tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post4575869864963071854..comments2024-01-02T15:27:47.049-05:00Comments on I'M IN A JESS FRANCO STATE OF MIND: aka JOE D'AMATORobert Monellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06309327472702575547noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post-6359853816585666212010-02-12T06:12:36.745-05:002010-02-12T06:12:36.745-05:00A loving and highly endearing tribute you wrote th...A loving and highly endearing tribute you wrote there. Thanks especially for the remark on the Von Sternberg...I never thought of that, but yes, the reference is obvious - especially in the title. Will have to rewatch both as a double feature.<br />I've seen almost all of D'Amato's movies, and yes, there is something very distinctive about his oeuvre...just as you say, he really deserves the auteur status that he himself never cared about (as he repeatedly stated in interviews).<br />There is a surprising thematic complexity and density to most of his early works. His later porn often consists of 90 percent fucking, I agree, and there's usually little to no dialogue (though the plot alluded to is sometimes pretty high-brow - take for instance his treatments of ancient Greek legends, or his XXX rip-offs of Verhoeven's "Basic Instinct" and Louis Malle's "Damage"); it is however mostly the distinctive music of Piero Montanari, the rhythm of stock footage inserts and slow-motion and closeup effects, and the occasional attention to odd little humorous details during or in-between coitus which convey a dreamy and humorous vibe, what has been called the "D'Amato touch".<br />D'Amato repeatedly stated he would have loved to continue directing softcore movies, thrillers, and adventures. He felt hardcore was the destruction of eroticism.<br />However, he saw the financial risks with these kind of movies were just too high - he talks about loosing money on some of his movies. Porn was a sure thing as far as the finances were concerned. It should not be overlooked that, in contrast to say Fulci or Argento, D'Amato's priority in his late years had to be business; in his own eyes, he was a producer first and a camera and film (35 mm) craftsman second.ironmasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post-69408828287990879392010-01-25T22:39:53.357-05:002010-01-25T22:39:53.357-05:00His eighties porn entry PORNO ESOTIC LOVE recycles...His eighties porn entry PORNO ESOTIC LOVE recycles some Gemser/Tinti footage from BLACK COBRA.<br /><br />Another of D'Amato's great works as a cinematographer was Alberto De Martino's THE ANTICHRIST/THE TEMPTER (while the poor matte are credited to another company, I believe D'Amato did some of the other optical effects himself like the disembodied arm which chokes the witch doctor since his EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS features a similar optical effect).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post-4043738404257682522010-01-08T03:02:24.043-05:002010-01-08T03:02:24.043-05:00Black Cobra certainly sounds interesting!<em>Black Cobra</em> certainly sounds interesting!dfordoomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02306293859869179118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post-4953837723107448682010-01-06T08:11:59.551-05:002010-01-06T08:11:59.551-05:00I don't think I've ever seen a single Joe ...I don't think I've ever seen a single Joe d'Amato film. I suppose I should give him a try, although knowing where to start is the difficulty!<br /><br />I dare say you can't go wrong by checking out "Death smiles at murder", which is in my top 100 films of all time, trash or not. It's extremely poetic and trippy.<br /><br />"Buio Omega" and "Anthropophagus" are both worth watching, too.<br /><br />After that, you could perhaps try his more "perculiar" genre mutations: "Emmanualle in America", "Porno Holocaust".<br />These are the films that immediately pop up in my head when I think "D'Amato"Alex B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07724782489291826158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post-57588576631157813112010-01-06T02:49:21.367-05:002010-01-06T02:49:21.367-05:00I always really liked "Death Smiles at Murder...I always really liked "Death Smiles at Murder". I must have watched that film 20 or more times. It's too bad he didn't make more like that. I also really like "Black Cobra" with Laura Gemser which stands out as being rather different in tone and style than the other D'Amato / Gemser flicks.Brian D. Horrorwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12520647338131001942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post-48520643592705820462010-01-05T14:08:23.367-05:002010-01-05T14:08:23.367-05:00I didn't think Joe D'Amato was that much l...I didn't think Joe D'Amato was that much less known then Jess Franco, I always thought of them as equals(plus Rollin)Alex B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07724782489291826158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post-65821304552871550522010-01-05T09:38:56.794-05:002010-01-05T09:38:56.794-05:00I interviewed D'Amato in 1996, when he was sel...I interviewed D'Amato in 1996, when he was selling porn in Cannes. Great TV interview that unfortunately wasn't aired. He talked a lot about his porn, and claimed "they always have a good story".<br />The problem with D'Amato's hardcore fare of the 90s, is that they're of the "why bother?" variety. I mean: they travel to Kenya and other exotic locations. They shoot on 35mm. They use characters like Tarzan, Cleopatra and Caligula. And then they use almost plotless scripts that consist of 90% sex scenes?! And rarely move the camera; most of the shots are flat and static. Why did they bother spending money on these flicks? A few of his WIP pornos were fun, but most of his XXX movies are unwatchable and look like cheap video productions (on 35mm).Pidde Anderssonhttp://www.filmkoncept.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post-14368435048415390772010-01-05T02:00:20.707-05:002010-01-05T02:00:20.707-05:00I don't think I've ever seen a single Joe ...I don't think I've ever seen a single Joe d'Amato film. I suppose I should give him a try, although knowing where to start is the difficulty!dfordoomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02306293859869179118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30886366.post-79101630218898768152010-01-04T18:58:45.895-05:002010-01-04T18:58:45.895-05:00Certainly now I begin with filmagrafia of Amato. I...Certainly now I begin with filmagrafia of Amato. I believe that who likes jess it finishes discovering to Amato and Rollin, that is: Loving(amato) the Roll <br />A10 AstrumAstrumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12503217486537408840noreply@blogger.com