Alla ricerca del piacere aka Amuck!(1972)Silvio Amadio
***some slight spoilers***
A young American woman Greta Franklin (Barbara Bouchet,Don't Torture a Duckling,Red Queen Kills 7 Times)gains employment as a secretary near Venice Italy. Her new employer is Richard Stuart (Farley Granger,Strangers on a train,Rope) an author, who lives on a remote island with his wife Eleanora (Rosalba Neri,Hercules in the Haunted World,Slaughter Hotel), even the servants are sent home off the island night, so it is no surprise that Eleanora tells Greta of her desperate loneliness. Greta has an ulterior motive for taking the job though, as her lesbian lover Sally was the previous incumbent in the job, who mysteriously disappeared without trace. On her first night in the house, Greta overhears a conversation between Richard and his friend the Commissioner of police, in which Sally's disappearance is discussed, Greta when the opportunity arrives, grabs the chance and tells him of her quest to find her friend, he warns her that it could be very dangerous and that she should leave the house, she ignores his pleas. Before her disappearance Sally sent a letter to Greta, which contained her fears and stated that she was a sex slave and that she was constantly demeaned in this house of perversions, but somehow the Franklin's had a hold on her and she couldn't escape, no matter how hard she wanted to.
Greta goes to bed but is startled when a giant of man appears at her window, her screams are answered by Richard who tells her it was only the local fisherman Rocco, he then puts her in the capable hands of his wife Eleanora who gives her a drink of water into which she sprinkles an unknown powder, in the ensuing moments Eleanora makes some moves on Greta ,she responds and they spend the night making love. Next morning Greta is unsure if it was all a dream as the glass of water she knocked over during their passion is now replaced, was it all a dream?..or had she been taken advantage of, after being drugged?
Greta then stumbles on a party that is happening elsewhere in the house, she's invited in, it a swingers party with drugs in abundance, Greta gets cosy with a guest who knew Sally, in order to garner some more information of her disappearance, but is then shocked when she sees Sally in a porno film being screened there, now Greta's fears for her friend grow ever more pronounced. Richard then surprises Greta by ceasing the work on his current book, in order to begin his tale of a missing girl who is murdered by the local psycho and dumped in the lagoon, this is the final straw , as this story bears more than a resemblance to the truth.
Silvio Amadio was a director perhaps best known for his comedies, so this was not his usual light hearted affair, he still managed though to create a semi-thrilling and erotic tale of debauchery, he showed great skill in directing the infamous lesbian liaison which could so easily have been tacky, but is here rendered in an sublimely erotic way. Both Neri and Bouchet excel in their roles, Neri as the dark predatory and sexual deviant and Bouchet as the wide eyed and stunningly beautiful innocent, an innocent you can't help but want to be deflowered, especially when she turns up in a highly stimulating baby doll dress. Granger on the other hand is probably as wooden as he always was, but this strangely works in his favour here, although we never quite believe he is capable of anything too debauched. Highlights of the film are undoubtedly the sexual tryst between Neri and Bouchet, a finely handled duck hunting scene in the marshes, the Little Red Riding Hood porno film within the film, Greta's reminiscing of her and Sally's first love making under a waterfall and of course the final reveal. Teo Usuelli's score is at times nothing short of naff and seems to belong to some long forgotten sci/fi film, perhaps even in an elevator, but he also wrote some really funky and enticing little opuses within the film, especially the main theme which is playful and perfect in its execution. Its hard to tell though if Aldo Giordani's cinematography is any good as the Eurovista DVD is just taken from an old pan and scan VHS and a washed out one at that.Amuck! is though an enjoyable romp and a must see for all fans of the Giallo genre.
***some slight spoilers***
A young American woman Greta Franklin (Barbara Bouchet,Don't Torture a Duckling,Red Queen Kills 7 Times)gains employment as a secretary near Venice Italy. Her new employer is Richard Stuart (Farley Granger,Strangers on a train,Rope) an author, who lives on a remote island with his wife Eleanora (Rosalba Neri,Hercules in the Haunted World,Slaughter Hotel), even the servants are sent home off the island night, so it is no surprise that Eleanora tells Greta of her desperate loneliness. Greta has an ulterior motive for taking the job though, as her lesbian lover Sally was the previous incumbent in the job, who mysteriously disappeared without trace. On her first night in the house, Greta overhears a conversation between Richard and his friend the Commissioner of police, in which Sally's disappearance is discussed, Greta when the opportunity arrives, grabs the chance and tells him of her quest to find her friend, he warns her that it could be very dangerous and that she should leave the house, she ignores his pleas. Before her disappearance Sally sent a letter to Greta, which contained her fears and stated that she was a sex slave and that she was constantly demeaned in this house of perversions, but somehow the Franklin's had a hold on her and she couldn't escape, no matter how hard she wanted to.
Greta goes to bed but is startled when a giant of man appears at her window, her screams are answered by Richard who tells her it was only the local fisherman Rocco, he then puts her in the capable hands of his wife Eleanora who gives her a drink of water into which she sprinkles an unknown powder, in the ensuing moments Eleanora makes some moves on Greta ,she responds and they spend the night making love. Next morning Greta is unsure if it was all a dream as the glass of water she knocked over during their passion is now replaced, was it all a dream?..or had she been taken advantage of, after being drugged?
Greta then stumbles on a party that is happening elsewhere in the house, she's invited in, it a swingers party with drugs in abundance, Greta gets cosy with a guest who knew Sally, in order to garner some more information of her disappearance, but is then shocked when she sees Sally in a porno film being screened there, now Greta's fears for her friend grow ever more pronounced. Richard then surprises Greta by ceasing the work on his current book, in order to begin his tale of a missing girl who is murdered by the local psycho and dumped in the lagoon, this is the final straw , as this story bears more than a resemblance to the truth.
Silvio Amadio was a director perhaps best known for his comedies, so this was not his usual light hearted affair, he still managed though to create a semi-thrilling and erotic tale of debauchery, he showed great skill in directing the infamous lesbian liaison which could so easily have been tacky, but is here rendered in an sublimely erotic way. Both Neri and Bouchet excel in their roles, Neri as the dark predatory and sexual deviant and Bouchet as the wide eyed and stunningly beautiful innocent, an innocent you can't help but want to be deflowered, especially when she turns up in a highly stimulating baby doll dress. Granger on the other hand is probably as wooden as he always was, but this strangely works in his favour here, although we never quite believe he is capable of anything too debauched. Highlights of the film are undoubtedly the sexual tryst between Neri and Bouchet, a finely handled duck hunting scene in the marshes, the Little Red Riding Hood porno film within the film, Greta's reminiscing of her and Sally's first love making under a waterfall and of course the final reveal. Teo Usuelli's score is at times nothing short of naff and seems to belong to some long forgotten sci/fi film, perhaps even in an elevator, but he also wrote some really funky and enticing little opuses within the film, especially the main theme which is playful and perfect in its execution. Its hard to tell though if Aldo Giordani's cinematography is any good as the Eurovista DVD is just taken from an old pan and scan VHS and a washed out one at that.Amuck! is though an enjoyable romp and a must see for all fans of the Giallo genre.