks like just a cheap, italian porn flick but there's so much more to it. There is something vaguely disturbing and sinister about this film that it makes it that much more erotic. Basically, its the story of a paper-back writer who goes undercover as a prostitute to research for her steamy new novel. Along the way, she has sex with lots of greasy, italian men, degrades herself in front of assorted perverts and turns a gay man straight. If anybody could straighten out a gay man it would be Jessica Moore(or whatever her real name is). The sleazy, new orleans ambience of this film is terrific as you can almost feel the heat, humidity and sex. There are some striking, disturbing visuals, like when Moore does some kinky posing with mannequins for a photographer. There are some clowns thrown in, which always gives a film a sinister edge, and lots of homoerotic undertones(or is that overtones?). Anyway, go out and get this movie and wallow in its sleaze and perversity.

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.