Frivolous Lola

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

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