Frivolous Lola

Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Tinto Brass. If you don't know who he is then you don't know where his tendencies lie when it comes to women. Well, let me tell you.Mr. Brass likes his women earthy and hairy. He is the master of the tease shot. In all his movies he teases the (mostly) male viwer with shots of scantilly clad female crotches, usually with pubic hair prominently displayed. He also likes to have at least one shot of a woman peeing in his films. This film does not disappoint. For American men Tinto Brass is probably an aquired taste. There's the masterbation scene, for example, where before she starts, Lola sniffs both her hairy armpits. Most men here would find that gross but I thought it was extremely erotic.Before I watched this film my favorite Brass film was "Cheeky" (not it's original name) which I watched while living in England. ( I wish they would release it in America.) But this one is by far the best one of them all.Lola truly is the flirt that lives within all women. You and I have met, and been bowled over by, women like this. The lead actress is absolutely beautiful, fun, sexy... you name it, she has it.If this review has intrigued you and not grossed you out, I urge you to inspect the works of Tinto Brass. He is simply the best director of erotic works in the world.

This is Tinto Brass' most delightful film, full of vitality and joie de vivre. There is practically no plot. Lola (Anna Ammirati) wants to experience sex. Her puritanical boyfriend, Masetto (Mario Parodi), does not. He wants her chaste until their wedding. But Lola is so achingly beautiful and gaminely charming that even celibate priests can't help looking twice and staring in rapt adoration. Ordinary mortals lust for her in much more sinful ways. So it comes as no surprise that Lola gets her wish. The film is a zesty celebration of life. It leaves you feeling refreshed, happy and puts a smile on your face for the rest of the day. It is NOT porn. It is Italian erotic comedy at its finest. It is sad that many viewers today cannot see the beauty of such films anymore, films that celebrate the beauty of the female form, the joys of sex, and ultimately, the simple fact of being alive.Anna Ammirati is absolutely gorgeous as the winsome and irrepressible Lola. The camera cannot get enough of her. There is no explicit sex here, but there is plenty of full frontal nudity and Tinto Brass' trademark fetish for round female bottoms, hairy bushes, and the obligatory shot of his heroine peeing. If this disturbs you, then you should stay away.The 1950s-influenced soundtrack contributes much to the happy feel of this film. From the upbeat title track, "Mona Monella," sung by Anna Ammirati herself (during the bicycling sequence and the end credits) to the half dozen other gems, including the infectious and very danceable "Mambo Italiano," to American classics like "Be Bop A Lula," "Let's Twist Again" and "In the Mood," the songs breathe with the sunny nature of this happy film.Unfortunately this "Special Edition" DVD from Cult Epics is a disappointment. It is presented in its entirety, finally uncut and in its orignal theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1. However it comes without anamorphic enhancement (not enhanced for widescreen TV). But what is so unforgivable about this edition is how poor the picture actually looks. It doesn't look at all like it was made in 1998. It looks more like a half-hearted transfer of a film from the early 70s. Colors are lacklustre, especially so in exterior shots where they appear washed out. Picture is soft and grainy, partly due to the director's use of soft-focus but also in large part due to the transfer. A lot of the exteriors (and some interiors) look like they were shot through a perpetual soft haze. A very poor effort by Cult Epics. Thankfully, Cult Epics has provided the original Italian Dolby Stereo track which sounds surprisingly good, especially in the music sequences. Optional English subtitles are also provided. This is a treasurable film and it deserves to be properly remastered.

The uncensored version of Frivolous Lola is an absolute erotic delight! Lola shamelessly teases every man in the film, and certainly every man that views the film, for the sole purpose of enticing her fiance to make love to her. Needless to say, she achieves her goal, and yet it is clear that Lola will keep other possibilities open once she is wed. Some of the more humorous moments in the film occur when we see how insanely jealous other women are when they see Lola effortlessly turn on any man that gets near her. I was so pleased that the uncensored version of this movie became available because the censored version I saw on TV teased me more than Lola! This film shows us how the world really works and that there's a little bit of Lola in every woman.

I am really into low budget films. I kind of knew what I would be getting into but you could barely hear the actors speaking and the period blood scene was a little too much for me.