Top Model

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.

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.

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.

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!

An erotic love story.

Big Joe used his usual plot devices here.

Prostitution ring disguised as a modeling agency services wealthy clients of all types. I couldn't tell if this was filmed in the U.S. or Europe. But wherever it was filmed, it looked great.

Seeing Mark Shannon play a cowboy was actually funny. But do cowboys really call every woman they meet 'filly?'

Laura (Goddess Supreme) Gemser matures in her roles and actually plays the boss of women instead of just a rebel. I hated the fact that she cut her hair. She looked better with it loooooooong. She's still a Goddess however.

The sub-plot about the young lad dealing with potential homosexuality was a tad weird.

But the lass in the lead looked GREAT. Her massage scene with the Turk left me gasping.