Customer Reviews

Frivolous Lola (Directors' Cut)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

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.

It seems to be a leading lady in a Tinto Brass film you must:

* Be young and attractive
* Have an exceptional sensuous body
* Not be shy about nudity
* Exude a cheerful, lighthearted persona
* Act loveably naughty.

That has been the case in the previous Brass films I have watched and reviewed and Frivolous Lola is no exception. Rumor has it that the inscrutable producer of erotica met the vivacious young actress, Anna Ammirati while examining her body. The body of her car that is, after being involved in a traffic accident with her. It doesn't matter whose fault it was, the outcome was inevitable - Anna gallivanting around with little or no clothing in his next movie. Anna is reputed to have entreated the enigmatic director to feature her in his next movie and a enchanting match was born.

The Plot

Lola is a carefree lass in an unnamed village in Italy of some notoriety and gossip. Her mother who grew up there, left years before but returned with a handsome paramour, Andr'e and a vibrant sexually precocious teen daughter, Lola.

Lola is a virgin a condition she dislikes. She is engaged to the son of the village baker, Masetto, whom she wants to deflower her. Masetto would like to wait for their wedding night and this frustrates Lola.
A sub plot of the movie is Lola's relationship with her alleged father, Andr'e. They both find each other and find each other attractive.

The Story

The story revolves around Lola's efforts to get Masetto to make love with her and thus take her virginity. She tries various tricks, including making him jealous by coming on with other men. There was even a scene in a tavern where she is jitterbugging with three soldiers, sans her panties, with flashes of her genital folds and pubis.

Lola's alleged father Andr'e fascinates her. He is somewhat of a leach with prurient instincts and she is drawn to and fanaticizes about him. She makes a couple unsuccessful attempts to seduce him.

In the end Lola does trick Masetto into deflowering her - her term and at their wedding the next day a scene takes place between Lola and Andr'e where you are left wondering, no believing that they also have sex.

In hindsight it may be a take on that old song of the fifties, "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets."

Conclusion

Lola is indeed frivolous and afew other adjectives ranging from adorable to bratty. Her self-centered thoughtless behavior is nothing short of tawdry. If there are women that behave so flippant, I wouldn't want to be engaged to them. Yet, as a viewer there is something winsome about her frolicsome, lighthearted, even compelling behavior.

As with other Brass movies I have viewed a typical theme permeates Frivolous Lola. Nothing is shameful to her. She with the overactive libido was born to enjoy life and she resents anyone that wants to rein her in, while her man is supposed to go along with her indiscretions

Frivolous Lola is an exercise in exhibitionism. The movie seems to be a memorial to Lola's or is it Anna Amirati's shapely figure with voyeuristic peeks at her genitalia. The story seems incidental, it is merely a vehicle to attain the desired effect.

I do not mean to sound like this is bad. Contrary, it is good. I found the movie to be funny entertaining and stimulating - one of his best and one of the better erotica movies available.

The lovely Anna Amirati was uniformly naughty and loveable. Her body was adorable and her acting endearing. Supporting actors, Packtrick Mower and Mario Parodi did well too.

The film was shot in what appeared to be the Italian countryside. The sets and costumes were colorful and the cinematography was first rate. Rating 4.6 stars

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.

Lola is a young woman/girl in a superficially conservative village who seems to just love not wearing a bra behind semi transparent blouses and dresses and flashing her [..] at priests as she rides her bicycle around town. Lola is VERY sexy, a bit too sexy for her own good it seems, but all is well in the end, everyone seems to get a bit and we all just have to sit back and allow Lola to show herself to us and enjoy. It is funny and sexy, what more could you ask for?

I enjoyed Frivolous Lola immensely. As a man I naturally enjoy viewing the female body in various stages of dress (or undress), and this movie did not disappoint. The simulated sex and actual nudity was comfortably in between the "R" rated and the explicit XXX movies. I personally enjoyed the movie.

Frivolous Lola is a timeless classic of erotique cinema. Without divulging too much of the plot, Lola takes great delight in winning the attention of other men to make her fiance jealous. A delightful story with erotique overtones...fun for adults of all ages but keep away from kids to avoid embarassing conversations. ;P

i was going to say great adult entertainment but thought that adult would give too much the 'adult' inference. this is a fun, ribald, humourous, risque and adult flick. not porno, just adult in its moods, humor and visuals. a type of flick not made anymore, just adult fun.

The title Frivolous Lola, doesn't do the movie justice. This movie is sweet and erotic. Tinto Brass knows his stuff.

This movie has one of the great beginning scenes in cinema, fun, flirty, sexy & naughty.

It's about role reversal in which a young bride to be wants intercourse with her hubby to be before the marriage & the groom to be doesn't want to spoil their honeymoon. Unfortunately it starts to die shortly thereafter.

Tinto Brass of Caligula & Salon Kitty fame (Monamour for those of more modern times) has put together a film centered around the joy of life if you believe the advertising but it's more about the joy of lips. That OK by me but the sheer number of times that you're subject to shots of her asset, especially from behind is staggering, so much so, that the movie becomes trite & boring.

You see her in g-strings & peoples fingers under the g-strings & her fingers under the g-strings & then no g-strings & camera angles, fingers, pube pulling as her desire for sex drives her & everyone else crazy for some of her legmeet. This includes her father or is it step-father.

Everyone thinks it cute as she goes all over town with her naked crotch showing. Her future husband to be is played by a stupid wimp that believes she is to be valued as she is & everything will be fine after marriage. Guess I'm not Italian enough. The film's motto, which I take from the film, is summed up in the lines "There are three things in the world which leave no trace. A bird high in the sky, a fish deep in the sea & a crock(sp) inside a prussy(sp).

This could have been a good movie because it does have a joyous atmosphere but the camera is so overly focused on her crotch that I got tired of seeing it. That's saying something too as she is beautiful, flirtatious & constantly grinning. Girls take note; it's not so much the open legs as it is the open legs with a grin on the face. That communication that you're having fun too is contagious. I had thought I'd watch this with my wife but seeing as how she likes men I doubt she'll really enjoy it. I mean if it's too much prussy(sp) for me it likely will be too much for her.

A movie killed by not enough variation in what is on the screen. I felt like I had seen this girl's liver by the end of the show. I'll give it 2.5 stars because of the dynamite beginning. What a waste that was. I guess I could try it on my wife but I don't think I could stand it again. One look at the first five minutes is highly recommended then turn it off. I guess that's the way to go with my wife, first five then muff dive.

OK, I watched it with my wife & we laughed our heads off the first few minutes. The slide to confused & yawning set in pretty quick. She does agree the first min's are hilarious, flirtatious & sexy. The music through there is perfect too. A real joy to watch.

I may try & find a really used copy cheap & keep it just for that. The story is far worse than it needed to be. The story could of worked, it just doesn't. Maybe I need to be 16 again to enjoy it. This thumb, definitely down.