Play Motel

You hear that? That's the sound of the giallo scraping the bottom. Actually, this is part of what had become a general trend in the giallo genre by the late 1970's--rampant softcore (and in some versions, hardcore) sex in the place of the traditional thriller or mystery elements. Gialli always had a lot of sex in them, of course, and as early as "Slaughter Hotel" in 1971 some of them had pretty much crossed into softcore porn territory, but by this time the genre had pretty much passed the point of no return and eventually would be come indistinguishable from the dismal "erotic thriller" genre that is still with us today in Italy and America.

That being said, this movie still has a few things going for it. It does have a genuine plot(even if it's brought to a dead halt periodically for a long sex scene or nude modelling scene). The action centers around the titular "Play Motel" where wealthy customers are being secretly photographed during their rendevouzs and blackmailed, which of course, as it always does, leads to murder. After a body is dumped in the trunk of their car while they're enjoying some "afternoon delight" in the motel, an attractive young couple (Ray Lovelock and Anna-Maria Rizzoli) decide to go undercover and investigate (with the active encouragement of the police--I guess they do things differently in Italy). We thereby get to witness such perverted spectacles as a guy dressed as devil giving it to a prostitute dressed as a nun, and a guy dressed as a priest getting it on with the voluptuous Patrizia Webley (from "Malabimba"). The hardcore version also features Maria Franjese aka Marina Lotar doing what she does best. The plot does hold together surprisingly well, however, given all the momentum-killing sex scenes. This is a better movie than the the similar "Sister of Ursula", released the same year (although, for better or worse, it does lack the tasteless "death by dildo" plot). It's certainly better than the vast majority modern-day erotic thrillers even if it's pretty damn lame for a giallo.

This is probably Ray Lovelock's worst movie, but it is a rare chance for non-Italians to see Anna-Maria Rizzoli, who otherwise appeared only in obscure Italian sex comedies that never made it out of Italy. She has a great body,of course, but also is genuinely pretty--more in the class of Edwige Fenech or Femi Benussi than that of her sexy but skanky co-stars Webley and Lotar. The movie is definitely sleazy, but not THAT sleazy, which might be good or bad depending on what you're looking for.

"Play Motel" is a very sleazy giallo – a good thriller with generous doses of sex.

"Play Motel" is the name of a motel located in Rome. There's a complex web of deceit and blackmail linked to this motel. People belonging to the upper levels of society are attracted to the Play Motel and are photographed while they are engaged in their "games". Suddenly things get out of control and mainly "models", somehow linked to the blackmail scheme, begin to get murdered.

The investigations are led by Detective Inspector de Sanctis (Anthony Steffen), and he's aided by a couple, Roberto (Ray Lovelock) and Patrizia (Anna Maria Rizzoli).

The film is not just sleazy (featuring even some hardcore scenes), but funny and thrilling as well, featuring the always acid Italian humor. There are many pretty women and the sex scenes are very good (and funny too!). I also like the soundtrack (and in particular the film's theme song – "Play Motel").

Stop by the "Play Motel" and have a lot of fun!

Before all our genitals shrivelled up using the internet, iphones, and other gadgets, people used to pass the time having sex. This is their story.

After a hilariously upbeat theme tune introduction, a middle aged man goes to the Hotel of the title and hooks up with a woman in the bar. The seemingly knowing guy on reception gives them the key to Room 3, a blood red room that contains all manner of kinky equipment and costumes. Plus a two-way mirror so that someone can take pictures and blackmail the clients later. You see that guy dressed up as the devil and unnervingly chewing on that actresses chin - he's a high flying businessman, and that lady dressed as a nun - that's not his wife.

One threatening letter and several kinky blackmail pictures later, and this guy is approaching his lawyer in the first of many scenes that don't make any sense in hindsight. The lawyer is dubbed with one of the funniest voices I've heard in a long time, for the record, so it's good when this guy shows up throughout the film. The blackmailed guy's wife gets wind of the whole deal and goes to the police, where cop Antony Steffen gets involved. Some black-gloved killer also gets involved, as the nun lady gets murdered and the wife soon follows suit while investigating the hotel.

This all sounds like a great set-up for a slash-a-thon, doesn't it? It's a pity that the investigation of the blackmail plot takes precedence, interlaced with endless nudity and liaisons in Room 3. Ray Lovelock and his missus get involved as newlyweds that witness some dodgy happenings and agree to help the police, resulting in his missus tracking down a photographer and taking part in a lengthy nude photo session that's followed by another nude photo session, then a third nude photo session until we get to another naked session in Room 3 involving a bottle of champagne that had me laughing out loud. At this point I was thinking that the killer might be some grudgeful cleaner fed up trying to wash filthy man-fat out of those sheets.

To be honest, although the film does contain about as much nudity as a copy of Razzle, it's not that filthy. My stomach did turn at some of the over-zealous snogging by Marino Mase mind you. Judging by the cheeseball look on Marino's face when he dresses up as a Bishop, I'm pretty sure none of this was intended to be taken as a serious artistic statement. Rather, it's just a parade of naked ladies for you to knock one out to.

Eat your heart out, Norman Bates! Your uncanny motel only has a dead mother in the basement whereas, at Play Motel, there's kinky sex, severe blackmail and sadistic killing going on. This movie is a strange little outcast in the wonderful Italian sub genre of gialli. It honestly has a murder-story to tell, but it's more than obviously inferior to the incredibly large portions of rancid, gratuitous and semi-pornographic sex on display! Wealthy persons, mostly married but physically unsatisfied, gather here to make ALL their sexual fantasies come true. This includes dressing up like Satan and nuns, but also S&M and even intercourse with a bottle of champagne! However, these poor little perverts are unaware that the motel is also the home base of a blackmailing-network. Shortly after their visits, the guests receive incriminating photographical evidence of their little sleazy escapades and a demand to pay huge sums of money or else the pictures will be handed over to the media. When murder inevitable follows, the police (unorthodoxly, I may add) instructs a couple of actors to go undercover and infiltrate inside the dubious motel. This is an odd but strangely addictive movie, completely without suspense or surprises, yet extremely entertaining. The murder-plot and the killer's identity are the by far the most predictable I've ever seen, but you never seem to bother about this as the film introduces – oh yes – numerous gorgeous and naked women! The music, particularly the title song that can be heard whenever a couple checks into room number 4, is very catchy and fun. "Play Motel" is 100% pure and genuine TRASH, but a definite must for fans of Italian cult cinema. Hard to find, but give it your best shot (pun intended).

After finding the dead body of a woman in the trunk of their car, aspiring actor Roberto Vinci (Ray Lovelock) and his girlfriend Patrizia (stunning blonde Anna Maria Rizzoli) are recruited by the police to investigate a motel where the rich and powerful go to indulge in S&M themed sex games.

Play Motel's weak murder/blackmail plot-line just about qualifies this shameless smut-fest as a giallo, but the movie is far removed from the more acclaimed examples of the genre, films that frequently fused sex with violence but rarely allowed the nudity and nookie to be the driving force. Here, death, intrigue and suspense definitely play second fiddle to the abundant bumping and grinding, with even the occasional hardcore shot thrown in for good measure. Argento this is not! Needless to say, the stylish visuals, bloody set-pieces and snazzy soundtracks synonymous with the giallo are completely absent, replaced by an excess of writhing naked flesh, a couple of pedestrian strangulations, and a wonderfully cheesy theme song that kicks in every time the characters get jiggy—which is a lot.

The movie's dreadful narrative and shoddy direction mean that it is unlikely to appeal to serious connoisseurs of the giallo genre, but if the Euro-sleaze of Joe D'amato and Jess Franco has somehow found a way into your collection, then Play Motel, with its bevy of gorgeous babes and copious scenes of kinky sex, should be a no-brainer.

6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.