Top Model

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.

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.

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.

this film has been made by joe d'amato aka Aristide Massaccesi with kind of european sense of social life and interpreted by my favour actress Luciana Ottaviani aka Jessica Moore that she plays a role as top model and in reality she is a writer with the role of Sarah Asproon that Aristide Massaccesi ( Joe d'Amato) wrote in the different names one of is Sarah Asproon it is a very nice film and deserves an excellent as reward. unfortunately it is very sad that Aristide Massaccesi is dead otherwise he would direct other film to let the people to applause his talented trick of magic