L'uomo che guarda (1994)

I have never seen an erotic movie like this before, nor have I ever found any to be as satisfying, even though I had to put up with English subtitles. The Tinto Brass perspective on female anatomy is quite uncommon in American porn.

Instead of numerous scenes of topless skinny women with fake boobs, Tinto gives us a good look at some rather curvaceous derrières and, for variation, a few close-up views of women self stimulating some rather hairy vaginas. While breasts aren't the main focus, and they aren't the biggest boobs you've seen, they do appear natural! You should also note that male anatomy is revealed more in this film than in soft porn; there a many close up shots of male penises in female hands. Unlike hardcore, however, fellatio is not depicted, nor does the camera zoom in on penetration. I especially liked the fact that there is no semen or feces, staples of some hardcore films which disgust me.

As in many erotic stories, the basic idea is to show a clear contrast between the intimacy of true love and the moral depravation of lust and wanton sex, in this case with the spotlight on voyeurism. To paraphrase the principal male character, Dodo, voyeurism is more than an idle spectator's indulgence of his/her lustful desires. It is a mutual endeavor to lay bare intimate sexual secrets in all their carnal essence and vulnerability, a revolt against a hypocritical society that represses a vital part of life out of pure ignorance. While this may be well stated, the film fails to prove this point with its numerous unrealistic scenes of people acting shamelessly in both public and private settings.

Love is portrayed by the relationship between Dodo and his wife Silvia. In a playful foreplay scene, Silva dresses in front of Dodo, allowing us to get a good look at Katarina Vasilissa, a very pretty, tall blond. Her 23 years at the time of shooting stood up well to close inspection from the camera. She acted reasonably well, and the sex between her and Dodo appears intimate, however, I wasn't left with the impression that she was truly in love. This may be the reason the film only earned a rating of 6.

Moral depravation is portrayed by the relationship between Dodo's father and his nurse, Fausta, whom he hires more for sexual favors than for medical treatment. This humorous part of the story is too slapstick for my taste. A forgivable flaw, however, since Tinto gives you a good feel for Christina Garavaglia's well rounded buttocks! As for the overall production, what I liked most was the Jazz music soundtrack. On the other hand, most settings were rather mundane, and I didn't like the lighting at all. It wasn't consistent from scene to scene, and all too often the characters were set against a bright background, which actually makes it harder to see them clearly.

So, to sum it up, if well rounded buttocks and hairy vaginas are your thing, if you want plenty of sex without going hardcore, and if you find tall blonds attractive, than this film may be worth a look.